aavalos's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Muynak District, Uzbekistan

Moynaq

Once a bustling fishing port, this semi-ghost town is now more than 90 miles away from the shore.
Semey, Kazakhstan

Stronger Than Death Monument

This 100-foot tall tombstone memorializes victims of 40 years of nuclear testing in Kazakhstan.
Sauran, Kazakhstan

Ruins of Sauran

This was once the largest city in Kazakhstan, and a major stop on the Silk Road.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Bayterek Tower

A modern tower, symbolizing the legend of a golden egg on top of the tree of life.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Khan Shatyr

An entertainment center in a huge transparent tent.
Zhanaarka District, Kazakhstan

Soyuz 11 Memorial

The remains of a monument in the remote Kazakhstani desert dedicated to the only men to die in outer space, the crew of the Soyuz 11 rocket.
Astana, Kazakhstan

Palace of Peace and Reconciliation

Iconic pyramid from famed British architect Norman Foster designed to represent all of the world's religious faiths.
Baikonur, Kazakhstan

Baikonur Cosmodrome

World's oldest and largest space launch facility, once a secret missile testing site.
Aralsk, Kazakhstan

Aral Sea

Rusting ships sit in a desert where a sea used to be.
Enbekshikazakh District, Kazakhstan

Issyk Lake

The lovely lake that was naturally dammed, then naturally destroyed, then unnaturally saved.
Zharkent, Kazakhstan

Zharkent Mosque

This unique wooden mosque resembling a Chinese pagoda was said to be built without the use of nails.
Almaty, Kazakhstan

Big Almaty Lake

A brilliant turquoise lake in the mountains.
Saty, Kazakhstan

Kaindy Lake

Submerged trees jut ghost-like out of an idyllic turquoise mountain lake.
Raiymbek District, Kazakhstan

Charyn Canyon

Nicknamed Kazakhstan's Grand Canyon, this natural wonder lies east of Almaty near the Chinese border.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Abu Sahiy

The heartbeat of modern Uzbekistan’s thriving market culture.
Nukus, Uzbekistan

Chilpik Tower of Silence

The ruins of an ancient Zoroastrian Tower of Silence believed to be the earliest example of the traditional funerary practice.
Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan

Ak Saray Palace

Home to what was once considered the largest gate in central Asia.
Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Amir Timur (Tamerlane) Museum

Looking for a unifying history, Uzbekistan finds its answer in a 14th Century Turco-Mongol conqueror... despite the fact he wasn't Uzbek.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Tomb of Daniel at Samarkand

An 18-meter-long sarcophagus of a constantly growing dead prophet.
Beruni, Uzbekistan

Elliq-Qala

These "50 Fortresses" have been unearthed in the ancient oasis of Khwarezm.
Xiva, Uzbekistan

Walls of Itchan Kala

Ancient barriers wrap around what was once an important stop along the Silk Road.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Ulugh Beg Observatory

Light still pours into the ruins of this ancient Islamic observatory.
Siem Reap, Cambodia

Ta Prohm

A battle between nature and architecture in the Cambodian jungle.
Phumi Khna Rôngvoas, Cambodia

Kbal Spean

This Cambodian riverbed is covered in ancient Hindu carvings both above and below the waters.