The city is located in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountain range at the foot of the small Ayub-Tau mountains, at an altitude of 763 m above sea level in the Kogart valley. The distance to the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, is approximately 605 km. The city of Osh is located 105 km to the southwest. The climate is subtropical and dry, with hot summers reaching +43˚C, sunny autumns with rare downpours, and warm winters with increased humidity and an average temperature of around 0˚C. The relative humidity from June to October is low — 30%, and even lower during the hot summer months. Annual precipitation is about 460 mm. The distance from significant water bodies contributes to the continentality and aridity of the climate. The average annual temperature is +13°C, with +25 to +30°C in July, and −3 to −5°C in January.
The area where the city is located is widely known for its mineral springs and therapeutic mud.
It originated as a kishlak (village) near the healing springs located on the Ayub-Tau mountain above the Kogart valley, which were visited by patients from all over the Fergana Valley. In the early 19th century, a fortress of the Kokand Khanate was built here. The locals served the pilgrims to the mineral springs and engaged in agriculture. With the growth of the population of the kishlak, craftsmen appeared: potters, artisans, and cottage industries developed, which later gave rise to small processing enterprises.
In 1870, Russian settlers arrived in the city along with the Russian garrison. A military hospital was built. Since 1876, Jalal-Abad has been part of the Kokand district of the Fergana region of the Russian Empire, and in 1877 it received city status. This period also marks the first mention of the settlement named Jalalabad in official historical documents.
In 1915, a section of the railway from Andijan to Karasu to Jalal-Abad was opened. The line was private and was built by the Fergana Railway Society. After the 1917 revolution, the railway line was nationalized.
In mid-1918, the Basmachi led by Madamin-bek, along with remnants of the White Army, captured Osh and Jalal-Abad. In response, troops under the command of Mikhail Frunze moved south into Kyrgyzstan and by the end of 1919 had driven the Basmachi forces into the mountains. On May 27, 1920, Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze spoke at the railway station before railway workers and sent telegram No. 00031 to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin about the situation in Turkestan, which is commemorated by a plaque on the railway station building.
In 1928, a section of the railway from Jalal-Abad to Bagish (14 kilometers long) was put into operation, and in 1932 the railway line was extended to Kok-Yangak (15 kilometers long) to supply Jalal-Abad and Uzbekistan with coal.
Since 1935, a pedagogical college has been in operation.
For a long time, the Jalal-Abad station was the terminus for long-distance passenger trains in the Fergana Valley. Only suburban trains ran to the Kok-Yangak station, and on the section from Karasu to Osh, only suburban trains also operated, and train services ceased in 1978 (despite the fact that Jalal-Abad was one of the district centers of the Osh region at that time, and its population was several times smaller than that of Osh). Among the reasons were the presence of a locomotive maintenance point and workshops for equipping carriages in Jalal-Abad, which had never existed in Osh, the light profile of the track on the Karasu-Jalal-Abad section, and probably a nod to tradition — the Jalal-Abad station was established before the Osh station. Historically, the city of Jalal-Abad has been the main "railway gateway" of the region.
During the Soviet period, the "Jalal-Abad" resort was considered a nationwide health resort, attracting thousands of tourists from across the USSR annually for gastrointestinal, skin, and gynecological diseases. Tourists are still drawn to the mineral springs and therapeutic mud of the resort. Jalal-Abad has long been famous for its healing springs - thermal and radon waters. There are about 150 mineral springs near the city and its surroundings. According to legend, the city was home to the Chashma-Ayub spring ("Job's spring"), which was visited by the prophet Ayub (biblical Job). Many of the springs have been known since the 2nd century BC and are considered sacred. Buses run from the city center to the resort. The main therapeutic agents are thermally weakly and strongly mineralized sodium-calcium sulfate-bicarbonate waters, used for baths and drinking treatments. Peat-silt mud is also used for therapeutic purposes at the resort. In addition to balneotherapy, electrotherapy, therapeutic physical education, massage, climatotherapy, a therapeutic swimming pool, dietary nutrition, a phytobar, and acupuncture are utilized. The resort has a sanatorium with 450 places in summer and 150 places in winter. Accommodation is provided in three buildings and four small houses for 2-4 people. Indications for treatment include diseases of the digestive organs, musculoskeletal system, nervous system, gynecological, urological, and skin diseases.
57 km from the city, in the mountain massif of Kara-Alma, there is a children's health camp "Altyn Balalyk," which was built in 1972.
The city also has:
A regional library with 6 branches in the city and a collection of 126,000 books and magazines.
A children's library at the House of Creativity, with a collection of 25,000 books and magazines.
A city historical museum at the foot of Ayub-Tau, on the road to the resort. It was organized in 1972 by Vasily Filippovich Trunov, who later became an honorary citizen of Jalal-Abad. The museum covers an area of 199 sq.m. and consists of 9 halls. It is one of the oldest museums in the region, receiving up to 10,000 visitors annually.
Parks. There are 3 parks for culture and recreation, including Toktogul Park (7.5 ha), Navoi Park (14.5 ha), and Nooruz Park (10 ha).
Tourists are usually very interested in the attractions located in the vicinity of the city:
• The Shah-Fazil Mausoleum - a monument of ancient architecture from the Karakhanid period (11th century), located near the village of Safid-Bulend. Nearby, the mountain Archa-Mazar rises, which is a Muslim shrine for the entire Fergana Valley and a spiritual value for the people.
• The Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve is located near the city of Jalal-Abad, in the spurs of the Chatkal mountain range of the Tien Shan. It was established in 1959 and serves as a geobotanical museum, housing the largest walnut forests. These forests contain up to 130 species of trees and shrubs, including walnuts, pistachios, almonds, pears, apples, plums, and currants. The most famous and largest lake here is Sary-Chelek Lake (507 ha).
• The Big and Small Waterfalls are located 70 km from Jalal-Abad at the Babash-Ata ridge. Their heights are 80 and 35 cm, respectively. Here, in the valley of the Chon-Kerey River, there is a small picturesque lake Kutman-Köl. No less beautiful is Lake Kara-Suu, which stretches at an altitude of 1900 m on the northeastern side of the Isfandjaylau ridge.