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{{Infobox settlement
|name = Barskoon
|native_name = {{lang|ky|Барскоон}}
|other_name = {{lang|fa|{{Nastaliq|بارسغان}}}}
|image_skyline = Barskoon river pointer.jpg
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|pushpin_map            = Kyrgyzstan
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_mapsize        = 300
|pushpin_map_caption    =Location in Kyrgyzstan
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = [[Kyrgyzstan]]
|subdivision_type1      = Region
|subdivision_name1      = [[Issyk-Kul Region]]
|subdivision_type2      = District
|subdivision_name2      = [[Jeti-Ögüz District]]
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|population_footnotes   = <ref name=pop21/>
|population_total = 9533
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|coordinates            = {{coord|42|9|22|N|77|36|14|E|region:KG|display=inline,title}}
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'''Barskoon''' ({{langx|ky|Барскоон}}; {{langx|ru|Барскаун|Barskaun}};<ref name=bse>{{GSEn|098440|Барскаун}}</ref> {{langx|fa|{{Nastaliq|بارسغان}}}}) is a settlement on the southern shore of Lake [[Issyk Kul]] in the [[Issyk-Kul Region]] of [[Kyrgyzstan]]. Its population was 9,040 in 2021.<ref name=pop21>{{cite Kyrgyzstan population 2021}}</ref> It is on the A363 highway between [[Bökönbaev]] to the west and [[Kyzyl-Suu]] to the east.

== Geography ==

Barskoon is a village located at the mouth of the Barskoon valley. The valley connects the southern shore of Lake-Issyk-Kul to the inland [[Ala-Bel plateau]], the upper [[Naryn (river)|Naryn]] river valley, and further towards [[Xinjiang]] and northwestern China.

== History ==

[[File:Kashgari_map.jpg|right|thumb|[[Mahmud al-Kashgari]]'s world map, with Barskoon at the center|300px]]
Its prominent location made Barskoon an important trading post in the Middle Ages. A route of the ancient [[Silk Road]] passed through here, passing over the {{cvt|4284|m|ft}} [[Bedel Pass]] into [[China]]. There are ruins of an ancient [[caravanserai]] in Barskoon, providing testament to the times when caravan routes dispersed from here [[China]] and [[India]] in the East and South. After the end of the [[Mongol Empire]] and the gradual [[Silk Road#Decline and disintegration|decline of the Silk Road]] after the 1400s, the town began to lose prominence.

The modern town began as a Russian military post after the [[Russian conquest of Central Asia]]. During the 1916 uprising of the Kyrgyz against colonial rule known today as [[Urkun]], large numbers of Kyrgyz attempted to flee through the Barskoon valley into China, and many perished at Bedel and [[Seok Pass]]. The name of Seok Pass ("Bone Pass") stems from this incident.

After the establishment of the [[Soviet Union]], the ancient trade road became important for frontier defense against China. The border crossing at Bedel Pass was closed, and a new road, present-day A364, was built over [[Barskoon Pass|Barskoon]] and Seok Pass towards [[Kara-Say]], then east towards [[Ak-Shyyrak]] and [[Engilchek, Kyrgyzstan|Engilchek]].

In 1997, the [[Kumtor Gold Mine]] was opened, and the road through the Barskoon valley became the main access road of the mine. In the spring of 1998, a lorry carrying cyanide used in the gold refining process was involved in an accident - leaving the road and crashing into a stream. The resulting pollution temporarily decimating the tourist industry around [[Issyk Kul|Lake Issyk Kul]] as many tourists cancelled their planned holidays.

==Population==
{{Historical populations
|title       = 
|align       = none
|percentages = pagr
|2009|6912
|2021|9040
|footnote= Note: resident population; Sources:<ref name=pop21/><ref name=census09>{{cite Kyrgyzstan census 2009|Issyk-Kul|220}}</ref>
}}

== Etymology ==

The name appears as variants in medieval sources. The first mentioning is in the 9th-century [[Book of Roads and Kingdoms (ibn Khordadbeh)|Book of Roads and Kingdoms]] by 9th-century geographer [[Ibn Khordadbeh]]. The etymology of the name is not clear. Popular folk etymologies link it to the [[snow leopard]], called ''ilbirs'' in [[Kyrgyz language|Kyrgyz]] and ''bars'' in many [[Turkic languages]]. Another etymology is brought forward by [[Clifford Edmund Bosworth|C. E. Bosworth]], who mentioned that it was "so named because in ancient times, one of the rulers of Persia had settled in Turkestan and become a ruler there. He was called Pārsi-khwān that is, one who is literate in Persian, and this became contracted to Barskhan."<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Iranian Studies|volume=11|year=1978|title=The heritage of rulership|page=25|last=Bosworth|first=E. C.|doi=10.1080/00210867808701538}}</ref>

== Notable people ==

The 11th century scholar [[Mahmud al-Kashgari]] (also known as Barskhani) was a native of this area. His father Husayn was mayor of the village. Mahmud al-Kashgari is best known as the author of the [[Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk]], the first comparative dictionary of the [[Turkic languages]], which he wrote whilst living in [[Baghdad]] in 1072-4. His map of the then known world has Barskon at the centre of the world. His tomb is in [[Upal]], a small town in present-day [[Xinjiang]] southwest of [[Kashgar]] on the [[Karakoram Highway]] to [[Pakistan]].

Barskoon is also known as the birthplace of [[Sabuktigin|Abu Mansur Sabuktigin]]. Born there in 942, he was later sold as a slave to [[Alp-Tegin]], the [[Ispahsalar|commander-in-chief]] of the [[Samanids|Samanid]] rulers of [[Bukhara]]. Sabuktigin became one of the most prominent generals of 10th-century Central Asia, married Alptigin's daughter, and became the founder of the [[Ghaznavids|Ghaznavid dynasty]], which ruled large parts of [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]] and northwestern India until 1186.

== Sights ==

Barskoon is a popular tourist destination and home to tourism companies, such as Shepherd's Way Trekking.<ref>[http://www.kyrgyzstan.orexca.com/barscoon_mountains_kyrgyzstan.shtml Barskoon Valley in Orexca.com]</ref> The Barskoon valley has an impressive [[Barskoon waterfall]] and is a good centre for trekking and horse riding. There are two interesting sights along the road - a Soviet lorry mounted on a plinth and a bust of [[Yuri Gagarin]], who holidayed on the South shore of [[Issyk Kul]] after his historical first manned space flight.

West is the village of Tamga, which is famous for a rock ("Tamga-Tash") with a [[Buddhist]] inscription dating from the 3rd to 8th centuries, which the locals interpreted as a [[Tamga]].

In the mountains to the south-east is a region known as [[syrt]] - an "alpine cold desert" located at average altitudes around {{cvt|3600|m|ft}}. A364, one of the few good roads into the mountains in southern Issyk-Kul Region, goes south down the valley, over the [[Barskoon pass|Barskoon]] and [[Seok Pass|Söök Pass]]es to Kara-Say in the Naryn valley and then east to Ak-Shyrak. There is a border police post located at Kara-Say, and a border area permit is needed for onward travel. The through road beyond Ak-Shyrak to [[Engilchek, Kyrgyzstan|Engilchek]] is currently not passable as of 2017.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
* [http://www.stantours.com/pics/kg_mn_map_bw_xl.gif A map of Kyrgyzstan showing the location of Barskon]

{{Jeti-Ögüz places}}

[[Category:Populated places in Issyk-Kul Region]]
[[Category:Populated places along the Silk Road]]