Djanpyk Kala, Southern Karakalpakstan

The natural northern gateway to Lower Khorezm passes through the Sultanuizdag ridge where it meets the Amu Darya. The powerful fortresses of Gyaur Kala and Djanpyk Kala defended this passage; their ruins lie southeast of Karatau. Signal towers dating from the 10th–13th centuries survive on hills between the fortresses.

Djanpyk Kala once stood directly on the bank of the Amu Darya and functioned as a river port. Today a narrow channel passes the tugai forest of the Badai Tugai Reserve near the surviving outline of the walls and western buildings.

The foundation dates from the 4th century BC. Outer walls and towers belong mainly to the 9th–12th centuries, while later internal buildings date from the 12th–14th centuries. Near the western wall stands a large citadel or palace measuring about 23 by 50 metres. Its walls were articulated with half-column corrugations, sections of which remain up to 14 metres high. Dark stone ridges behind the eastern side give the fortress one of the most dramatic settings in the region.