Pier – Przhevalsk is a place of great historical importance, which is located very close to the city of Karakol. Here is located the grave of the world-famous scientist, traveler and explorer Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky, as well as a museum dedicated to his expeditions in Central Asia.

Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky (1839-1888) is a Russian traveler engaged in the research of Asia. At that time he was one of the first Europeans who visited remote areas of Mongolia, China and Tibet. He explored the headwaters of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, crossed the deserts of the Gobi and Taklamakan, described the now non-existent Lake Lob-Nor and the Tarim River, and also discovered a previously unknown type of horse that now bears his name – Przhevalsky’s horse. The importance of his travels to science is difficult to overestimate: Przhevalsky’s works are translated into many foreign languages and travel diaries are published to this day.
Contrary to popular belief, the location of the Przhevalsky grave in Kyrgyzstan is not related to his research. As already mentioned above, the main interest for Przhevalsky was represented by remote areas of Tibet and its ancient capital – the city of Lhasa.
So how did it happen that the grave of the great traveler is here? During his fifth trip to Tibet, which was decided to start from Kyrgyzstan, that time the extreme frontier of the Russian Empire. During the hunt in the Chui valley, Przhevalsky fell ill with typhoid fever and was immediately transported to the nearest major city – Karakol, where he died. During one of his expedition, he was impressed by the beauty of these places. Przhevalsky bequeathed not to take his body back to his homeland in Russia and to bury him on the shore of Lake Issyk-Kul.

On the site of the burial of Przhevalsky there is a monument in the form of an eagle holding a branch of a tree in its beak. Around the grave, there is a large park, which also houses the Przewalski Museum. The museum contains an exposition of the traveler’s personal belongings, which he used in the campaign: numerous originals of letters and manuscripts, as well as stuffed animals that Przhevalsky himself made during his travels.
In addition to the museum and the grave of Przhevalsky, there is a museum dedicated to the memory of Kusein Karasev, a well-known Kyrgyz philologist and lexicographer, who created many dictionaries, including Russian-Kyrgyz.

How to get to the Przewalski Museum in Karakol

The museum and the grave of Przhevalsky are located 9 kilometers from the city of Karakol, near the village called Pristan-Przhevalsk. During the summer period, the shuttle bus runs regularly to the museum from the main bus station, the journey costs 30 soms. The entrance to the museum costs 50 soms.

Przhevalsky Museum on the map

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