Editor’s Note: The Astana Times introduces a new series, Forgotten Cities of the Silk Road. We are setting out to explore tentative UNESCO sites in Kazakhstan. Many now lie in ruins, but once were the epicenter of life, commerce and culture. We begin with Syganak, once the capital of the Kipchak Khanate and a strategic hub that bridged east and west.
ASTANA — Once a thriving capital and strategic stronghold in Central Asia, the ancient city of Syganak in southern Kazakhstan served as a crossroads of cultures, empires and trade routes over the course of a millennium. It left behind a rich archaeological legacy that continues to unfold.
Once a thriving capital and strategic stronghold in Central Asia, the ancient city of Syganak in southern Kazakhstan. Photo credit: Department of Entrepreneurship and Industry of the Kyzylorda Region Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
Syganak is among the historical sites proposed as part of the Silk Roads: Fergana–Syrdarya Corridor transnational nomination, which was added to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Heritage tentative list in 2021. The corridor includes cultural landmarks across Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, the Kyrgyz Republic and Uzbekistan.
Rediscovering Syganak: a city once at the heart of the steppe
Syganak is located in the Kyzylorda Region, near the Syr Darya river, approximately 15 kilometers from the present-day village of Sunak Ata in the Zhanakorgan district. The site spans nearly 20 hectares and features the remains of fortifications, a citadel, residential structures and other buildings. Archaeological excavations have revealed that the city had developed systems of water management, including canals connected to the Syr Darya and mountain streams from the Karatau range.
The city was first mentioned in the 10th–11th centuries as an Oguz settlement. By the 12th century, it had become the capital of the Kipchak state. In 1220, Syganak resisted the Mongol army led by Jochi, son of Genghis Khan. After a seven-day siege, the city was razed, and its population executed, according to Persian historian Ala ad-Din Ata-Malik Juvayni in “The History of the World Conqueror.”
Syganak is among the historical sites proposed as part of the “Silk Roads: Fergana–Syrdarya Corridor” transnational nomination added to the UNESCO’s tentative list Photo credit: Department of Entrepreneurship and Industry of the Kyzylorda Region
Rebuilt in the mid-13th century, Syganak became the capital of the Ak Orda (White Horde) and regained its economic and administrative status. By 1328, the presence of a mint underscored its revitalization. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the city became a contested stronghold in power struggles among the Timurids, Uzbeks, and emerging Kazakh states.
In 1423, Ulugh Beg, grandson of Timur, briefly took control of Syganak before being defeated by Barak Khan. The city later came under Abu’l-Khayr Khan, founder of the Uzbek Khanate.
By the 16th century, Syganak was incorporated into the Kazakh Khanate and remained a thriving urban center through the 17th and 18th centuries. Historical records describe flourishing markets, fertile lands, and active trade in grain, textiles and weaponry.
Uncovering the layers of time
Systematic excavations began in the early 2000s under Kazakhstan’s Cultural Heritage program, building on initial Soviet-era studies. Archaeologists have unearthed ruins of mosques and madrasas (educational institutions), ceramic vessels, oil lamps, metal tools, ornamental stones and millstone fragments.
Archaeological excavations have revealed that the city had developed systems of water management. Photo credit: Department of Entrepreneurship and Industry of the Kyzylorda Region
Some artifacts, dated through laboratory analysis to the fifth–eighth centuries, suggest that human settlement in the area predates written records. Excavations have also revealed segments of the citadel and shahristan, covering approximately 7.2 hectares. Fortified walls once stood seven meters high and included defensive towers. Restoration efforts continue at the northeast gate and former religious structures.
Artifacts recovered from the site are preserved at the Kyzylorda Regional Museum of Local History. Ongoing documentation contributes to national initiatives aimed at cataloging and safeguarding cultural heritage.
Toward UNESCO recognition
Other nominated sites as part of the Silk Roads: Fergana–Syrdarya Corridor include Asanas, Kyshkala, Otyrar, Yassy-Turkistan, Zhankala, Zhankent, Sauran and the sites of the Zhetyasar oasis. Together, they illustrate the diversity and depth of civilizations that once flourished along the Central Asian section of the ancient Silk Road.
Kazakhstan currently has six sites inscribed on the main UNESCO World Heritage List, including the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Petroglyphs of Tamgaly, Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan, the Western Tien-Shan, the Cold Winter Deserts of Turan and the Chang’an–Tianshan Corridor section of the Silk Roads.
