Welcome to Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, on the banks of the Ishim River in the north of the country. It was founded in 1830 as Aqmoly, and the city has changed its name many times since, becoming Akmolinsk, Tselinograd and Aqmola, before taking the name Astana in 1998. In Kazakh, Astana simply means capital. It replaced Almaty as the national capital in 1997 and then grew rapidly, as a modern planned city guided by the architect Kisho Kurokawa. Let us start with its symbol.
Baiterek
On Nurjol Boulevard rises Baiterek, a monument and observation tower whose name means tall poplar tree. It is the emblem of the city and a symbol of Kazakhstan after independence. The project was launched by the first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, as part of his plan for a new capital on the steppe, and realised by the Kazakh architect Akmurza Rustembekov. Other ideas were considered, including a 200-metre arch topped by a Golden Warrior. In the end, according to his memoirs, the president chose the Baiterek himself and even sketched its outline.
Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center
Ahead of you rises Khan Shatyr, the Grand Marquee, a vast transparent tent designed by Norman Foster. It is 150 metres high including its spire, and underneath lies an area larger than 10 football fields, with squares, cobbled streets, a boating river, shops, minigolf and even an indoor beach resort. Here is the clever part: the roof is made of transparent cushions that let in sunlight, helping to keep the inside between 15 and 30 degrees, while outside the temperature swings from minus 35 to plus 35 across the year. It opened in 2010 on the president's 70th birthday.
Palace of Peace and Reconciliation
Before you stands a pyramid, 62 metres high: the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, also known as the Pyramid of Peace and Accord. Designed by Foster and Partners and completed in 2006, it serves as a national spiritual centre open to all faiths. It was built to host the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, which meets every three years in a conference chamber right at the top of the pyramid. Look up to the apex, crowned with modern stained glass by the artist Brian Clarke.
Hazrat Sultan Mosque
On the right bank of the river stands the Hazrat Sultan Mosque, a Friday mosque in classical Islamic style decorated with traditional Kazakh ornaments. Its name means Holy Sultan, one of the epithets of the Sufi sheikh Khoja Ahmed Yasavi, whose mausoleum is in the city of Turkistan. Construction began in 2009, and at times up to 1,500 workers were involved. The mosque opened in 2012. It holds 5,000 worshippers, and on holidays up to 10,000 people. Nearby are the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation and Independence Square.
Aqorda Residence
On the left bank of the Ishim River rises the Akorda, whose name means White Horde Residency. Despite its name, this is the official workplace of the president of Kazakhstan, not his home. It was built in just three years and opened in 2004. Look up at the blue and gold dome: at its very top is a golden sun with 32 rays, and beneath it flies a steppe eagle. Inside, gold appears everywhere, and twenty-one types of marble were used for the floor patterns, while one hall is built in the form of a yurt.
National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan
This building of blue glass and white marble is the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. When it was built in 2014, it was the largest museum in Central Asia. Its distinctive shape draws attention from the outside, and inside it tells the history and culture of Kazakhstan from prehistoric times to the present. Its collection includes many treasures brought to public view through a national initiative called Cultural Heritage.
Lomakuume
