The yurt has housed Central Asian nomads for at least 3000 years. It is designed to both cope with extremes of weather and temperature and be easily moved and reassembled. See master craftsmen at work in villages which produce boz ui. Yurts are still widely used in Kyrgyzstan and the country is one of the biggest producers of boz ui, exporting them to neighboring nomadic areas.
Each yurt is built with an expandable circular frame, radiating poles for roof support, and a circular skylight called a tyndyk. The tyndyk has special significance in Kyrgyz culture, with some being passed down through generations, father to son. A small yurt will have 40 support poles radiating from it’s tyndyk. For Kyrgyz these represent the 40 tribes unified under Manas. Kyrgyzstan’s flag bears a stylized representation of a tyndyk, with 40 rays representing unification of the country.
Everything in the yurt is made by hand, from the felt covers to the decorative carpets inside. Ropes are braided from leather or wool. In summertime, join Kyrgyz shepherds in the jailoo — summer pastures. Live in a yurt and experience the beautiful simplicity of rural life.
