Bakatam Mausoleum and Syganak settlement under restoration in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region
Restoration efforts are underway at two important historic and cultural sites of national importance in Kazakhstan’s Kyzylorda region as part of a program by the Ministry of Culture and Information, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Specialists from the state enterprise Kazrestavratsiya are carrying out restoration work at the Bakatam Mausoleum in Kazaly district and the ancient settlement of Syganak in Zhanakorgan district.
Restoration of the Bakatam Mausoleum has already been completed. The project included a scientific assessment of the monument’s condition, structural reinforcement, treatment of joints, restoration of lost architectural elements based on historical research, and reconstruction of brickwork in accordance with original materials.
Additional work included renewing the protective plaster layer on the dome, improving waterproofing, and landscaping the surrounding area.
"These measures will ensure the long-term preservation of the monument while maintaining its historical architectural appearance," said Talgat Berdiev, department head at the regional Center for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Heritage.
Restoration work at the Syganak settlement aims to preserve the historical site, scientifically restore its original architectural features, and protect its archaeological heritage for future generations. According to the project plan, two excavated mausoleums and part of the area where a residential building once stood will be restored.
Berdiev noted that Syganak has been mentioned in Turkic and Persian-Arabic historical sources since the 10th century. According to medieval records, the city served as the capital of Desht-i-Kipchak in the 11th-13th centuries, the White Horde in the 13th-14th centuries, and the Kazakh Khanate from the 15th to 17th centuries.
"Having experienced different historical periods, the city existed until the 18th century. The fact that Syganak was called the ‘Harbor of the Kipchak Steppe’ reflects the high level of its economic and socio-economic development as an important center along the Great Silk Road," Berdiev said.
Earlier, Qazinform reported scientific restoration work had begun at the ancient settlement of Sauran in Kazakhstan’s Turkistan region.