Guided walking tour in Taraz.

“Taraz is a large fortified city, with many gardens, densely populated, it has a moat, four gates and inhabited rabad. The main mosque is located in the center of the bazaar»

Arab geographer Al Makdisi. X century.

Walking Historical tour in Taraz.

Taraz was a trade, cultural, political and administrative center in the history of Kazakhstan. The city has a long history. The first data on Taraz are found in Byzantine written sources of 568. Proof of this are the remains of buildings discovered during archaeological excavations.
One of them is a caravanserai attached to the early Islamic mosque. During the research work, the caravanserai building was discovered, which was rebuilt and restored three times. The architecture of the mosque and caravanserai resembles the monuments of Islamic culture in Central Asia.
During archaeological excavations, coins, ceramic material, household items and other historical artifacts were found. Caravanserai - a building located opposite the early Islamic mosque. The building, from an architectural point of view, is a single complex, the angles of which are oriented on four cardinal points.
According to the material (ceramic products, coins) discovered during archaeological excavations, the caravanserai dates back to the VIIIth - XIIth centuries. Sufas are represented in the caravanserai. Which are an indispensable element of the interior. In medieval rooms intended for relaxation.
It is a clay, brick platform, located along the walls, or occupied half the room, intended for relaxation. During the reign of the Turkic Khagans, many religious communities lived peacefully in Ancient Taraz. In the 10th century, the Arab geographer Al-Maqdisi wrote:
“Taraz is a large fortified city with many gardens, densely populated, it has a moat, four gates and populated rabad. The main mosque is located in the center of the bazaar.” In the records of Tabar Nershahi on the adoption of the Islamic religion by the people of Taraz, it is mentioned that Ismail ibn Ahmad went to war on Taraz in 893 in order to protect the north-eastern border of his state and capture the silver mines in Shelzha.
According to sources, he "suffered many difficulties." In order to maintain its independence, the emir Taraz surrendered to the mercy of the winner and with all his population of 10,000 people converted to Islam. The temple located in the city was rebuilt into a mosque.

Authority:
Information on the poster sold-out at the excavations of the mosque.

Photos
Alexander Petrov.