The central hall
About 9 m across, under a broad dome.
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Tash Rabat, whose name means stone inn, is a fortress-like caravanserai in a remote valley of the At-Bashy range, in the Tian Shan, at about 3,100 m. Built of rough stone and clay and set partly into the hillside, it has 31 rooms, mostly small domed cells around a domed hall, and features on the 20-som banknote. Its date and first purpose are debated. Many historians place it in the 15th century. Kyrgyz scholars of the late 1970s and early 1980s argued for a 10th-century Nestorian monastery, though no Christian finds turned up, while a 2011 study sees a 10th- to 12th-century caravanserai. It sheltered caravans between Kashgar and the Fergana Valley. Chokan Valikhanov described it in 1859, and it was restored in the 1970s and 1980s. A single pointed gateway between round corner towers opens onto a long corridor lined with small rooms, leading to the central hall, about 9 m across under its dome; the cells are lit through holes in their domes. Since a new restoration began in 2025, a temporary metal roof has covered the building, darkening the interior, and the site may close during the works. The turn-off lies about 100 km from Naryn along the main road, then some 15 km of gravel climb the valley; with no public transport, a taxi takes about two hours. In summer, herding families run yurt camps with meals, beds and horses. Expect no mobile signal, boil river water, and pack for cold nights. The ruined Koshoy Korgon fortress lies about 47 km north-east as the crow flies.
About 9 m across, under a broad dome.
With light openings in their domes.
Meals, beds and horses in the valley.
Tash Rabat valley, At-Bashy district, about 115 km south-west of Naryn by road
Yes: a track climbs the valley towards the Tash Rabat pass, close to 4,000 m, and riding up to a viewpoint over the lake and back takes about six hours in the saddle. The ride needs a special permit, best arranged at least a month ahead through agencies in Naryn or Bishkek, so go with a local guide, acclimatise first and take warm, windproof layers.
The Ministry of Culture, which took over the monument in 2024, began its first major restoration since the 1970s and 1980s in 2025, as the building was at risk of collapse. The ministry says the canopy that shields the work from rain and snow, and the fence that keeps livestock out, are temporary and will come down once the work is finished.