In Kyrgyzstan, near the city of Osh, there is one of the main shrines of Muslims-the Sacred mountain Sulayman-Too.
Osh is the second largest city in Kyrgyzstan and one of the oldest in Central Asia. The exact date of its Foundation is still unknown. Since its written history dates back more than a thousand years, and archaeological finds generally speak of a three-thousand-year history. Historians say that in ancient times, Osh was surrounded by a fortress wall, had three gates, and a citadel stood inside. At that time, the city was a major trade center on the great silk road, which connected the Mediterranean and the middle East with the Pamirs, Tibet, China, and India. Since ancient times, Osh has been famous for its bazaars and caravanserais. The main market is located on the left Bank of the AK-Bura river, and is a classic example of the Eastern covered market-tima. For more than two millennia, the Bazaar has lived its noisy and vibrant life, changing its buildings and expanding its borders, but it remains in the same place.
Legends connect the Foundation of the city with king Solomon (Suleiman) and Alexander the great. For the first time the city of Osh is mentioned in Arabic sources of the IX century.
At that time, mount Sulaiman-Too served as a reference point for travelers who considered it sacred. This ancient monument of art and history has been known since time immemorial. Until the XVI century, the mountain was called Bara-Kuh, but then it was renamed Takhty-Suleiman, which means “throne of Solomon”.
This is how this sacred mountain was called until the XX century, when it was again renamed Sulaiman-Too.
The mountain has always had a cult significance for believers, especially for fire worshippers. Some historians believe that the prophet of Zoroastrianism, Tatustore lived and created their teachings at one of the caves at Sulaiman-Too. There was also one of the temples of the Zoroastrian cult of water and fire. It is possible that the name of the city of Osh comes from these words – Ohsho, Yahsha-Osh. Until now, the mountain keeps a lot of valuable and amazing information-hundreds of petroglyphs are carved on stone slabs, walls of caves and grottoes.
Unfortunately, as happened with so many religious objects, the mosque was destroyed by the Soviet authorities in 1963. However, thanks to the preserved ancient images of this architectural monument, the mosque was restored in 1991.
The Sulaiman-Too mountain range is a calcareous remnant, extending just over a kilometer and 560 meters wide. The highest point of this massif reaches 1175 meters.
There are seven caves in the mountain, the entrances of which are framed by grottoes. The most famous and popular among pilgrims are the caves “Chakka Tamar” and “Tepeunkur”. According to ancient beliefs, the “Chakka Tamar” cave has unique healing properties. The entire mountain range is skirted by the sacred water channels Jupas-Aryk and Jannat-Aryk, which are still used by medieval water-lifting wheels. There is also a mosque, “Rawat-abdullakhana”, which, according to some reports, was built in the XVI century and the building-hujra (“house of Babur”).
Today, mount Sulaiman-Too is a kind of Mecca, which is the last hope for many of its visitors. The main part of which are women. Someone asks Sulayman-LLP for well-being for the family, someone – health, someone-procreation. People believe in the magical properties of the ancient sanctuary.
