Yet this is just one version, and perhaps not the most accurate one. The lake existed here long before the arrival of the great conqueror.
According to some sources, it was originally called Iskan-dara (or something similar), which in the local language means “high water” or “high‑mountain lake.” When Iskander Zulqarnain passed through these lands, the obvious similarity in sound led Iskan-dara to gradually transform into Iskander-kul. There is no solid evidence for this theory — nor for the opposite one — only speculation, myths, and legends.
There are many legends connected with the lake. I will tell two of the most famous — those that are inextricably linked to the name of Alexander.
First Legend: The Dam of Wrath
According to the tale, after Alexander the Great conquered Bactria and Sogdia, a powerful uprising broke out in the region led by the Sogdian chieftain Spitamenes. Spitamenes’ forces surrounded the Macedonian garrison in the Sogdian capital, Maracanda (modern Samarkand). Alexander sent his generals with troops to relieve the city, but they suffered a crushing defeat. That battle, known as the Battle of the Polytimetus (the modern Zeravshan River), was the only victory ever won against Alexander’s forces during his entire Eastern campaign.
The defeat was so severe that Alexander, wanting to preserve the myth of invincibility, threatened to execute the few survivors if they ever spoke of what had happened. Soon, leading a detachment of his finest warriors, he set out in pursuit of Spitamenes.
Chasing the rebels, Alexander entered the valley where the lake now lies. There stood an impregnable fortress whose gates were closed against him. Enraged, the conqueror decided not to waste time on a long siege. He ordered his soldiers to build an earthen dam and flood the fortress together with its defenders. Within days, the water rose, creating a large lake.
But Spitamenes escaped. Alexander then resorted to a trick: he sent an ultimatum to the Sogdians, threatening to break the dam and let the wave wash away every settlement downstream if they did not hand over the rebel leader. The elders wavered and revealed Spitamenes’ hiding place. His detachment was surrounded, yet the badly wounded Spitamenes managed to break through with a handful of warriors into the deserted Mashkevat gorge. The pursuers cornered them in an inaccessible cave. Spitamenes and his men chose death from hunger and wounds rather than captivity — they never surrendered.
To this day, local people believe that the dried body of Saint Khodzhi Iskhok, which can be seen in that same cave, actually belongs to the legendary Spitamenes.
Second Legend: Bucephalus’ Farewell
This story is about Alexander’s beloved horse, Bucephalus (or Bukephalos). A gift from his father Philip II, the horse was not easily tamed. According to Plutarch, the ten‑year‑old Alexander succeeded in mastering the spirited stallion where experienced riders had failed. Overjoyed, Philip said: “My son, seek out a kingdom worthy of yourself, for Macedonia is too small for you!”
On his Indian campaign, Alexander rode his faithful Bucephalus. The army’s route led through mountain passes past that very lake. The horse, overheated from the long march, drank the icy water and fell ill. The army could not wait, so Alexander left his horse with grooms and a small detachment and continued on.
Bucephalus recovered. The soldiers were about to set out when suddenly the horse refused to let anyone approach him, stopped eating and drinking. One day, sensing the death of his master, he galloped onto a promontory, raised his head, and neighed so loudly that the sound echoed like thunder over the lake. Then he bolted and leaped from the cliff into the cold water, instantly sinking to the bottom.
They say that ever since, on one of the days of the full moon, a white‑maned horse emerges from the waters of the lake. He grazes in the meadows and plays until dawn, and with the first sunrise he again runs and jumps from the cliff.
On the western shore of the lake, there is still a cave by a stream that locals call “Bucephalus’ Stable.”
What Remains of Alexander
Of course, it is hard to separate fact from fiction in legends. The contradictions between the story of the lake being “created” by a flood and the story of the lake already existing when the horse fell ill only highlight their folkloric origins. Still, it is quite plausible that Alexander did pass through these lands. It is assumed that he came here from the west via the Akhbosher Pass. Numerous place names scattered across the map support this: Lake Iskanderkul, the village of Zulqarnay, the kishlak of Iskander, the Iskander Canal, the Dashti‑Iskander steppe, and, of course, Alexandria Eschate (“the Farthest”) — the last of the cities founded by the great conqueror on the eastern edge of his empire. Today, the modern city of Khujand stands on that site.
By the way, many beks of the Upper Zeravshan principalities seriously considered themselves direct descendants of Iskander Zulqarnain. There is even a curious case: one Matchin bek sent a petition to the Tsar’s governor in Samarkand demanding that he be given Panjakent, justifying his claim by stating that as a descendant of Alexander the Great he had the right to “all kingdoms and lands.”
Direct kinship is debatable, but such claims are not entirely baseless. Besides the core of the army — Greeks and mercenaries — Alexander had what were called “Alexander’s sons.” From conquered peoples he recruited very young men, raised and trained them in the Greek manner, and formed them into units. To secure their loyalty, he called them all his sons, much to the displeasure of the Greek soldiers, who considered this a barbarian custom — after all, among Greeks everyone was equal and they addressed even Alexander informally. When he had to leave a garrison in a conquered territory, he preferred to entrust it to these most loyal “sons,” because the Greeks themselves were not eager to stay in far‑off lands. So local dynasties really could have descended from these soldiers.
Written Records and Exploration
Lake Iskanderkul is first mentioned in written sources in the famous literary monument of the 16th century, the Baburnama. Its author, the former ruler of Fergana, Zahiriddin Babur, who had been driven out by Shaybani Khan, visited the lake during his wanderings. Here is what he wrote:
“After hundreds of hardships and sufferings, we passed through high, narrow passes and reached the vicinity of Fan. Among the Fan mountains lies a large lake. This beautiful lake is about one sheri in circumference. It is not without charm.”
Later, Babur went on to India, where he founded the Mughal Empire. So both he and Alexander the Great reached India through these regions. And now I, too, have visited Iskanderkul — so it would only be logical to follow in the footsteps of the greats. After all, Goa is our everything, plus all those places like Varanasi, the Taj Mahals, the Kama Sutra… or is that last one not a place? :)
The first scientific description of the lake, its surroundings, flora, and fauna was made by the Russian researcher A. P. Fedchenko, who visited here in 1870 as part of General Abramov’s expedition. Later, numerous expeditions came to Iskanderkul — both before and after the October Revolution. Simply listing all the names would take too much space for my blog.
I will only note that in 1929 the Iskanderkul complex station began operating here — the first high‑altitude research station in Central Asia for studying the climate and monitoring mountain rivers. Its history is full of tragedy and stories of extraordinary courage. The first employees were led by V. M. Ionov, a hero of the Civil War. Until then, these were completely uninhabited places, visited only by shepherds and the occasional expedition.
The First Tourists and Alpinists in the Fann Mountains
In 1936, the tourist exploration of the Fann Mountains began. The first group, led by Nemitsky, came from the Kshtut side along the Voru River valley to Archamaidan, and then over the Dukdon pass. That same year, on Athlete’s Day, a group of tourists from Dushanbe led by mountaineering instructor Sergev reached Lake Iskanderkul via the Mura pass.
In 1937, the era of alpinism began. The teams of Kazakova and Mukhin made the first attempts to climb the peak of Bolshaya Ganza (5,306 m). Kazakova’s group tried to assault it from the lake side, but failing to find a route, they made the first ascent of a neighboring peak, which they named “Red Dawns” (4,315 m). The same group climbed one of the peaks near Chimtarga, later called Energia (5,120 m). Success on Bolshaya Ganza came to Mukhin’s group: they found an approach from the Djidjik pass and conquered the summit. Finally, the two groups joined forces and made the first ascent of the highest peak in the Fann Mountains — Chimtarga (5,489 m).
These were the first steps. And then, as they say, things took off. Thanks to an abundance of interesting routes, picturesque lakes, passes, and peaks of varying difficulty, along with stable dry weather and relatively good transport accessibility, the Fann Mountains became a true paradise for hikers and climbers.
You can take a look at Iskanderkul in this photo review: Lake Iskanderkul
