In the north of Tajikistan is the city of Istaravshan, founded in the 6th century BC. Today it is a tourist center that attracts visitors with its ancient mosques, caravanserais and mausoleums.
The Mugteppa settlement was located in Istaravshan in the 2nd-7th centuries. This was the place of residence of the local aristocracy, who built numerous castles here with a peculiar and expressive architecture. This is evidenced by the discovered settlements of Bunjikat (Kahkaha) and Chilhujra, which had well-fortified structures with palace and cult buildings decorated with paintings and carved panels.
In Bunjikat, in particular, a painting was found depicting a she-wolf feeding two infants – evidence of contacts between the West and the East. On Mug Hill, where the residence of the local ruler was located, only the gates with a dome and columns on the sides have survived to this day.
