Akyrtas

Zhambyl · Kazakstan · Ruin

The giant palace on the steppe is said to have been raised by beings with supernatural powers — then abandoned overnight, half-built.

Forty kilometres east of Taraz rise the foundations of a colossal palace of blood-red stone blocks, some weighing several tons, hauled here from the mountains with no quarry anywhere nearby. The 8th-century construction stopped abruptly and no one knows by whom or why — local legend says the walls were raised by masters with supernatural powers, in one version by the hero Manas and his son hurling the blocks down from the mountains. The area is considered a sacred place of power, and villagers still tell of strange lights over the ruins. Even ufologists have been drawn here in search of answers.

FAQ

Where is Akyrtas located?

Akyrtas is in Zhambyl, Kazakstan.