Uralsk

Teke - Yaik - Oral -Uralsk is an old town of Kazakh¬stan. It is an admi-nistrative centre of the West-Kazakhstan Oblast. The town is situated within the Pre-Caspian cavity on the right hand bank of the river
Zhaik-Ural. From three sides it is surrounded by the waters of the rivers Zhaik and Chagan. The total territory of the town covers 700 sq. km nearly.
The town was renamed more than once. The Kazakhs call it "Teke", "Oral" and the Russians -"Yaitsky Town”, "Uralsk". The rulers of different times and regimes ordered in their own way: in 1775 by imperial decree to "Yaitsky town " was given a new name “Uralsk”for the sake of oblivion of the Pugachyov rebellion. In the age of antiquity the ancient nomadic tribes - Issedons and Sarmats settled there. In the early Middle Ages the shortest trade routes from the East to the West passed through the territory of the town.
Nomads and people who lived in the area of the actual town left after themselves various tangible monuments in the form of site of ancient settlements, stone images, wheel traces, roads, earth mound remains, earthenware crockery.
The latest archeological finds within the territory of the town suggest the existence of the town founded in the XIII century during the Golden Horde flowering. Most inhabitants of the medieval town were the Nogays-alshyns - the nearest ancestry of the Kazakhs of the Junior Zhuz..
From historical sources it is known that in 1598 at the request of the Head of the Nogays-Alshyns Ormambet the Russians built a town-fortress against the raids of Bukharians. Later this town was razed to the ground at the request of the selfsame Ormambet. The legends from life of Nogay-Alshyn population are connected with various places in the town. Among them are Khanskaya grove and Baskachkina rostosh ('Baskak' is the governor of Nogay Khan, assessment collector).
For a long time Khanskayay grove served as thearea of summer wanderings of Kipchak kxans and their summer residence. This place was held sacred since a Moslem saint was buried there. Representatives of people of the Turkic origin used to gather there on the occasion of important events and settled significant questions concerning life, peace and brotherhood. Corotiation of Kazakh khans took place in the grove. Right here in 1812 Sultan Bokey was heaved on the white felting and enunciated the Khan of the Internal Horde. In 1824 in honour of his successor Zhangir celebrations on the occasion of his enthronement took place in Khanskaya grove.
About 1613 Yaik Cossacks moved from Kirsanovsky Yar to the present area at the confluence of the Chagan and Ural The ancient part of the town raised by them is called 'Kureni'. This is a loan word from the Turkic language which means 'Kurie", 'Kora' - camp, fence, camping-ground.
Adjoining "Kureni" was a Tatar outskirts of town (the word "Tatar" is a collective name of Mongolian-Turkic tribes), an ancient wooden mosque was built there. In 1821 the famous associate of Khan Zhangir the merchant Karaul kozha Babazhanov built up a mosque at his own means in the town. After a number of years the town was growing and expanding. At the beginning of the 19th century Oral-Uralsk changed for the better: broad, straight streets took place of narrow and cramped ones.
Since the second half of the 19th century Uralsk was no more exclusively 'a capital' of the Uralsk Cossacks forces, it became an administrative, commercial and industrial, cultural and educational centre of the region. Museums, libraries and theatres have been opened there. Newspapers and magazines were published. In 1920 after declaration of the Kazakh ASSR Oral-Uralsk became an administrative centre of the Western part of Kazakhstan.
The town of Uralsk is noted for its unique and attractive architectural appearance. While making the acquaintance of the architectural heritage of the town we meet rich variety of styles and decorative techniques, buildings in the manner of the Moslem East architecture. The town has a peculiar appearance more likely owing to its Oriental architectural colouring.
The building of the former Russian-Kazakh vocational school stands out separately. It was builttil the expense of Kazakh population. Now the Oblast Museum of history and regional studies is situated in it. This architectural monument belongs to Moresque. The House of Karev (where now the library and philarmonic are situated) and the House of Vanyushkin (now it is a building of school # 38) were built in Eurasian style.
An antique monument - Mikhaylo-Arkhangelsky Cathedral and mansions situated in the main avenue of the town are among invaluable possessions of the town. The seventies-eighties of the XX century are characterized by rapid development of town-planning. The history of the town was unaware of such rapid growth of industry, transport and house¬building. The town was growing upwards and in hreadth. For the short time every third inhabitant of the town has improved his housing. 125 commercial establishments, 30 schools, 3 palaces of culture and several industrial projects have been built in this period of time.
Oral - Uralsk became the Western gates of Kazakhstan. Many beautiful buildings and highways hare been built there, but for all that the town kept almost untouched its principal historical, architectural uniti/iie monuments and its appearance existing over the ages.
After declaration of independence Oral-Uralsk looked much better and gained perceptible aura: the streets brighten with cleanness, the houses get Pressed up. There appeared new monuments embodying age-old dreams of people - to immortalize (he names of their famous heroes, who gave up their lives for freedom and independence. Streets and squares are getting rid of imperial totalitarian toponymy. The town is unique for its rich history and traditions. It has peculiar geographical location, s incc the East and the West merged here with picturesque culture of ethnic groups.
Oral-Uralsk is the town of students. Every year luseum, colleges, technical schools and universities admit new entrants and graduate highly experienced specialists.
One may enumerate the names of the prominent people glorified the town: those who were born in Oral-Uralsk and those who were connected with the history and culture of the town as the fate willed.
As nowhere else grave grips of the epoch maybefell therein: Rebellion of the oppressed Russian peasants at the active participation of the Kazakhs of the Junior Zhuz; the powerful action of Kazakh Sarbazes under the leadership of the great son of its nation the Sage Batyr Syrym in XVIII century. In 1905 a general Kazakh congress was held in Uralsk and this congress marked political awakening of Kazakh people. The congress set a problem of foundation of the political party "Alash". Many prominent figures such as Makhambet, Kurmangazy, Dauletkerey, Mukhit and others were at the beginning of spiritual and cultural break. These events added a glorious page in the history of the town on the Zhaik. The townspeople are proud of those who glorified Oral-Uralsk. The free singer Pushkin visited the town as a guest, later he became its dweller, having devoted his immortal poems to the local inhabitants.
When L. Tolstoy visited Uralsk, he wrote: "Melancholy and indifference have passed: I feel myself coming to the Scythian state. Everything is interesting and unknown... palaces and cushions are laid on the floor, the guests are offered seats on them and one may not leave until eat a sheep and drink koumiss...".
Watchful and retentive V. Dal, studying Kazakh way of life and traditions, described them in his amusing stories. Looking at the boundless steppe the writer V. Korolenko wrote: "A Kazakh feels direction like a bird. The Kazakhs are kind people".
The great Sholokhov expressed his liking by words: ".. ..On the Zhaik I am a Kazakh ". A patriot Zhuban Moldagaliyev praised the town in his poems: The River Ural is no longer the same, and its banks are no more sadden, Uralsk is not a small town, but it is a city."
The lapping of venial waters of the Ural is even like the melodies of the Great Kurmangazy.
Historians, ethnographers, painters, scientists, poets and writers were interested in Oral - Uralsk. If you have visited the town, you will be eager to come here once again in order to walk down the streets and to admire the unique architectural ensemble.
The town is growing rapidly owing to constructive activity both of ancestry and present generations.
Welcome to our favourite town!

 

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