KYRGYZSTAN ~ Burana Tower - UNESCO ~

...Beautiful postcard showing one of the countries most outstanding historical sites with snow-capped peaks in the background... this is one of their 4 first ever issued postal stationery cards with printed stamps showing the countries map.. .the cards are called "My Kyrgyzstan"... with great special cancellation from the Antwerpfila stamp exhibition visited by postcard friend Johan...Thanks once more Johan for this unique collector's item➝ http://johanpostcards.blogspot.be/ (♥‿♥)

Photo: A. Sorokin The Burana Tower (Ruins of Balasagun) is a large minaret in the Chuy Valley in northern Kyrgyzstan and is all  that remains of the ancient city of Balasugan. The Burana archaeological site is now an open-air historical and architectural museum.

The minaret of the archaeological site dates from  the 10-11th centuries. It is among the oldest constructions of this type in Central Asia. The original height of minaret was 45 meters. Today the tower is 25 meters high, the remaining part came down during an earthquake in the 15th C.

A legend connected with the tower says that a witch warned a local king that his newly-born daughter would die once she reached the age of eighteen. To protect her, he built a tall tower where he sequestered his daughter. No one entered the tower, except the daughter's servant who brought her food. The daughter grew up alone and became a beautiful young lady. One day, however, a poisonous spider was hiding in the food brought by the servant. The spider bit the girl, and she died in the tower, at the age of eighteen.

It is part of the Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor and became a UNESCO WHS in 2014.

Stamp:

Kyrgyz ExpressPost
(Issued 16-06-2016)