Cultural sightseeing in Kazakhstan. What to visit - museums, temples, castles and palaces

Kazakhstan is a country of contrasts. It perfectly combines eastern hospitality, modern trends, and innovative building industry. Modern business centers peacefully border with ancient towns that once were important stops on the Silk Route. The internationally famous Baikonur Cosmodrome stands proudly in the midst of the endless steppe. In the capital of the country, Nur-Sultan (formerly known as Astana), vacationers cannot fail to notice the Bayterek Tower that was built in 1997. The futurist metal construction has quickly become one of the most famous landmarks in Kazakhstan. The Bayterek Tower symbolizes the connection of the past and the future, representing thoughts of ancient tribes of the steppe about cosmos. By the way, there is an observation deck on the top, so visitors can visit it and enjoy panoramic views of the whole city.

Don’t forget to visit the Mausoleum of Khawaja Ahmed Yasawi. This complex was built yet in the 14th century. Inside the complex, there are meeting halls, the tomb of Khawaja Ahmed Yasawi, a mosque, an archive, kitchens, and guest rooms. This landmark has a traditional style and décor. The Khan Shatyr Entertainment Center, one more popular landmark, looks absolutely marvelous. This is a large tent created in line with the traditions of modern Kazakh architecture. Khan Shatyr is present in the list of the world’s top 10 eco-buildings. This futuristic landmark definitely deserves a visit!

Among the most notable museums in the country, it is important to mention the Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Situated in Nur-Sultan, this museum has always been one of the most frequently visited landmarks. It exhibits more than forty thousand of different items, including books, documents of Nursultan Nazarbayev, his awards, and gifts from other countries. There is also a hall with a large collection of weaponry. The Independence Palace is a modern building in the trapeze shape that symbolizes the independence of Kazakhstan. Copyright www.orangesmile.com

Don’t forget to visit exhibition galleries open in the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation that was finished in 2006. The golden section principle was the central idea in the design of this building that looks like an ideal pyramid. Inside the palace, there are greenhouses, an opera theater, and meeting halls. In Nur-Sultan, there is also an unusual ethnographic park that travelers will find very interesting to visit. Called the Ethno-memorial complex Map of Kazakhstan Atameken, this park is a small but precise copy of the country’s map. In Atameken, visitors will see historic landmarks, walk among small copies of modern skyscrapers and bridges, see the mountains and steppe – there are small copies of absolutely all key landmarks. There are more than two hundred objects in the complex in total.

Are you ready to dedicate more time to visiting museums? If yes, don’t forget to visit ECOMuseum that is open in Karagandy. Built in 1995, this is the only museum of this type not only in Kazakhstan but also in the CIS countries in general. Creators of the museum were worried about the ecological situation in the country, so they decided to create this center. Nowadays, ECOMuseum is not only a popular exhibition venue that permanently hosts more than ten different exhibitions dedicated to the environment and its protection but also a scientific center that studies new ways of protecting nature.

The majority of the population in Kazakhstan is represented by Muslims. Naturally, there are many beautiful mosques in the country. For example, the Nur-Astana Mosque in the capital is the third largest mosque in Central Asia. The main cupola of this mosque is forty meters high, and four minarets are 63 meters high. The height of minarets is not random as this is the age Prophet Muhammad was when he died. Grandiose arcs, columns, a pool in front of the façade – in short, it is better to see the mosque with own eyes rather than read about it! The name of another notable mosque in Nur-Sultan, the Hazrat Sultan Mosque, can be translated as “Holy Sultan”. This mosque is as grandiose and great as the deeds of Sufi Sheikh Ahmad Yasawi. The Hazrat Sultan Mosque was raised in the memory of this prominent figure.

Beket Ata underground mosque looks very unusual. At a glance, it is impossible to understand that this is a mosque because there are no minarets and cupola. Actually, there is no building at all. How is that possible? The thing is, the famous Muslim pilgrimage site, Beket Ata, is an underground mosque created in the 18th century. There is also an Orthodox Christian shrine in Kazakhstan. This is the Ascension Cathedral in Nur-Sultan. The church was made in accordance with the ancient traditions of wooden buildings, so it has no nails. The cathedral is one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world.