Burana Tower and Balasagun

Burana Tower rises above the remains of Balasagun near Tokmok. The brick minaret is the most visible part of a much larger medieval city, one of the Kyrgyz components of the UNESCO Silk Roads corridor. Walking around the surrounding archaeological landscape helps put the tower in context: this was a place of trade, settlement and cultural exchange. Combine the standing monument with the site museum and stone sculptures where accessible, and remember that low earthworks can be just as historically significant as the tower itself.