Main image: upyernoz, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
One can get to Zhambyl region by car, bus, train, or plane.
By Air: The nearest major international airport to Taraz is Shymkent International Airport (CIT), which is approximately 150 kilometers (93 miles) away. You can book a flight to Shymkent and then proceed to Taraz by road.
By Train: Taraz has a railway station that connects it to various cities in Kazakhstan. You can check the train schedules and book a ticket to Taraz. The train is a comfortable and scenic way to travel within the country.
By Bus or Shared Taxi: You can also reach Taraz by long-distance bus or shared taxi from nearby cities or regions. These are typically more affordable options.
Karakhan Mausoleum
The Karakhan Mausoleum was built over the grave of the ruler and one of the founders of the Karakhanid dynasty – Shah Mahmud Karakhan. Local residents promote him to the rank of “Aulie-Ata” (holy elder), which contributed to the renaming of the city of Taraz into Aulie-Ata (1856-1936). The inscription in Arabic above the entrance to the mausoleum reads the first line of the Koran: “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.” The mausoleum was partially destroyed and in 1906 rebuilt in its original place.
Aisha Bibi Mausoleum
A pearl of architecture, the Aisha Bibi mausoleum is the only architectural monument in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, lined entirely with carved terracotta tiles. Only legends have survived about the personality of the deceased. Preserved words, translated meaning: “Autumn … Clouds … The Earth is beautiful …”. According to legend, Shah-Mahmud Karakhan erected a memorial tomb at the place of death of his beloved Aisha.
Auyl Bereke Market
It is located outside the city, but it’s worth going there to buy fresh vegetables, fruits, fish and meat. The market counters are very clean and offer wide variety of products.
Kone Taraz Historical and Cultural Center
The city of Taraz, founded in 40-36 BC, is the oldest city in Kazakhstan and the historical and cultural center of the Great Silk Road. In the historical and cultural center “Kone Taraz” there are: Kone Taraz Entrance group to, Taraz sazdary Stele, Friendship center with an interactive office “Rukhani Zhagyru”, Observation tower, Mynbulak Alley, Menin Tugan zherim – Kazakhstan Earth globe, Kone Taraz Historical and archaeological excavations and the Museum. Nearby, the Shahristan project is being implemented, which includes the Museum of Local Lore, the Rukhaniyat Center, an exhibition pavilion, a gallery, an amphitheater and the City of Masters.
Mart Taraz Shopping and entertainment center
The largest shopping and entertainment center in Kazakhstan, houses many shops and a supermarket, kids play area, Dino Park, a cinema, an ice skating rink and a food court.
The Dzhambul region was formed in October 14, 1939 and included nine districts, six of which were separated from the South Kazakhstan region and three from the Alma-Ata region.
The region was named after its administrative center — the city of Dzhambul — in honor of the Kazakh akyn Dzhambul Dzhabayev, winner of the Stalin Prize of the second degree (1941).
On May 4, 1993, the transcription of the name in Russian was changed from Dzhambul to Zhambyl region, the capital of the region is the city of Taraz.
Ancient Taraz was the largest administrative center and occupied one of the central positions on the Great Silk Road. Its growth and prosperity are closely linked to the history of the famous trade route.
In 1856, the city was named “Aulie ata” (“holy elder”) – in honor of the Karakhan mausoleum, built over the grave of one of the rulers of the Karakhanids.
Since 1938, the city bears the name of the great Kazakh akyn Jambul.
In 1997, by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev the city returned to the old name of Taraz
Taraz celebrated its official 2000th anniversary (recognized by UNESCO) in 2001
In 2015, Monument dedicated to 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate was erected in Taraz.
October 30 Taraz City Day
City Day is the most important and large-scale holiday for the population. All the efforts of the organizers of the City Day 2021 holiday are aimed at showing all the best that it has achieved, for what the city was famous and is now famous. These people strive to make the city holiday the most vivid, memorable and special, fun and stirring, unusual and interesting for the guests of the city and for the residents themselves.
Tulip Spring Festival
The Tulip spring festival is held annually in the city of Taraz, Zhambyl region. The regional Tulip festival is intended to revive the cult of the tulip as a symbol of the city of Taraz, to increase its popularity to strengthen the tourist image of the Zhambyl region for Kazakhstani and foreign tourists. The main purpose of this event is to attract a larger number of Kazakhstani and foreign tourists to the Zhambyl region, the development of ecological, children and youth tourism as part of the implementation of the Master Plan for the creation and development of a tourist cluster in the Zhambyl region.
The objective of the event is not only to attract domestic travel companies in the development of domestic tourism, but also to draw the attention of the population to the problem of reducing the distribution area and number of tulips due to human interference in nature. Schoolchildren and youth of the region, workers of small and medium-sized businesses working in the field of tourism in Zhambyl and other regions of Kazakhstan, public associations, government bodies and the media take part in the festival events.
Zhambyl region, where Taraz is located, occupies just over 5% of the territory of Kazakhstan. In the southern part of the region stretches the huge Betpak-dala desert. On its outskirts there is a steppe, and behind it there are natural oases with fertile soils. These are the places where the tributaries of the Talas River flow out, in the lower reaches of which, on an area of 150 km², Taraz is located.
Taraz is characterized by dry, long summers, a large number of sunny days, relatively warm winters. The coldest month is January, with an average monthly temperature of –5°С. During the daytime in the city it is usually –2 … –1°С, at night the temperature often drops to –10°С. Arctic air masses periodically invade here, accompanied by strong gusts of wind, snow and a noticeable decrease in temperature. Then a calm, clear weather with strong cooling reigns.
Spring is rainy enough, but warm. In April, the largest amount of precipitation is recorded here. At the end of this month, the daytime air temperature often exceeds +20°С, and in May summer weather already reigns here.
Summer in Taraz is almost cloudless, the hottest month is July. September in the city is clear and warm, at this time here +25 … + 26°С. It begins to noticeably get colder in the second half of October, and in November, at night, frosts are already recorded.
Zhambyl region has the potential for both industry and agriculture development. For several years now, it has shown stable growth in almost all sectors of the economy. In the food industry, the production of sugar, pasta, vegetable oil and other products is steadily developing.
