Khwarezm 50 Fortresses, Uzbekistán
Less officially but more descriptively, the area is known as Elliq-Qala, which translates literally to “Fifty Forts.” Though only 20 distinct ruin sites have been found to date, this nickname may prove prescient, as new ruins are being discovered (and rediscovered) all the time. And even though the ruins technically do not yet live up to the promise of their name, they still combine to make the area of Khwarezm one of the largest and most fascinating areas of ruin on the planet.
More than two millennia ago, people were drawn to Khwarezm for much the same reason they are today – it’s a natural oasis in a region of stark desert, feeding from the Aral Sea and providing a more temperate climate and robust vegetation patterns. For this reason, numerous competing tribes built cities and surrounded them with forts for protection in the area.
Epic Uzbekistan Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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