Por Bajin: The mystery hidden in Siberia

[Still Waters]

ON A small island in the middle of a remote lake in Siberia lies a puzzling sight.

Welcome to the Por Bajin (also spelt Por-Bazhyn) ruins, located between the Sayan and Altai ranges, close to the Mongolian border. It's an area almost completely unaffected by civilisation.

And nobody knows exactly what the Por Bajin is.

http://www.news.com....i-1227293552690

http://siberiantimes...palace-and-why/

[Grandpa Greenman]

Thanks, SW that is really a find.

[Aftermath]

From the article: “It has been unknown for long whether the structure was built on the island or the lake was formed later, around the already built fortress.”

Fascinating!

[Athena1979]

It was aliens.

jk

It is an interesting article. I agree that this is likely a Buddhist monestary. it is the perfect isolated location for meditation. the second link gives some of the questions as to why the buildings do not have heat sources in a location that has harsh winters. I can't imagine Buddhist coming out for a summer of meditation and then leave in the winter.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Athena1979

[sards]

Interesting configuration.

[Keel M.]

I feel like I've seen that place before. It's been a while, but it looks familiar somehow.

[Podo]

Hmm. Mysterious ruins in Siberia? Seems like the logical place to find something like that, considering how remote and inhospitable it is. There was a reason the Soviets shipped anything they didn't like to the middle of Siberia to be forgotten.

[Hanslune]

I feel like I've seen that place before. It's been a while, but it looks familiar somehow.

Yes it has been on several different forums before. It showed up at ATS 2-3 times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayanchur_Khan

[Harry_Dresden]

The structure looks very defensive in nature. In fact a fort on a Island in the middle of no-where... Layed out in geometric lines. Hmmm...

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

It looks a bit "Forbdden City" to me.

[+DieChecker]

I've seen pictures of the place years and years ago. But I am very glad that they are starting in depth archaeological studies of the place.

I'm going to guess that it was some kind of noble's summer residence. It appears to be right in the middle of the Uigur Khaganate.

[Kenemet]

Wow!!!! I would LOVE to be part of the dig team!!!

[+Hammerclaw]

It appears to never have been completed. The architects and builders were give a lesson in the consequences of building massive structures on top of tundra overlaying permafrost.

[Pax Unum]

a ruined structure attributed to the Uyghur Khaganate. It is located on an island in the middle of Tere-Khol, a lake in Tuva.

Por-Bazhyn

[Zalmoxis]

That is intriguing. Well, they should consider that Emperors of the ancient world had a real tough life. People back then would go way far out of their way at the peril of dying to build grand retreats, monuments, idols and temples to their Emperors and their Conquerers. I wouldn't be surprised at all that this mystery city in the middle of nowhere Siberia wasn't anything more than an extreme retreat for an ancient emperor. You gotta also remember that in those days men would do extremely difficult things to claim greatness, including traveling into the middle of Siberia to build a city for an Emperor. That's what I think. Thank you for the video in the closed thread and the articles in this thread.

[Leonardo]

I wonder if it was a Mausoleum City, built solely for the purpose as being the place the Emperor (or Khan, or whatever title was used) would be taken when dead?

[theotherguy]

Are there any structures under the water line? The monastery/fortress/whatever is, clearly entirely above the lake, but any outside buildings or maybe roads might help to identify its purpose. This is, of course, assuming the lake was lower at the point when it was built. It looks accessible enough for a raft or small boat, so I suspect a dock wouldn't be necessary. Or perhaps it was designed to be only accessible by swimming, if it was a particularly strict monastery, but that seems less likely.

[+DieChecker]

The lake itself near the ruins doesn't look very deep.

I see some stuff that looks interesting in the lake.

Possible road?

Possible round walled ruins?

[MyOtherAccount]

From the third News.aus.com artile pix, it looks to me like it is a real old location of Starbucks.

[Gingitsune]

I guess it was the perfect location to send the brother in law. Unfortunately, he died half way through the constrution, making the whole project pointless, so they left the location never to come back again.

[Big Jim]

Were there any native people living in the vicinity at the time of construction? It is well known that many of the first settlements of the Americas were missions established by various sects for the purpose of converting the natives. Could Buddhist missionaries have had the same motivation? Of course, any out post that far from home base and possibly in the midst of hostiles would have to function as a fort also, so the combination of Buddhist retreat and fort seems to make sense. As for the short tenure, it could have been abandoned due to the earthquakes or perhaps the mission to convert the natives failed or they were repelled.

[Ad hoc]

The lake itself near the ruins doesn't look very deep.

I see some stuff that looks interesting in the lake.

Possible road?

Possible round walled ruins?

Nice one. It certainly does look like there's some stuff on the bed of that lake. In the bottom right area in the second picture also.

[Luxord]

I think they left because they probably realized that being surounded by water wasn't such a good idea; especailly on a small tiny ass island. How are you supposed to account for population growth and farming?

[sards]

Or maybe the foundation structure couldn't support any more weight with all that water around

[Harry_Dresden]

I think they left because they probably realized that being surounded by water wasn't such a good idea; especailly on a small tiny ass island. How are you supposed to account for population growth and farming?

I don't think that the original builders came from the area nor was the structure commissioned by a local leader... i think they choose the site to protect them from nomadic horsemen and primitive peoples. Trade and resupply is my guess. Probably a religious site or a military outpost.