Day-Trip to Four Castles

Toprak-Kala, in modern Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, was an ancient palace city and the capital of in khorizm in the 2nd/3rd century CE, where wall paintings, coins and archives were discovered. Its history covers a period from the 1st to the 5th century CE.

Kyzyl-Kala, also Qyzyl Qala ("Red fortress"), in modern Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, was an ancient fortress in Chorasmia built in the 1st-4th century CE. The small fortress of Kyzyl-Kala is located near Toprak-Kala, about 1 km to the west, and was also built in the 1st-4th century CE, possibly as a fortified defense for the site of Toprak-Kala. Kyzyl-Kala was once restored in the 12th century CE. It has also been the subject of a modern renovation program, with the objective of showing what a fortress looked like originally. It is part of the "Fifty fortresses oasis" in modern-day Uzbekistan. It was last occupied by Muhammad II of Khwarazm (1169, 1200-20), ruler of the Khwarazmian Empire, before it fell to the Mongol conquest of Khwarazmia.

Ayaz-Kala is an archaeological site in Northern Uzbekistan, built between the 4th century BCE and the 7th century. Situated on a hilltop overlooking the Kyzylkum Desert, the site encompasses the ruins of an ancient Khorezm fortress. Short tea break at Jurta complex.

The time of foundation of the Janbas-Kala settlement dates from the antique period of the history of Ancient Khorezm, so-called the period of the existence of “thousands cities” in the region territory. This period is divided into two stages: Kanguy and Kushan ones (by name of the states to which Khorezm belonged). Foundation of the Janbas-Kala fortress dates back to the first Kanguy stage. The date of the fortress foundation was determined by S.P. Tolstov - IV century before Christ - I century Anno Domini. Janbas-Kala, a fortress of the “The Lands of Ancient Irrigation” is most protruded one to the north-east. It is situated on the northern-western slope of the desert flat elevation which extends from the north-west to the south-east, locking a chain of hills stretching to the south-east from Sultanuizdag (S.P. Tolstov “Ancient Khorezm”, page 87).

Drive back to Khiva.