The ancient settlement of Aktepa is one of the oldest settlements and archaeological monuments of the famous Tashkent oasis, along with the other famous settlements such as Ming Urik and Shashtepa. A distinctive feature of the ancient site of Aktepa is its grandeur, as well as an impressive huge castle, once located on its territory.
Location and structure of the site of ancient settlement
The word "Aktepa" is translated as a "white hill". The settlement is located in the Yunusabad district of Tashkent, not far from the Aktepa channel. Currently, the hillfort is a hills of clay, the highest point of which reaches 21 meters. From this height you can perfectly view the modern city. On the territory of the former settlement remains of the castle and palace were found, as well as a temple with eternally burning sacred fire - a symbol of the Zoroastrian religion.
Castle defense
According to the researchers, the powerful castle of one of the rulers of that time was a summer residence and served as a strong defensive fortress. It is also striking how thoughtful was its construction: the castle was built on a hillside and surrounded by a wide deep ditch (moat). The only connecting object of the castle to the land was a bridge, passing which enemy soldiers had to pass through a specially designed bypass gallery from which it was almost impossible to attack or at least to stay alive. This is due to the fact that the bypass gallery narrowed in a certain place to such a size that only one person could pass through the corridor, and such tactics are very convenient for repelling an attack. Another important defensive object was the donjon, a lookout fortress tower, from where observation and protection of the ruler was carried out round the clock. The defense of this building was top notch: everything was thought out to trifles, various tricks were used, helping to defend and counter-attack. All this indicates the high development of urban planning and architecture in the ancient settlement of Aktepa.
Thus, this place is truly a unique cultural monument with no less unique buildings in the best traditions of Sogdian architecture. A lot of tourists, historians and scientists come to see the remains of the ruins, as well as to get acquainted with the history of the city of Tashkent, and there is an ulterior motive, because there really is something to tell here.
