Uzbekistan · 1st century
Kyzyl-Kala, also Qyzyl Qala ("Red fortress"), in modern Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan, was an ancient fortress in Chorasmia built in the 1st-4th century CE. The small fortress of Kyzyl-Kala is located near Toprak-Kala, about 1 km to the west, and was also built in the 1st-4th century CE, possibly as a fortified defense for the site of Toprak-Kala. Kyzyl-Kala was once restored in the 12th century. It has also been the subject of a modern renovation program, with the objective of showing what a fortress looked like originally. It is part of the "Fifty fortresses oasis" in modern-day Uzbekistan. It was last occupied by Muhammad II of Khwarazm (1169, 1200-20), ruler of the Khwarazmian Empire, before it fell to the Mongol conquest of Khwarazmia.
Text adapted from “Kyzyl-Kala” on Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Kyzyl-Kala ranks #3,372 of 9,079 worldwide in the atlas's castle fame ranking, and #7 of the 12 mapped in Uzbekistan. Founded c. 50, it is older than 98% of the atlas's dated landmarks — one of 33 atlas entries founded in the 1st century. Its Wikipedia articles were opened 1,369 times in the last 60 days, more than 59% of the atlas. 2 more atlas landmarks stand within 25 km. The nearest day-trip guide is Khiva, 70 km away. See how Uzbekistan compares in the castle statistics.
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