Korkyt Ata Memorial Complex
To the Sound of the Wind
The Korkyt Ata Memorial Complex was built in 1980 near the city of Kyzylorda. The choice of this location was deliberate, for in this very region the legendary Turkic poet, musician, and kobyz creator, Korkyt Ata, was born.
The memorial’s centerpiece is four steles, each standing at 12 meters (39 ft). Their ends widen like the hemispheres of a kobyz (a Kazakh musical instrument). In the middle, there stands a sculpture depicting the footprint of the camel Zhelmaya (a character from one of Korkyt Ata's songs). The architect collaborated with an acoustic physicist to create a structure made of metal pipes. This structure produces sounds reminiscent of the kobyz when stirred by the wind.
The memorial also features an underground mosque, an amphitheater, a hotel, and a museum. From a distance, the entire complex mirrors a colossal kobyz left in the steppe, its strings played by the winds..jpg)
In Pursuit of Immortality
Korkyt Ata is a revered figure not only in Kazakhstan but across numerous Turkic states. He has left behind a profound spiritual and musical legacy. Korkyt Ata is a central figure in the Turkic peoples' written epic, "Korkyt Ata Kitaby" ("The Book of Grandfather Korkyt"). His name is entwined with several legends and tales. Legend has it that Korkyt Ata searched for immortality. Failing to find it, he, in despair, created the kobyz, an instrument believed to extend his life, if only a little. Posthumously, steppe shamans incorporated the kobyz into their rituals. This led to the perception of the musical instrument as "witchcraft," causing ordinary people to shun playing or even touching it.
How to get there?
The Korkyt Ata Memorial Complex is situated in the Kyzylorda region, to the northwest of the city of Kyzylorda, along the Shymkent-Samara highway and the Western China-Western Europe highway. The journey from Kyzylorda to the complex takes just over 2 hours by car, covering a distance ranging from 170 to 185 km (106-115 mi) depending on the chosen route. Access is possible through highways R-69 or E38. Additionally, the complex is reachable from Baikonur, approximately 66 km (41 mi) away, taking about 1 hour via the E38 road.
Other tourist attractions near the memorial complex:
- Syrdarya River
- Mausoleum of Maral Ishan
- Kalzhan Akhun Mosque and Madrasah
- Aral Sea
- Barsakelmes Nature Reserve
- The City of Baikonur
- Ancient City of Chirik-Rabat
- Syr-Ana Monument
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