Issyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan (legend)

The Sunken Cities of Issyk-Kul

Folklore — not a documented case

Beneath the waters of Kyrgyzstan's vast mountain lake lie, it is said, sunken cities and a lost monastery holding the relics of the Apostle Matthew.

Issyk-Kul, in north-eastern Kyrgyzstan between the snowy peaks of the Tian Shan, is one of the largest mountain lakes in the world. Its name, meaning 'warm lake' in Kyrgyz, comes from the fact that it does not freeze in winter despite its altitude. Its shores were an important route of the Silk Road for centuries.

The stories in this section are folk tales and legends; they are not verified, real events and should not be confused with the rest of the archive.

From the same region