Tokmok

Tokmok (, Tokmok ('hammer'); , Tokmak) is a ceety o aboot 60,654 (2008) (accordin, tae ither data, "ower 58,000"Город Токмок  (Ceety o Tokmok) ) in northren Kyrgyzstan, east o the kintra's caipital o Bishkek. Its geographical location is ; its altitude is 816 m abuin sea level. Frae 2004 till 19 Aprile 2006 it served as the admeenistrative seat o Chui Province. Juist tae the north is the Chu River an the border wi Kazakhstan.

Tokmok wis established as a northren military ootpost o the Khanate o Kokand ca. 1830. Thirty years later, it fell tae the Roushies who demolisht the fort. The modren toun wis foondit on 13 Mey 1864 bi Colonel Mikhail Chernyayev.

Currently, the ceety o Tokmok is a destrict-level admeenistrative unit o Chuy Province. Although the ceety is surroondit bi the province's Chuy Destrict (whose admeenistrative center is the veelage o Chuy, adjacent tae Tokmok), it is no a pairt o it.

 Medieval heritage 

Despite its relatively modren oreegin, Tokmak stands in the middle o the Chui valley, which wis a prize sought bi mony medieval conquerors. The ruins o Ak-Beshim, the caipital o the Wastren Turkic Khaganate, are situatit 8 km soothwast frae Tokmok. The Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai is thocht tae hae been born in this aurie, as wis Yusuf Has Hajib Balasaguni, author o the Kutadgu Bilig.

Aboot 15 km sooth o Tokmok is the 11t-century Burana Tower, locatit on the grunds o an ancient citadel o which today ae a lairge earthen moond remains.  This is believed tae be the site o the ancient ceety o Balasagun, foondit bi the Sogdians an later for some time the caipital o the Kara-Khanid empire.  A lairge collection o ancient gravestanes an bal-bals is nearbi.  Excavatit Scythian artifacts hae been moved tae museums in St. Petersburg an Bishkek.

See an aa
 Suyab

References

Freemit airtins

 Ceety site Tokmok  (roushie)
 Forum Tokmok  (roushie)
 Bord Tokmok  (roushie)
 Photo Tokmok  (roushie)
 Dating Tokmok  (roushie)

Category:Populatit places in Chuy Province
Category:History o Central Asie
Category:Populatit places established in 1864
Category:Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan border crossins