Taraz

The city of Taraz celebrated its 2,000th anniversary in 2002, marking it as one of Kazakhstan’s oldest urban centers. Entering Taraz feels like stepping into the medieval era—ancient caravanserais, majestic mausoleums, cobbled streets, and traditional markets create an atmosphere that blurs the boundaries of time. The architectural monuments here are unique and have survived in nearly pristine condition, bearing the imprint of their original eras.

Situated in southern Kazakhstan, near the Kyrgyz border and nestled in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains, Taraz’s location was no accident—it was established as a crucial crossroads on ancient trade routes. Its foothill setting contributes to a mild and comfortable climate, with the city blanketed in greenery and surrounded by picturesque natural attractions, making it an ideal destination for those eager to explore both ancient wonders and breathtaking landscapes.

With a history stretching back millennia, Taraz plays an essential role in understanding the heritage not only of Turkic peoples but also of the Silk Road’s cultural legacy. The city boasts around 1,500 ancient historical sites: mausoleums, ancient mosques, numerous monuments to prominent figures, balbals (stone carvings from ancient Turkic tribes), a caravanserai, and even medieval baths. Taraz first appeared in Greek written records in 568, under the name Tolosa. During that time, the city was governed by the Turkic Khagan Dizabul-Istemi, and it hosted an embassy from Byzantine Emperor Justinian II, led by the envoy Zemarch Cilician. These records depict Taraz as a densely built city with many gardens and even a mint. The city’s bazaars once sold goods from nearly every corner of the known world, where traders could be heard speaking not only Turkic but also Arabic, Persian, and Hindi.

In the early 7th century, Taraz emerged as a vital hub along the Silk Road, earning widespread recognition throughout the East. It became known through travel records, ancient chronicles, and geographic works, serving as a center for the Turgesh and later the Karluk khaganates. The city was the site of the famed Battle of Talas in 751 along the Talas River near Taraz, where the Karluk and Arab tribes halted the Chinese empire’s expansion into Central Asia.

During the 9th and 10th centuries, Taraz experienced further growth. Its position on a trade route, surrounded by a fertile agricultural valley and silver mines in the Talas Alatau mountains, fostered its economic and cultural development. The renowned Arab geographer al-Maqdisi wrote of Taraz as a large and prosperous city in the 10th century. By the late 10th and early 11th centuries, following the conquest of Central Asia by the Karakhanid dynasty, Taraz became the capital of a principality within the new state. The city minted its own coins and saw the construction of magnificent architectural ensembles, including the mausoleums of Karakhan and Davudbek, castles of rulers, and numerous ancient tombs that invite travelers to glimpse centuries past. About 15 kilometers east of present-day Taraz, architectural marvels recognized by UNESCO as world heritage sites, such as the mausoleums of Babadji-Khatun and Aisha-Bibi, stand preserved.

According to legend, the Aisha-Bibi Mausoleum was built by a ruler of the Karakhanid dynasty over the grave of his beloved fiancée, Aisha-Bibi, daughter of the Sufi poet Hakim-Ata. Folklore tells that a venomous snake took her life while she journeyed to her beloved. The mausoleum is entirely clad in terracotta tiles carved with intricate plant and geometric patterns, giving it an ethereal and graceful appearance. Standing for over eight centuries, it endures as a testament to the exceptional skills of ancient architects.

Taraz flourished between the 10th and 12th centuries, with the construction of tall buildings, a water supply system, and baths. However, this growth was interrupted in the early 13th century. First, Taraz was destroyed by Muhammad II of Khwarazm, who preferred not to cede it to the Mongols. Later, during the 13th and 14th centuries, the region was ravaged by Mongol rulers vying for power, leaving Taraz depopulated. In the mid-13th century, Armenian sources referred to the city as Dalas, and it was known as Taraz to Guillaume de Rubrouck. During Timur’s reign, the city might have been called Yany-Talas. By the late 15th century, Taraz fell into decline, yet life there continued.

The ruins of ancient Taraz have mostly vanished, with modern constructions covering its original site. Excavations have uncovered various structures from Taraz’s history. In Shahristan, on the eastern edge, medieval baths were discovered, along with collections of pottery, bronze items, jewelry, and coins from the city’s mint. Notable finds include a statuette of a dancer in Greco-Bactrian style and bronze lamps. Nearby, there were prominent cities such as Jamukat, Atlakh, Adakhket, Lower Bars-Khan, Jikil, and Kasribas.

In the late 18th century, a fortress was built on this site, around which a settlement grew, largely populated by migrants from Namangan, hence it was called Namangan-Koche. In 1856, the city was renamed Auliye-Ata, meaning «Holy Elder» in Uzbek. It was then a typical Central Asian town, with narrow, radial streets extending from a central bazaar. Along these streets, artisan workshops, tea houses, and shops lined the way.

In 1864, during the Russian annexation of Turkestan, Auliye-Ata was taken by Russian forces, who expanded the city with stone buildings for administrative offices, stores, and merchant mansions. By the late 19th century, the city had a population of 12,000. Modern-day Taraz, a lush and green city, now hosts 430,000 residents and ranks as Kazakhstan’s sixth-largest city.