Classroom lesson · Hisor Fortress · 🇹🇯 Tajikistan

Hisor Fortress

An ancient fortress that has watched over Tajikistan for more than 3,000 years

Photo · Wikimedia Commons

What is it?

Hisor Fortress is one of the oldest and most impressive fortresses in Central Asia. It sits on a hill near Dushanbe, the capital of Tajikistan, and its great gateway still stands today. People have been building and rebuilding on this hill for more than 3,000 years — making it older than the ancient city of Rome.

Tell me more

The fortress you see today was mostly built several centuries ago, but underneath those walls archaeologists have found layers going back thousands of years. The thick mud-brick walls were designed to be very strong — wide enough at the top for soldiers to walk along. From the gateway you can see across the green valley below.

Inside the fortress there was once a whole town: a palace, a mosque, a madrasa (a school for learning) and many homes. Today some of the buildings have been restored so that visitors can explore them. A small museum nearby shows objects found during digs — pottery, coins and jewellery.

Hisor is also famous for a beautiful old mosque called Sanghin Mosque, built from carved stone. It stands nearby and is still admired for its elegant shape and craftsmanship. Each year, thousands of visitors and school groups come to Hisor to learn about the long history of Tajikistan.

In the classroom

Walk your class through this in 15 minutes.

Talk together

Discussion prompts

01Why do you think people built fortresses on top of hills rather than on flat ground?
02Mud brick is made from earth and water. Why might that be a good building material in a dry, warm place?
03If you were an archaeologist at Hisor, what object would you most hope to dig up, and what would it tell you?

Try this

Classroom activity

Build a mini fortress wall using modelling clay or damp sand. Make it thick and include a gatehouse. Think about: How high should the walls be? Where would you put windows? Compare your design with a partner's and explain your choices.

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