Taraz, city, southern Kazakhstan. It lies at the junction of the Talas River and the Turk-Sib Railway. Taraz is one of the oldest towns of Kazakhstan. It stands on the site of the ancient city of Taraz, which flourished as a stop along the Silk Road until it was destroyed by Mongol armies in the 13th century. A new town called Auliye-Ata was established on the site by the emirs of Kokand in the late 18th century. The fort and town were captured by the Russians in 1864, and between 1938 and 1992 the town was renamed Dzhambul for the Kazak poet Jambul Jabayev (Russian: Dzhambul Dzhabayev; 1846–1945). The modern city has large phosphate-processing works; a large power station; sugar, leather, and footwear factories; and a wool-washing plant. There are institutions for teacher and vocational training. Pop. (2006 est.) 336,057.