Tower Kiz-Kul is located next to the cave town Eski-Kerman and is also known by the romantic name "Maiden Tower". It leads to a steep slope, which is breathtaking. On the tower many legends are, but in fact it is only the balance of the castle Kiz-Kul, who was a defensive structure.

BARE FACTS

Tower's height - 8 feet.

The thickness of the walls - more than a meter.

On both sides of the tower - steep cliffs ahead - the moat.

The tower stands on a narrow headland - the tip of the plateau Topshanlar.

LOCATION

To the west of Eski-Kerman, on the other side of the beam Dzhurla, on the plateau nearby Cape Topshan, stands in terms of square tower with a gate. The remains of a fortified castle Kiz-Kule (Maiden's Tower). Particularly striking, she looked from the platform of the northern sentinel-complex. It seems that the tower is nearby and you can easily reach it. In fact, in Kiz-Kul can rise only by ancient footpaths with steps carved into the rock from another valley, located on the west of the tower. For this we must descend from the northern sentinel of the complex to the saddle and turn left, gently down the terraced in places with traces of artificial podrubok, slope. Then on the way out to the former village Strong (now there are folds). It is possible to rise from the valley to the castle.

HISTORY

In fact, the tower not girlish but entry, and she guarded entrance to the castle next to the cave town Eski-Kerman. Castle Kiz-Kul arose, more likely, after the destruction of defenses Eski-Kerman later than X - XI centuries. In 1933, the excavations were held inside the fortress. On the territory of the castle are visible the traces of buildings. Around the tower was excavated oneapside tiny chapel, inside which tombs are maden. It had been functioning from XI till XIII centuries.

At the same time, archaeologists have determined that Fortress Kiz-Kul in the XIV century was destroyed by fire.Only a tower that was hallowed by poetic legends left.

Kiz-Kul - a characteristic of medieval feudal castle. In front of the tower was a shallow ditch, moved through it by flying bridge, which led from the south road. And the ditch and the road had been cut in the rock. From the south tower on the plateau Topshan led road which crossed the gates of a shallow ditch, carved into the rock. The moat were crossed by a wooden bridge.

There was a suggestion that the enhancement appeared at the end of IX – at the beginning of X century. And was lost from severe fires at the end of XIII – at the beginning of XIV. However, in the written sources is an indication of its existence at a later time. There are no strong evidence for such an early date of appearance of a miniature castle. It is possible that it grew up on a nearby plateau, after the death of Eski-Kerman and was the residence of the local feudal lord, to whom was subdued village Cherkes-Kerman wich lied at the bottom of the gorge.

The vast territory of the Cape, wich is protected by the tower, was practically devoided of not only cultural, but also the soil layer, was intended, probably as a shelter for the villagers in case of military threat.

This gorge iactually was habitable by man since ancient times. The traces of Stone Age sites were discovered at the beginning of the gorge and its western spur. Here was also a settlement in the Middle Ages. In the cliffs surrounding the valley there are many natural and artificial caves.

In one of the rocks on the southern edge of the gorge was carved a small church, it preserves fragments of fresco XII - XIV centuries.

In the literature it is called the temple of Donators. It is believed that the church and the village in the gorge had once belonged to the owners Kiz-Kul.

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