In the Republic of Tuva, almost at the border with Mongolia, in the mountains at an altitude of 1300 meters above sea level the Tere-Khol Lake is situated. It’s a mountain pond, and thousands of such ponds can be found in Russia. But it is unique because the ruins of an ancient fortress remain on the island on this lake.

The Por-Bajin fortress (in Tuvinian – “the clay house”) was built in the middle of the VIIIth century by the order of the chief of Uigurian chagan Eletmish Bilige-chagan on the island of Tere-Khol. In In 750 A.С. he came with his troops on the territory of the today’s Tuva to conquer it. In order to consolidate his position on the captured territory he built a fortress. Its walls were about ten meters high. The central palace which was situated on a high platform belonged to Eletmish Bilige-chagan himself. Ancient builders had to bring thousands tons of clay and burnt brick.

The monument has a complex architecture – inside the straight rectangular is located an entire labyrinth of buildings, resembling the Buddhist or Hindu mandola.

At that time in the Valley of the Hemchik River appeared an entire system of fortresses – 17 similar constructions; but the Por-Bajin fortress strongly differs by its construction from all other known monuments. The influence of Sogdian culture is highly prominent in its architecture. It is possible that the Sogdians – natives of China, who traded with all nomadic population of Central Asia - participated in the building of the fortress.

Uigurian Kaganate

Personal tamga of Turkic chagans

Inscription of an ancient Turkic fleeces, devoted to the Uigurian chagan Boian-choru

Personal tamga of Boian-choru