An exhibition of photographs taken during György Almásy’s 1906 expedition to Kyrgyzstan has opened in Karakol, at the foot of the Tien Shan mountains, as part of the city’s anniversary celebrations on July 1.
Almásy, who first arrived in Karakol in 1900, was one of the earliest Europeans to study the ethnography of the Kyrgyz people, as well as the Tien Shan mountain and its unique flora and fauna. His photographs and drawings were published in his 1903 book titled “Vándor-utam Ázsia szivébe” [My journey to the heart of Asia].
Photographs taken during his second expedition in 1906 marked a new chapter in his research. The exhibition’s wall texts and archive images were provided by the Museum of Ethnography in Budapest – owner of Almásy’s collection – to the National Historical Museum Of The Kyrgyz Republic, where the display attracted thousands of visitors over a three-month period starting April 15, 2025.
A marble plaque, unveiled in June 2022 at the entrance of the Karakol Pedagogical College with support from the Hungarian Embassy, also commemorates Almásy’s expeditions. The explorer stayed in the same building during both of his visits.
The exhibition runs until August 10 and coincides with the 19th International Festival of Traditional Crafts and Culture.
