The city is located at an altitude of 730 meters above sea level in the eastern part of the Kok-Art valley at the foot of the small Ayub-Too mountains.
There are three legends that tell the story of its founding.
One of them connects the name of the city with the name of the Khorezmian hero of the 13th century, Jalal ad-Din. The legend states that the city of Jalal-Abad arose at the site of Jalal ad-Din's death, while in Afghanistan, another city named Jelalabad emerged at the site of the army's gathering.
The second legend closely ties the city's origin story to a resort, which recounts that in the second half of the 17th century, the Khan of Kokand had his own dacha at the site of the current resort, where he sought treatment. The dacha was managed by a scribe (secretary) named Jalal id-din. Jalal id-din resettled 40 landless peasant households from what is now Uzbekistan, among whom he divided the marshy territory by lot. This is how the place got its name, Chek-Kishlak. Eventually, the kishlak came to be called Jalal-Abad or well-maintained Jalal.
The third legend tells that during the Kokand Khanate, a wealthy bek lived in Uzgen, who had a beautiful servant named Jalal (meaning beautiful). The bek became jealous of him regarding his wife and ordered Jalal to be killed. Warned by the bek's wife, Jalal fled under the cover of darkness and hid in the reeds (in the territory of the present city), made himself a hut, and began to live there. To sustain himself, he started weaving mats from reeds and exchanged them with shepherds for livestock. Gradually, other structures appeared near Jalal's hut. Thus, a settlement emerged, named after Jalal.
A Turmush correspondent, based on archival materials, attempted to gather interesting facts about the city of Jalal-Abad. By the way, there is an encyclopedia about the city of Jalal-Abad.
Jalal-Abad received city status in 1877. In the same year, the resort located in the city of Jalal-Abad was officially designated as the only resort in Kyrgyzstan. Jalal-Abad became known in the 19th century as a major settlement influencing the economic development and socio-cultural life of the Fergana Valley. The settlement was considered a trading post, accessible via nine routes. Additionally, Jalal-Abad attracted people with its favorable climate, where agriculture could be developed and good harvests obtained.
In 1890, a volost representation was established here, and order began to be established on the streets. Soon, postal services were initiated.
- According to Russian statistical sources, in 1897, Jalal-Abad had a population of 2,713 people. Furthermore, according to the population registration authorities and the city statistics office, the population increased to 9,657 by 1926. In 1939, the population was 14,961; in 1959, it was 31,234; in 1965, it reached 39,500; in 1970, it was 44,300; in 1973, it was 48,600; in 1999, it was 77,884; and in 2001, it was 81,871.
Historical facts about Jalal-Abad:
- In 1906, a hospital with 6 beds was opened;
- In 1914, citizen Zhuravlev built the first mechanical mill;
- In 1916, a telephone communication point was established, a bank opened, and the first train arrived.
- On December 19, 1917, Soviet power was established in the city of Jalal-Abad;
- In 1917, a security committee was formed, which later transformed into the militia;
- In 1918, a market square was established;
- On May 26, 1920, Mikhail Vasilyevich Frunze arrived in Jalal-Abad.
- After Kyrgyzstan joined Russia, the Jalal-Abad volost was the center of the Jalal-Abad district from 1924 to 1926, which included the volosts of Bazar-Korgon, Maiken, Ketmen-Tobo, Kyzyl-Zhar, Chon-Alai, and Chatkal.
- In 1928, the Jalal-Abad canton was merged with the Osh canton. From 1939 to 1959, Jalal-Abad served as the regional center.
- In 1924, a primary school was built here;
- In 1925, a House of Soviets was established;
- In 1925, a maternity hospital was opened, and the reception of mothers began;
- From 1925 to 1927, kindergartens began to be organized;
- In 1926, the "Udarniк" cinema, the A.S. Pushkin Pedagogical College, and the regional library were opened;
- In 1928, a city council was formed, and Jalal-Abad was granted city status for the second time;
- In 1928, a hospital was built in the city;
- In 1930, tractors appeared, and a machine and tractor station (MTS) was organized;
- In 1932, the Jalal-Abad—Kok-Jangak railway was commissioned, and radio communication was established;
- In 1933, a printing house was opened;
- In 1938, a veterinary school began operating, which was transformed into a veterinary technical school in 1947. A mechanization school also started working, and in 1992 it received the status of a lyceum.
- In 1939, a cotton gin, MTS, a wool processing enterprise, a sewing factory, a milk processing plant, and a brick factory were opened in the regional center.
- During the Great Patriotic War from 1941 to 1945, the city's population was 23,000. Of these, 10,000 were called to the front, and 497 did not return home.
- During the war years, three hospitals operated in the city. After 1950, efforts were made to restore the operations of factories and plants. For example, in 1952, the construction of the SMU town began, and water supply facilities were commissioned.
- In 1955, a maternity hospital was opened in the city.
- In 1956, a training and production association for people with disabilities was established;
- In 1958, the residents of the city began watching television broadcasts;
- In 1967, the construction of the Kurmanbek Stadium was completed, and a bus station was commissioned.
Residents of Jalal-Abad regretfully note that after the collapse of the USSR, many factories and plants could not be preserved. They were sold off, destroyed, or simply plundered.
