Talas

The Talas Province is located in the northeastern part of the country on the border with Kazakhstan. Talas is the land of the hero Manas, “the golden cradle of the nation,” as the locals say.

The main place to visit Talas is the historical and cultural complex of Manas Ordo. It is located 22 kilometers from Talas, in the village of Tash-Aryk. The central monument of the complex is the mausoleum of the hero Manas. Scientists say that it is the mausoleum of 1334, the burial place of Abuk Emir’s daughter, consisting of one room, built in a typical Asian style on a square base with an octagonal pyramidal roof. The complex is decorated with brick masonry. Gumbez Manasa is depicted on the back side of the 20 som bill. Nearby is a museum dedicated to the history of the epic Manas, which was built to celebrate the epic’s 1,000th anniversary in 1995. The museum is behind a hill that was used as a lookout point by the sentinels who guarded the valley.

To the south of the city is the stunning and picturesque Besh-tash Valley (which means “Five Stones” in Kyrgyz). This region is also famous as the birthplace of the great modern Kyrgyz writer, Chingiz Aitmatov, who was born in the small village of Sheker near the Kazakh border.

Talas Oblast also has the Besh-Tash National Park, covering an area of 32,000 hectares. You can see the mountain lake Besh-Tash. The park has a rich list of wildlife, mammals, flora and fauna. Special places with mountain petroglyphs. The beautiful and unspoiled nature will fascinate visitors.

Manas Peak, 4,482 m above sea level, is a technically challenging peak for climbers, as the slopes are very steep and do not hold snow and ice. The peak named after Manas is a sacred symbol of greatness and independence.