Once, Otrar rang with the clinking of coins from its own mints, melodies of skilled musicians floated through the air, and majestic libraries held the secrets of ancient civilizations. Welcome to Otrar – the jewel of medieval Kazakhstan!

The ancient metropolis stretched 57 kilometers from modern-day Turkestan, at the foot of the magnificent Karatau Mountains. For centuries, it was far more than a point on the map, but a major center of trade, science, and culture.

Otrar’s history began in the 8th century, the city flourished for eleven centuries, evolving from the capital of feudal estates to the political center of the Kazakh Khanate. Its streets once boasted luxurious Eastern baths, grand mosques, thriving madrasas, and a vast bazaar.

The city’s fate was turbulent: a six-month siege by the forces of Genghis Khan, acts of betrayal, a revival in the 15th century, and eventual decline in the 19th century. Today, archaeologists carefully uncover the secrets of the ancient metropolis, discovering astonishing artifacts, from exquisite jewelry to everyday objects.

The modern treasury of the city is the Otrar State Archaeological Reserve-Museum, which preserves invaluable artifacts that tell the story of the city’s past glory and the richness of its extraordinary heritage.