Author: Novastan 
Novastan
Written articles:
Janpik Kala
Less well known than other fortresses in the Kyzylkum desert of Karakalpakstan, such as Ayaz-Kala or Toprak-Kala, the clay fortress of… [...]
Floodwaters
An inconspicuous latrine stands on the brown floodwaters of the Panj River near Kozidech, between Khorog and Ishkoshim, Tajikistan. Credits : Joachim Bohndorf (Germany) Find… [...]
In the dragon’s belly
To the south of Lake Issyk-Kul lies a fairytale valley: Skazka or Fairytale canyon. This enchanting place has certainly stimulated the imagination of mystics and dreamers. In… [...]
A bridge over the Ichim
It is a major attraction on the promenade along the River Ishim, and one of Astana’s many architectural boldnesses. Designed by the Kazakh studio New Moon,… [...]
Magic City
Opening in 2021, Magic City in Tashkent, spread over 21 hectares of a former Soviet park, is a fusion of a shopping centre and a theme park… [...]
Yak wandering
Yaks graze peacefully at the foot of the mountains surrounding Lake Song-Köl. Credits : Lucas Fita (@lucasfita_notes, Portugal) Find all of our… [...]
Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi
The mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, a 12th-century Sufi poet and mystic, is remarkable for several reasons. An important place of pilgrimage, its presence conferred on the… [...]
Traffic jam on Pamir Highway
Like small rocks in the vastness of the Pamir mountains, the lorries using the M41 road between Tajikistan, China and Kyrgyzstan are blocked by roadworks near… [...]
First harvest of the season
Kamila Rustambekova is a documentary photographer and filmmaker based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, born in 1998. Her work focuses on the complexities of modern Uzbek society, exploring the working and living… [...]
Contemporary standard
Wedged between two ultra-modern facades and an Anglicised sign (ironically, Highvill could be transliterated as ‘high mountain village’), this sunset over Astana (Kazakhstan) is no less sumptuous. Credits : Isabelle… [...]
Ghost town
The north shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan has been renowned for its tourist facilities since Soviet times. Located on the wilder south shore of the lake,… [...]