Taraz is an ancient, historical place. This land has gone through a lot of ups, periods of prosperity and well-being and a lot of hardships at the same time. And this place became home to many great people like any other ancient land with its long-standing traditions. One of the great sons born on the earth of Taraz was Zhambyl Zhabayev.
The great Kazakh poet, national bard and wise man, Zhambyl Zhabayev was born in Moyinkum district of the Zhambyl region in 1846. Being a little boy, Zhambyl learned playing the dombyra. In his 14 (according to other sources: in 1897 at the age of 52), he decided to leave home and become akin earning by singing. He sang to the accompaniment of dombyra in tolgau style. Zhambyl learned the art of improvisation from Suinbay akin. Zhambyl sang only in Kazakh. In the late XIX - early XX centuries, he participated in aityses and won many times. He was known as a master of denunciatory songs. Zhambyl gained his great all-union fame in his fairly advanced age, his simple folk art was perceived by the Soviet power very favorably. The eastern sage and great bard became the owner of many Soviet awards and honors including: the Order of Lenin and the Red Banner of Labor. Zhambyl was awarded the State Prize of the USSR and the winner of the Republican aitys of 1934 in Alma-Ata. From the perspective of the present day these achievements of the great bard can be judged differently, but the story does not know the subjunctive mood, and Zhambyl's address to the Heroic Defenders of besieged Leningrad "Leningrad, my children!" - is considered one of the best works of the multinational Soviet literature of war years.
During the Second World War, Zhambyl lost his beloved son Algadai who, being off at the front, dies during the liberation of the city Sinelnikovo of Dnepropetrovsk region. Zhambyl Zhabayev died on June 22, 1945, eight months before his 100th birthday.
The monument to the great Kazakh akyn Zhambyl Zhabayev is established on one of the central squares of the city Taraz. This sculpture was created and opened in 1961 to the 115th anniversary of the birth of the great bard. The author of the project was the famous architect V.Sashenko and the sculptor - People's Artist of the Kazakh SSR H.Nauryzbaev.
The monument is Zhambyl's figure in a floor-skimming chapan and fur hat, holding his dombyra in his left hand, the right hand taken aside. The bronze figure stands on a high rectangular granite pedestal covered with plates of pink granite. The following inscription is cut on the front side of the pedestal: "Zhambyl Zhabayev. 1846-1945", at the bottom - the relief image of the rising sun over the mountains. The height of the figure is 4 m., the pedestal - 4.3m. The sculpture was cast in Leningrad, and the granite pedestal was made of a local material in Almaty.
The monument of Zhambyl Zhabayev is an architectural monument of Taraz and included in the list of the monuments of history and culture of Kazakhstan of national importance.
The mausoleum of Tekturmas is an architectural monument of the 16th century located on south-eastern part of the town of Taraz on the bank of the river of Talas. It is one of cultic monuments of the region.
Nametbai’s mosque is considered to be the oldest mosque of the city Taraz. This monument of religious architecture of the XIX century was built in 1867. The mosque got its name in honor of one of the wealthiest residents of the city of that time, pious Nametbai. It was on his initiative and his personal funds the mosque had been constructed.