Overview

Taraz

Kazakhstan

Taraz city is more then 2000 years old. Since ancient time this city was known as “merchant town”. It is situated in South Kazakhstan, on the trade roads, leading to the South-East countries. The peak of the city’s development falls on 10-12 centuries, when it was the capital of Karakanid state.

Mausoleums of Karakhan and Davudbek, rulers’ palaces and many ancient burial grounds let a tourist plunge into faraway times. Ancient architecture masterpieces mausoleums Babadji-Hatun and Aysha-bibi, included by UNESCO into the list of the world’s architecture rarities, have remained not far from today’s Taraz. Accordingly to a legend, the mausoleum Aysha-Bibi was built by one of the Karakhanid Dynasty rulers on the grave of his beautiful bridge Aysha-Bibi, who was a daughter of a Sufi poet Khakim-Ata and whose life came abruptly to an end on the way to her lover. The construction is totally tiled with carved terracotta slabs with plant and geometric patterns. The mausoleum looks out incredibly light and elegant. It has staid as a witness of ancient architects’ outstanding mastery for more then eight centuries in spite of winds and bad whether.