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Tash Rabat is an aged caravansary and at one time has also functioned as a fortress and also as temporary goal and a look out post by virtue of its location near the Chinese border. Once an inn, Tash Rabat’s in Kyrgyzstan, on the Great Silk Road, date of origin is obscure — however archaeological proof hint that the locale was populated even in the 10th century. Tash Rabat of Kyrgyzstan is located in a carefully chosen point, about 15 km up a little, attractive valley among the foothills of the Tien Shan.
Tash Rabat at Kyrgyzstan is embedded against the hillside and is pretty easy to miss because the turn-off for umpteen years had not been sign-posted so tourists easily passed by oblivious of what they were leaving out of their itineraries.
This place of both worship and rest also provided security to caravans going to and from China from both the depredations of the bandits and of weather — even before either Tamerlane or Genghis Khan. A cautiously and unobtrusively restored stone building it has even been used as temporary incarceration area for prisoners. The 30/31 rooms also contained a kitchen and its tunnels are rumored to reach the strategic posts of China. It has been variously compared to a mosque, cloister or fortress. At various times in its history, it had possibly been all that and more.
Nowadays tourists can take road transport from Naryn, Bishkek and Torugart, to this tourist spot and enjoy a half day tour exploring living, breathing history, because this is one of the places best preserving the original atmosphere of the celebrated Silk Route.
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