Kyzyl

Music-Drama Theatre in Kyzyl

Kyzyl (Tuvan and Russian: Кызы́л) is a city in Russia, capital of the Tuva Republic. The name of the city means "red" in Tuvan (as well as in many other Turkic languages).

Kyzyl claims to be located exactly in the geographical center of Asia (coordinates 51°44′N 94°26′E). Whether these coordinates are in fact the center of Asia is disputed. However, there is a monument labelled "Centre of Asia" in English, Russian, and Tuvan which asserts this claim. Supposedly a marker was originally placed somewhere in or near Kyzyl by a European explorer in the early twentieth century, although this is also uncertain.

Kyzyl is situated on the Yenisei River. Most development is south of the river and follow the curves of the river, with the highest development centered where the two headstreams of the Yenisei, the Bolshoi Yenisei and the Malyy Yenisei, meet.

Buildings of cultural and political importance in Kyzyl include the Tuvan Parliament building, the National Theater, and a Khoomei center (officially, the International Scientific Center "Khoomei") dedicated to studying and teaching khoomei, Tuvan throatsinging.

Kyzyl was founded in 1914 as Belotsarsk (Белоца́рск); in 1918 renamed Khem-Beldyr (Хем-Белды́р), and in 1926 renamed Kyzyl.

In September 2004 Kyzyl celebrated its 90th anniversary as a city and the 60th anniversary of Tuva joining the Soviet Union.

In the late 1980s, Kyzyl was visited by Ralph Leighton, who had made it a quest to reach Tuva with his friend, Richard Feynman. Though Feynman died before they reached Tuva, the journey is chronicled in Tuva or Bust!.

2002 population—104,105.

Kyzyl is served by Kyzyl Airport.

See also

• Tos-Bulak

External links

• Photo slideshow of Kyzyl
• Detailed map
• History of the Centre of Asia Marker
• [1]