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TARAZ is more than 2,000 years old. This "city of merchants" attained its peak of power in the 10th-12th centuries AD, at which time it was made capital of the Karakhanid state. A wide network of clay water pipes, the ruins of ancient buildings, pavements and works of art discovered by excavations all suggest that Taraz had been a big and wealthy city. A bath with murals on its walls also belongs to the same epoch. In 1220, Taraz was captured and razed by Genghiz Khan. Life returned to this place only in the late 18th century when a new fortress and a city were founded near the ruins. The importance of Taraz in world culture was acknowledged by UNESCO who sponsored the city's jubilee, which was widely celebrated.
The area around Taraz has dozens of historical relics such as the mausoleums of Karakhan and Davudbek, castles of ancient rulers and a number of burial mounds. The mausoleums of Babaji-Hatun (10th-11th centuries AD) and Aisha-Bibi (11th-12th centuries AD) are located 18 km away from the modern city of Taraz, both of which are included in the UNESCO list of architectural rarities. The Babaji-Hatun mausoleum, with a dome of the rarest design, is simple and magnificent at the same time. This nearly cubic structure is crowned with a faceted drum that supports a 16-edge conical dome. The superb brickwork of the facades has niches and rosaces, and an inscription in Arab that can still be read on the frontal parapet: "This is the Babaji-Hatun mausoleum. It was built by..." The name of the architect is lost forever, but not his perfect creation. The mausoleum was so thoroughly built on a massive stone foundation that it easily withstands the destructive forces of time.
The Aisha-Bibi mausoleum was built for Aisha-Bibi, a Kazakh saint, and many pilgrims come to this place every year. The mausoleum is the only structure in Kazakhstan totally faced with carved terracotta. The walls, domes, ledges and the styled inscriptions are all decorated with fine carvings. The now extinct technology of the ancient builders and the clay that harbours the soul still delight everyone who comes to the mausoleum. This outstanding example of ancient architecture is a tribute to eternal love: Aisha-Bibi was the short-lived daughter of the poet and scientist Hakim-Ata, who caught a cold and died en route to her loved one, Karakhan.
Some 40 km away from Taraz lays a magnificent, mysterious structure called Akyrtas. Since the 19th century scientists have been making attempts to explain the history of this architectural wonder. The time of construction, purpose, and even the name Akyrtas posed a riddle. The rectangular complex with dimensions measuring 205 m x 185 m includes a palace, a complicated system of water pipes and reservoirs, and fortifications on each corner. The total area of Akyrtas is about four hectares. The whole structure is built of huge red sandstone blocks that even exceed those of the Egyptian pyramids in both size and weight. A strong foundation and the perfectly fit wall stones of the fortress were laid at a depth of 3.5-4 m.
The builders of that time excelled at mathematical calculations and mastered the techniques of stone dressing and erecting complex structures.
The flawless design of Akyrtas clearly allows it to rank among other antique architectural wonders such as the Egyptian pyramids.
Valleys of Kings and Rock Paintings
The beautiful foothills of the Zailiysky Alatau are fed by seven mountain rivers, hence the name Semirechye (Russian for "seven rivers"). Apart from natural treasures, it has many artefacts of the nomadic tribes that inhabited Kazakhstan in the 1st millennium BC. In 1970, in one of the Issyk burial mounds near Almaty, the remains of a gold-clad Saka warrior, "the Golden Man", was discovered. His armour includes over 4,000 elaborate golden pieces made in Scythian "animal" style. A number of crockery and wooden and metal plates were also excavated from the mound. Special mention is due to a silver dish with a runic inscription, which has not yet been deciphered. "The Golden Man", an invaluable work of ancient art and an artefact of the first steppe state, has become the symbol of independent Kazakhstan, and the Issyk burial mounds have been turned into an Open-Air Museum, where a visitor can learn about the great Saka epoch.
Another important site is the Saka necropolis Besshatyr. It is located in the upper course of the Ili River and has an area of two square kilometres. Besshatyr includes 18 royal burial mounds with diameters of 8-70 m and heights of 2-20 m. Given the fact that the mound in which the "Golden Man" was discovered is 6 m high, one can imagine what treasures might be hidden in the Besshatyr mounds. It was decided to preserve them as a unique historical and natural complex.
In the late 1950s, a mysterious sanctuary was found in Tamgaly. Over 4,000 rock paintings of the Bronze, early nomadic and Turkic periods form a breathtaking open-air gallery illustrating the course of history over more than 2,000 years. Sun-headed deities, sacrifices, human and animal images, archery and falconry scenes and other themes all allow us to imagine how humans lived in those distant times, and make us admire the simple and powerful art of the unknown ancient authors.
The purpose of the numerous rock paintings scattered throughout Kazakhstan is still subject to discussion. The Tamgaly gallery is indeed an unforgettable spectacle and one of the most enigmatic messages from the past. This unique site was included in the list of world cultural heritages and is protected by UNESCO.
The area around Taraz has dozens of historical relics such as the mausoleums of Karakhan and Davudbek, castles of ancient rulers and a number of burial mounds. The mausoleums of Babaji-Hatun (10th-11th centuries AD) and Aisha-Bibi (11th-12th centuries AD) are located 18 km away from the modern city of Taraz, both of which are included in the UNESCO list of architectural rarities. The Babaji-Hatun mausoleum, with a dome of the rarest design, is simple and magnificent at the same time. This nearly cubic structure is crowned with a faceted drum that supports a 16-edge conical dome. The superb brickwork of the facades has niches and rosaces, and an inscription in Arab that can still be read on the frontal parapet: "This is the Babaji-Hatun mausoleum. It was built by..." The name of the architect is lost forever, but not his perfect creation. The mausoleum was so thoroughly built on a massive stone foundation that it easily withstands the destructive forces of time.
The Aisha-Bibi mausoleum was built for Aisha-Bibi, a Kazakh saint, and many pilgrims come to this place every year. The mausoleum is the only structure in Kazakhstan totally faced with carved terracotta. The walls, domes, ledges and the styled inscriptions are all decorated with fine carvings. The now extinct technology of the ancient builders and the clay that harbours the soul still delight everyone who comes to the mausoleum. This outstanding example of ancient architecture is a tribute to eternal love: Aisha-Bibi was the short-lived daughter of the poet and scientist Hakim-Ata, who caught a cold and died en route to her loved one, Karakhan.
Some 40 km away from Taraz lays a magnificent, mysterious structure called Akyrtas. Since the 19th century scientists have been making attempts to explain the history of this architectural wonder. The time of construction, purpose, and even the name Akyrtas posed a riddle. The rectangular complex with dimensions measuring 205 m x 185 m includes a palace, a complicated system of water pipes and reservoirs, and fortifications on each corner. The total area of Akyrtas is about four hectares. The whole structure is built of huge red sandstone blocks that even exceed those of the Egyptian pyramids in both size and weight. A strong foundation and the perfectly fit wall stones of the fortress were laid at a depth of 3.5-4 m.
The builders of that time excelled at mathematical calculations and mastered the techniques of stone dressing and erecting complex structures.
The flawless design of Akyrtas clearly allows it to rank among other antique architectural wonders such as the Egyptian pyramids.
Valleys of Kings and Rock Paintings
The beautiful foothills of the Zailiysky Alatau are fed by seven mountain rivers, hence the name Semirechye (Russian for "seven rivers"). Apart from natural treasures, it has many artefacts of the nomadic tribes that inhabited Kazakhstan in the 1st millennium BC. In 1970, in one of the Issyk burial mounds near Almaty, the remains of a gold-clad Saka warrior, "the Golden Man", was discovered. His armour includes over 4,000 elaborate golden pieces made in Scythian "animal" style. A number of crockery and wooden and metal plates were also excavated from the mound. Special mention is due to a silver dish with a runic inscription, which has not yet been deciphered. "The Golden Man", an invaluable work of ancient art and an artefact of the first steppe state, has become the symbol of independent Kazakhstan, and the Issyk burial mounds have been turned into an Open-Air Museum, where a visitor can learn about the great Saka epoch.
Another important site is the Saka necropolis Besshatyr. It is located in the upper course of the Ili River and has an area of two square kilometres. Besshatyr includes 18 royal burial mounds with diameters of 8-70 m and heights of 2-20 m. Given the fact that the mound in which the "Golden Man" was discovered is 6 m high, one can imagine what treasures might be hidden in the Besshatyr mounds. It was decided to preserve them as a unique historical and natural complex.
In the late 1950s, a mysterious sanctuary was found in Tamgaly. Over 4,000 rock paintings of the Bronze, early nomadic and Turkic periods form a breathtaking open-air gallery illustrating the course of history over more than 2,000 years. Sun-headed deities, sacrifices, human and animal images, archery and falconry scenes and other themes all allow us to imagine how humans lived in those distant times, and make us admire the simple and powerful art of the unknown ancient authors.
The purpose of the numerous rock paintings scattered throughout Kazakhstan is still subject to discussion. The Tamgaly gallery is indeed an unforgettable spectacle and one of the most enigmatic messages from the past. This unique site was included in the list of world cultural heritages and is protected by UNESCO.
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