The Mountain of Suleyman-Too can easily be seen from hundreds of kilometers from the cockpit in a sunny day. The passengers can observe the sacred symbol of the Fergana Valley when the plane approaches to the Airport of Osh where the sun is shining 300 days in a year.
The mountain of Suleyman-Too; the Taht-i Suleyman, the mountain of the sacred Suleyman. According to the mythos, the sacred Suleyman had rested here, in one of his trip and a mountain with his body shape formed after he left.
If you carefuly look at the mountain, you may notice a sleeping person's shape with his head on East. The mountain of Suleyman is situated at the center of Osh; the former South capital of Kyrgyzstan. In fact the city is born and developed around the mountain.
Caravans of the Great Silk Road, exhausted from the difficulties that they encountered in the lyan-San heights passageways, were going down the Zergana Valley. God! In the heat of the summer sun, the old and everyoung city of Osh with its gardens full of beatiful flowers, the reflections of the blue minarets of the mosques and the joyous noises of caravanserais, was welcoming the tired passangers like a mirage.
Hurry up commander! If you don"t arrive at time, the doors will close and you may not be able to witness the beauties of the gardens with plumb trees, walk over the stone covered narrow streets, enjoy the taste of a delicious rice, enhale the fine smoke of the nargile and touch the stone steps of the sacred mountain, till the rise of the sun...
Taht-i-Suleyman: The heart of Osh!
The archaeologists found the traces of early Homo-Sapiens in the South of Kyrgyzstan. They age back to half million years. The Valley of Ak-Buura river has traces of settlements of Middle Paleolatic Era, aging 40 to 100 thousand of years B.C.
In 1976, archaeologist Yuriy Zadneprovsky, coming from Leningrad, performed excavations in the South of the Mountain of Suleyman, in Osh, had created a great sensation with discoveries of old Bronze Era. Discoveries that are rarely encountered were found, such as; gun, agricultural and personal tools, remainders of clothing and glassware, well preserved stone and plaster kitchenware, oil lamps, casted iron. The carbon tests showed us their age: 4000 years B.C.
The caves with their settlement characteristics, the water wells and the infrastructure have proven to the scientists that the city of Osh is classified as the first forms of a city.
Is Osh older than Rome? Yes!
The mountain of Taht-i-Suleyman has witnessed many periods of human civilization. The soldiers of Iskender of Makedonia has passed from the borders of this mountain in the search of India. The Dovan Empire has ruled this area more than five centuries. The records of this period still remains at the Eastern borders of the Suleyman Mountain.
The Chinese, Arabic, Turkish conquerors have passed from the mountain.
At 6th and 7th Centuries, a big city was formed, long before the arrival of Arabs to Zergandya. The oldest written document proving the arrival is founded at thefortress situated at the Suleyman Mountain peak. The document is carried by Nasr-ibn Ahmad. The first metal coin was used by Karahans at 1002 A.C.
The grandchildren of Cengiz Khan lived here.
Six Centuries before, the city of Osh was conquered by Emir Timur known as Timurlenk in Europe. The founder of Mongolian Empire Zuhiriddin Babur wrote in his poem "Babur-name" the white hair beauty of the mountain. After that. the wip of Kokand ruled the area for 3 Centuries. At the second era of 19.th Century, the soldiers of Russian Empire Ak-Pasa approached to the borders of the mountain and beginning from that period, links with Europe gained more importance.
For the Muslims living in the Central of Asia, the Mountain of Suleyman is the third sacred place after Mekke and Madina.
During the Soviet Socialist interval, as all the religions were surveyed, this sacred sign was also forbidden, but never lost its importance. Every muslim would wish to prey at the sacred Fortress and by the wall of the Shah Babur's house situated at the Eastern peak of the Mountain at least once in their life.

From South, North and East, the city is surrounded by snow covered mountains. At the West of the Fergana Valley, the nature amazes with its beautiful green ...

The history of this house deserves some explanation. Shah Babur, at first, built a small shelter in the years of 1510-1512. He was passing his days by observing the beauty of the city and preying. After his death in 1530, his house became a sacred place for muslims. In 1962 his house was blown off by the order of the rulers, which they thought that they would prevent people going to the house for their preys and erase the souvenirs of the earlier ruler of Osh.
In 1989 the exterior of the house was originaly restored with the help of the pictures. The Osh citizens voluntarily helped at the construction of the "Babur's House". Respectful old people together with youngs were willingly carrying traditionaly cut square stones to the top of the mountain. The walls were built by the best masons of the Fergana Valley. The people of Osh, Kokand, Laylak, Namagan, Calalabad and Hoca helped at the restoration.
The walls were decorated by the best artists. In the end of that summer the house was born, for the second time, right before their eyes.
There is an old graveyard at the border of the mountain which is a source of another myth; The husbands that had doubts about their wives faith, were bringing them at the fortress and forcing their wives head into a hole which still exists, to see whether it suited in or not. Helas! If it didn't. This meant that they were unfaitful. Their death was promptly executed by pushing them down. This is how this graveyard was formed.
Another interesting story about this mountain is about a respectful citizen which brought earth to the top of the mountain and planted a tree. He looked after this tree by carrying a bucket of water a day. The tree is still living and is looked after by the his descendants. Its green leaves can be seen from far away. In eighties other trees were also planted.
Today, the Mountain of Suleyman-Too is announced as a forest. At the historical and cultural forest, an exhibition exists in a natural cave. In the museum, historic foundings of the oldest city of Central Asia are exhibited.
At the border of the mountain, the minaret of Asaf-ibn-Kurhiya Mosque welcomes you. The magnificient Mosque of Muhammed Yusuf Bayhodjaoglu which was constructed in the last century, is restored to its original. In 1984 excavations for the 10th and 11th Century settlements have started. 15 houses, a Turkish bath, a tunnel and an old cistern is unsoiled. These excavations enabled tourists and the citizens of Osh to see the ancestors of the city founders.
There is an artisans district in the North-East of the city. Old weavers, black smiths, jewelers are still astonishing visitors by their art works.
There are three different magnificient view thatgreets visitors in Osh.