Ismail Samani Peak

Ismoil Somoni Peak
Peak of Communism
Ismoil Somoni Peak (then known as Communism Peak) taken in 1989.
Highest point
Elevation	7,495 m (24,590 ft)  Ranked 50th
Prominence	3,402 m (11,161 ft)  Ranked 54th
Isolation	279 kilometres (173 mi)
Listing	Country high point Ultra
Coordinates	38°56′36″N 72°00′58″E / 38.94333°N 72.01611°E / 38.94333; 72.01611Coordinates: 38°56′36″N 72°00′58″E / 38.94333°N 72.01611°E / 38.94333; 72.01611
Geography
Ismoil Somoni Peak Location in Tajikistan
Location	Northwestern Gorno-Badakhshan, Tajikistan
Parent range	Pamirs
Climbing
First ascent	3 September 1933 by Yevgeniy Abalakov and Nikolay Gorbunov.
Easiest route	rock/snow/ice climb

Ismoil Somoni Peak (Tajik: Қуллаи Исмоили Сомонӣ, Qulla-i Ismō‘il-i Sōmōnî/Qullaji Ismojili Somonī; Persian: قلّهٔ اسماعیل سامانی‎‎; Russian: пик Исмаила Самани pik Ismaila Samani) is the highest mountain in Tajikistan. It was within the territory of the former Russian Empire and the former Soviet Union before the area became independent as Tajikistan. The mountain is named after Ismail Samani, a ruler of the Samanid dynasty.

When the existence of a peak in the Soviet Pamir Mountains higher than Lenin Peak was first established in 1928, the mountain was tentatively identified with Garmo Peak. However, as the result of the work of further Soviet expeditions, it became clear by 1932 that they were not the same, and in 1933 the new peak, in the Academy of Sciences Range, was named Stalin Peak (Pik Stalina, пик Сталина), after Joseph Stalin. In 1962, as part of Krushchev's nationwide de-Stalinization process, the name was changed to Communism Peak (Tajik: Пики Коммунизм, Piki Kommunizm; Russian: пик Коммуни́зма, Pik Kommunizma), a name by which it is still commonly known. The name Communism Peak was officially dropped in 1998 in favour of the current name, commemorating the 9th century Samanid emir, Ismail Samani.

The first ascent was made 3 September 1933 by the Soviet mountaineer Yevgeniy Abalakov.