Isker

Welcome, seekers of history, to the high, crumbling banks of the Irtysh River. You are standing on the site of Isker, once known as the 'City of Sibir,' the legendary capital of the Khanate of Sibir. …

Our journey begins at the very edge of the plateau, overlooking the massive meander of the Irtysh. To understand Isker, one must first understand its geography. …

We move inland toward the remnants of the defensive earthworks. Isker was protected by a complex system of wooden walls and deep moats. …

At the center of the plateau, we find the area that once housed the palace of Kuchum Khan. Unlike the stone palaces of Europe, the Siberian palace was a grand complex of wooden structures, likely featuring intricate carvings and…

Near the palace area, historical accounts place the site of the city’s main mosque. Kuchum Khan was a devout Muslim, and he brought many scholars and clerics from Bukhara to convert his subjects and establish Isker as a center of…

As we walk toward the northern edge of the site, we encounter a series of small mounds. These are believed to be the burial places of the city’s defenders and perhaps members of the nobility. …

Our final stop on the plateau is the western ravine. These deep, forested gouges in the earth were a critical part of Isker’s defense, making a land-based assault from three sides nearly impossible. …

As we stand once more on the high bank of the Irtysh, our journey through the ruins of Isker concludes. We have seen the strategic heights that once made this city the master of the north, walked the ramparts of a fallen empire,…