Located in the northeastern part of the Talas valley, at an altitude of 1280 m above sea level, in the valley of the Talas River, 360 km west of the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, 90 km east of the railway station Zhambyl (Taraz, Kazakhstan) and 90 km west of the highway Bishkek-Osh road. The climate is continental, droughty. The city was founded in 1877 by Russian and Ukrainian immigrants in the central part of the Talas valley on the left bank of the Talas River at an altitude of 1,200 meters above sea level and was formerly known as Dmitrievka.

Gumbez Manas mausoleum

In the mountains, north-east of the Talas. Common name of the monument is associated with the hero of the Kyrgyz epic Manas. In fact, this mausoleum over the grave of a noble maiden Kyanizek Khatun of the genus Chingizids.