The city mound
And its walls.
Coopypasted — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Denis Sorokin — CC BY 4.0 · GaiJorayev — CC BY 4.0 · Mikhail Gurulev (Михаил Гурулев) — CC BY 4.0 · Yakov Fedorov — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Warekau — CC BY-SA 4.0
The ruins of Otrar, the site known as Otrartobe, once one of Central Asia's key cities on the Silk Road, where farmland met the steppe. Its older name was Farab, which tradition links with the philosopher Abu Nasr al-Farabi. In 1218 a Mongol trade caravan of about 450 men reached Otrar; its governor, Inalchuq, accused them of spying and had them killed with the Khwarazmian sultan's consent. That set off Genghis Khan's invasion of Central Asia; Otrar was besieged and destroyed, then recovered as a great trading town. In February 1405 Timur died in one of Otrar's palaces while gathering his army for a campaign towards China. Today you see a broad mound with the remains of walls, houses and baths and excavated foundations, and from the air the whole city plan appears. The site belongs to the Otrar archaeological museum-reserve; ask about fees at the entrance. It is close to the Arystan Bab mausoleum, so the two make one trip from Turkistan; go in the morning, as there is no shade.
And its walls.
And streets.
And the Mongols.
Otrartobe, about 50 km south of Turkistan
A Mongol trade caravan was killed there in 1218 on its governor's orders, which set off Genghis Khan's invasion; Timur later died there in 1405.