Tekturmas Ethnographic Complex

The Tekturmas architectural complex is set in an exceptionally picturesque location on the elevated right bank of the Talas River, offering visitors a sweeping view of Taraz. Historians believe that this part of the city served as the foundation of an ancient settlement. During the Middle Ages, Taraz flourished as a major trading hub on the Silk Road, a growth supported by its strategic position near the Tekturmas Bridge, where caravans crossed the Talas River between the 10th and 13th centuries. Remarkably, remnants of this bridge have survived. Resourceful rulers of Taraz established a law to collect taxes here, filling the city treasury and consolidating their power.

In 2019, on the anniversary of the Zhambyl region, extensive construction began around the complex. Thirteen-meter monuments honoring Aulie-Ata Karakhan and a ten-meter monument to the symbol Laukha were added to the landscape. During this period, a grand staircase, observation platforms, and other architectural features were constructed, along with fourteen monuments bearing the names of prominent leaders, designed as traditional khanate yurts.

Today, this architectural complex is one of the most popular pilgrimage sites for locals and visitors alike. Previously, those arriving in Taraz—tourists, wedding parties, and the curious—would go directly to the Tekturmas Mausoleum. Now, they are greeted by this impressive new “ethno-historical” complex, complete with an entry archway.

At the heart of this new composition is the monument to Karakhan, or Aulie-Ata, meaning “holy elder,” for whom the city was named for a century and a half. His mausoleum stands in the center of the city. Flanking the monument are steles engraved with the names of other Kazakh rulers and heroes.

Closer to the river, visitors find a ten-meter sculpture of the Laukha-bilik symbol, which bears verses from the Quran, runic inscriptions from the East Turkic ruler Kül Tigin’s monument, and a brief history of Taraz in both Kazakh and Russian.

The so-called “chronicle” of Taraz, however, presents an unconventional version of the past two centuries. Absent are records of the city’s incorporation into the Kokand Khanate and, later, the Russian Empire. The narrative emphasizes resistance against oppressors and colonizers but omits mention of the Soviet era—a period during which Taraz’s population grew fifteenfold.

The monuments to Karakhan and the Laukha-bilik symbol are just the beginning of plans to establish a new tourist hub in the city. Future projects include constructing a mound fortress, erecting monuments commemorating the Battles of Atlakh (against the Chinese) and Anrakai (against the Dzungars), adding a cable car, and developing a riverside promenade lined with restaurants. Taraz’s ambitions are truly grand, and it will be exciting to see the quality of their realization.