Astana (formerly Akmola, Tselinograd, Nur-Sultan) is located
in northern Kazakhstan, the capital of Kazakhstan (since
December 1998), and the country's second-largest city.
After a massive transformation costing billions of dollars,
Astana is now an interesting mix of old Soviet architecture with
modern buildings designed by Norman Foster and other leading
world architects. Astana is growing, but it still cannot yet
offer the amenities and entertainment of Western capitals and
the former capital city, Almaty, although it has its
attractions.
The first settlements at the crossroads of
trade routes appeared here as early as the Bronze Age, but the
city traces its official history back to 1830 - when Colonel
Fyodor Shubin founded the Cossack outpost of Akmolinsk on the
Ishim River - to protect the northern regions of Kazakhstan from
raids from the south. Akmolinsk was named the district center,
it retained its inconspicuous status until the middle of the
20th century, when Khrushchev's campaign to develop virgin lands
began. The city became the center and symbol of the conquest of
the steppe by man, in honor of which in 1961 it changed its name
to Tselinograd. In 1992, its historical name was returned to it,
only this time in Kazakh - Akmola. Colossal changes in the life
of the city began in 1994, when the Supreme Council of
Kazakhstan adopted a resolution to move the capital from
Alma-Ata to Akmola. In fact, this happened only by 1998, when
the city was renamed again - to Astana. Since then, Astana has
been one of the most dynamically developing cities in the
territory of the former Soviet Union. In 20 years, the
population of Astana has jumped almost three times. Yesterday's
deeply provincial city found itself in the center of business,
cultural and political life, financial flows poured into it,
mass construction of ultra-modern buildings and quarters began
to boil, which should become the face of Kazakhstan for guests
arriving in the city. The main center of construction was the
administrative and business district on Nurzhol Boulevard, to
the design of which the famous Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa
had a hand. Geographically, Astana was divided into two large
cities - old Tselinograd in the north with residential areas of
predominantly Soviet construction (native residents still call
it Tselinograd or Old City) and a new city in the south with
skyscrapers, entertainment and shopping centers, restaurants,
mosques and the latest residential complexes. And from the top
of the Baiterek tower south of Astana, endless steppe expanses
open up to the eye, which continue to be rapidly built up. In
2019, after Nursultan Nazarbayev formally stepped down as head
of state, the city was renamed Nur-Sultan, and in 2022 it was
renamed back.
Despite its high growth rates and status,
Astana will not soon overtake Kazakhstan's largest city, Almaty,
in terms of size. But, like all young capitals, it is a rare
combination of qualities: the city already has the gloss and
solidity of a capital, but does not yet have the arrogance,
noise and capricious intemperance inherent in giant megacities.
Astana is convenient for tourists from Russia due to the absence
of a language barrier - the Russian language remains widely
spoken along with Kazakh (it is enough to mention that films in
Astana cinemas are always shown in Russian).
New City
1 Bayterek Monument. ☎ +77172446472. 09:00–21:00. The
monument, built between 1996 and 2002, resembles a cup or a lollipop
with an observation deck at a height of 97 m. A beautiful view from
above, especially at night. The main attraction of the capital.
2 Hazret Sultan Mosque (Aziret Sultan Meshiti), Tauelsizdik Avenue, 48.
☎ +77172280018. A huge mosque from 2012 with a giant dome and 4
minarets. It must be the most beautiful in Central Asia.
3 Nur
Astana Mosque (Astana Meshiti), Kabanbay Batyr Ave., 36. ☎ +77172446165.
Very nice green area. Nur Astana Mosque was recently renamed to Abu
Nasir Al Farabi Mosque, but many still call it by its old name,
4 Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall, Mangilik El Ave., 10/1.
5 Nur Alem Sphere, Mangilik El Ave., 55. Venue of the EXPO 2017
exhibition. When the exhibition was held, the building was the main
pavilion. At the moment, the sphere houses the Museum of Future Energy.
It is better not to go on holidays for two reasons: 1) Lots of people
and long lines 2) Some very interesting exhibits do not work on
holidays. On the territory there is an alley of peace and harmony along
which there are interesting playgrounds, a musical fountain and a stele
in the center. Also on the territory there are many walking areas with
structures symbolizing the energies of the future, which are described
in the museum. There is also a theater, restaurants and a bar. By the
way, on the contrary, it is worth going to the territory of Nur Alem
during the holidays, since it is decorated very beautifully and
interestingly for the holiday.
6 Central Mosque, Mangilik El Ave.,
65. The largest mosque in Kazakhstan. Impressive in its size. It has a
large courtyard. The territory is huge, with good landscaping.
7 Palace of Peace and Harmony, Ave. Tauelsizdik, 57.
Island,
Korgaldzhinskoye Highway 2. Island is an entertainment complex
consisting of the world's most remote oceanarium in which even mermaids
swim, a huge water park with many slides and pools, an animatronic
animal theater "Jungle", an exotarium with a variety of animals from all
over the world and even a room for feeding fish from bottles. On the
territory there is a children's playground, various attractions
including the largest Ferris wheel in Central Asia, 62 meters high.
Square "Kazak Eli", street Zh. Omarova. "Kazak Eli" is translated into
Russian as "Kazakh people". The square is dedicated to the independence
of Kazakhstan. On the square there is a monument "Kazak Eli" and the
Wall of Peace on which the word "Peace" is written in 51 languages
Astana Arena, Prospekt Turan 48. The largest football stadium in Astana.
Old Town
Central Square of Tselinograd (Old Square). The main
square of the old town in front of the Akimat, the former Central
Department Store and the State Philharmonic.
Zhastar Palace (Zhastar
Sarayi). The Palace of Culture of the Old Town.
State Philharmonic
(Former Congress Hall), Kenesary Street 32. Former Palace of Virgin Land
Workers and the Congress Hall.
Zhastar Theater (Youth Theater). The
main theater of the old town.
Demalys Promenade (Azerbaijan Mambetov
Pedestrian Street). Along the promenade there are many old buildings
from the imperial times. You can learn the history of the buildings from
the signs and QR codes or just admire them. Good landscaping.
Palace
of Schoolchildren named after Makhambet Otemisuly (Former House of
Pioneers), Azerbaijan Mambetov Street 1.
1 National Museum, Tauelsizdik Avenue, 54.
2 Astana Opera,
Kunayev Street, 1.
3 Nazarbayev Center, Alikhan Bokeikhanov Street,
1A.
4 Ethno-memorial complex "Map of Kazakhstan "Atameken"",
Korgalzhyn Highway, 2/1. ✉ ☎ +7 (7172) 245-272. Entrance ticket 400
tenge, photography 300 tenge, excursion from 200 tenge (2022). A small
park where all the main attractions of Kazakhstan are shown in
miniature. Very educational for getting to know the country. There are
additional exhibitions: historical and a model of modern Nur-Sultan. You
can book a tour, including in Russian. Or you can just walk around and
study the miniatures, fortunately they are all accompanied by
comprehensive captions.
5 Barys Arena, Turan Avenue 57. ☎
+77172613519. 10 lanes, 50 meters, not noisy, very clean.
Embankment.
A place where city residents relax.
Central city park of culture and
recreation (Stolichny Park). The very first park in the city. The park
has a main alley that runs from the summer amphitheater to the city
chimes. Along the alley there are a lot of cafes, landscaped areas and
interesting fountains. Here they made an artificial river with swans
around which there are a lot of attractions, for some it is even too
much. In the central park there are two Ferris wheels, one at the left
embankment, the other at the entertainment center "Ailand", it is also
on the territory of the park and there are many attractions around it.
There is a beach, but it is better not to swim there, the river is
dirty. Bike paths almost throughout the park. Many sports complexes,
which used to be pavilions.
Botanical Garden (Botanikalyk sayabak).
One of the largest parks in Astana, where plants from all over the world
are planted. There is an artificial lake with a singing fountain and
another singing fountain in the shape of a cauldron. The garden is new,
the trees have not yet grown up and do not cast a shadow, but in 10-15
years the botanical garden will truly be a botanical garden.
New
Palace of Schoolchildren, Bauyrzhan Momyshuly Avenue 5.
Astana Ballet
Theater, Uly Dala Avenue 9. The new theater opened for the exhibition
"EXPO 2017". The second largest theater in Astana.
Palace of
Independence, Tauelsizdik Avenue 52.
Ice Palace "Alau", Kabanbay
Batyr Avenue 47. A very large skating rink, there is a small hotel on
the territory
By plane
Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (IATA:TSE). It
is located 10-15 km south of the city. Terminal 1 handles international
flights, T2 - domestic flights. The spacious new airport complex
contains the necessary infrastructure, including a capsule hotel. There
is nothing to do in the public area T1, two coffee shops along the edges
and a gift shop, in the clean there are several cafeterias and cafes
concentrated on the top floor, in the departure hall there is a
bookstore lurking in the corner and traditional duty-free, which are
obviously inaccessible for those departing to the Russian Federation and
the Republic of Belarus. Taxi prices to the city are 1500-2000 tenge, a
monorail is being built, but it will not come to the airport soon.
By train
Astana-1.
Astana Nurly Zhol
Only buses. Fare: in regular buses 110 tenge when paying by QR code
through Kazakhstan banks or mobile operators or smart card, 180 tenge in
cash to the driver, in express buses 180 tenge by QR code or smart card,
250 tenge in cash (2023). Smart card costs 1000 tenge (2023), and is
sold in machines, including at the train station and airport.
Taxis: all major applications work: InDriver, YandexTaxi, Uber (the
Russian application works, not the international one), maxim. There are
also city taxi services.
Maps: as usual in Kazakhstan, 2Gis has
the most details. Yandex Maps is worse in detail, but shows buses on the
map. Both applications do not know about express routes.
TRC "Keruen", Dostyk Street 9. One of the most elite shopping centers
in the city, supermarket, boutiques, large food court on the top floor,
cinema and entertainment center "Keruen Park"
TRC "Khan Shatyr",
Turan Avenue, 37. ☎ +77172572626. 10:00–22:00 Saturday 10:00-18:00. The
largest tent in the world. The pride and attraction of the capital. Lots
of clothing stores. Food courts are very crowded, you will eat in
cramped conditions. A modern shopping center resembling a tent with more
than 200 stores, restaurants, a cinema and entertainment centers. TRC
"Mega Silkway", Kabanbay Batyr Avenue 62. Located near the exhibition
center "Nur Alem". Perhaps the largest shopping center in Astana - this
is a controversial point. Mega Silkway has only 2 floors and a huge hall
that runs through the entire building and contains a huge variety of
clothing stores, restaurants, cafes, fast food, 2 entertainment centers
and a skating rink. Sculptures of acrobats, fountains, rainbow
chandeliers, beautiful patterns and small birds accompany visitors to
the shopping center. Beautifully decorated for the holidays
TRC
"Keruen City" (KeruenSity), Korgalzhinskoye Highway 1. On the 1st and
2nd floors there are mainly boutiques and clothing stores. On the 2nd
floor there is a food court, entertainment center "Keruen Park" and
cinema "Kinopark". On the 4th floor there is a continuation of the food
court and a rock for rock climbing
Saryarka Shopping Mall, Turan
Avenue 24.
Asia Park Shopping Mall, Kabanbay Batyr Avenue 21.
Abu
Dhabi Plaza Shopping Mall, Syganak Street 60/5. It is located on the
first two floors of the Abu Dhabi Plaza complex
Arujan Shopping Mall,
Ilyas Zhansugiruly Street 8/1.
Astana Mall Shopping Mall, Tauelsizdik
Avenue 34.
Ellington Mall Shopping Mall. A huge shopping mall under
construction. Probably will become the largest in the capital, if not in
all of Kazakhstan
Talan Gallery Shopping Mall, Dostyk Street 16. A
very beautiful shopping mall. It is located on the first 3 floors of the
Talan Towers complex. This shopping mall is not for ordinary people.
Everything here is expensive and rich. Ordinary people come here, of
course, but still this is the most elite shopping mall in Astana. "Talan
Gallery" unites under its roof 30 boutiques selling expensive clothes, a
high-class cinema, a family cafe Rimbambel, which can even be called an
entertainment center, several cafes and an Italian beauty salon, also
high class
Eurasia Shopping Mall, Petrov Street 24. One of the first
shopping malls in the city. Divided into 3 parts: Eurasia 1, Eurasia 2
and Eurasia 3.
Green Mall Shopping Mall, Syganak Street 17p. This
shopping mall is located below the residential complex "Green Quarter"
and as you can tell from the name, there is a lot of greenery and green
color in the shopping mall. There is also a lot of greenery on the
territory and there is even an embankment of Lake Taldykol.
Cheap
Canteen "Kaganat". Budget 24-hour canteen with a slight
touch of national cuisine.
Medium price
Sunday (Sunday cafe),
Yesilsky district, Kunaev street, 12/1, residential complex Vodno Zeleny
Bulvar. ☎ +7 (7172) 755277. 11:00 - 00:00.
Chili Peppers (pizzeria
Chili Peppers), Sarayshyk, 34. ☎ +7 702 222 80 80. 12:00 - 1:00.
Cheap
Ai-Sa (Ai-Sa hotel complex), Alimzhanova, 54. ☎ +7 (7172)
21‒12‒11. 24 hours.
Medium price
Elite Apart-Hotel,
Koshkarbaeva, 10/1. ☎ +7–778–778–78–74. 24 hours. 4-star, unusual hotel,
located right in the Higiivill residential complex and located right in
the city center
Best Western Plus Astana Hotel, Dostyk Street, 13A.
Hampton by Hilton Astana Triumphai Arch, Mangilik Avenue el 43A. 24
hours. 3 - star
Apart-hotel YE'S Astana, Turkictan 16, Astana 010000.
24 hours. 4-star, located near the botanical garden
Expensive
Rixos President Astana, Kunaev, 7. ☎ +7 (7172) 24 50 50. Open 24 hours.
Atlas, Goethe Street, 12/1. ☎ +7 (778) 699-76-26, +7 (777) 036-86-93.
Open 24 hours. The hotel is located next to the railway station and bus
station.
The Ritz-Carlton, Dostyk Street 16. Open 24 hours. 5-star,
near the city center
The Veil. 4-star
The territory of the modern city was previously a profitable crossing point for caravan routes. Archaeologists have discovered artifacts within the city limits dating back to the Bronze Age, early Iron Age and the Middle Ages. Thus, in 2001 and 2005, the burial grounds of the Bronze Age and early Iron Age Kuigenzhar were explored. In 2007, the royal burial mound on Syganak Street (since 2011, Sh. Kaldayakov Street), located in close proximity to the Palace of Independence, was partially explored. After the expansion of the administrative boundary of Astana, the Bozok settlement (400 by 200 m in size) was found within its boundaries (11 km from the city center) - a settlement of farmers, as indicated by the remains of irrigation ditches on an area of 30 hectares. The settlement first existed in the 7th-8th centuries, then it was abandoned. The settlement existed again in the 10th-11th centuries, after which it was abandoned again and again restored in the 12th-14th centuries.
In 1829, Sultan Konurkuldja Kudaymendin, a descendant of Tauke Khan,
petitioned the Russian government to open an external district at the
Akmola tract. These events were caused by the fact that in 1822, Emperor
Alexander I issued a decree on the introduction of the "Charter on the
Siberian Kirghiz" developed by M. M. Speransky, which liquidated the
khan's power in the Kazakh zhuzes. The new administrative order being
introduced met with sharp opposition among some Kazakh khans, who sought
to restore the previous order and even separate the Kazakh lands from
Russia. The most stubborn resistance was shown by the most influential
and numerous family in the Middle Zhuz, the Kasymovs from the line of
Abylai Khan. The elder of this family, Kasym Ablaikhanov, with all his
relatives migrated to the Kokand Khanate, from where his supporters
began to make devastating raids on the southern volosts of the Akmola
external district and to ravage the Kazakh villages that had accepted
Russian rule. In the petition of Konurkuldzhi Kudaymendin there was a
request to form an external district at the Akmola tract in the
Karpykovskaya and Altayevskaya volosts that he controlled. The
Governor-General of Western Siberia Ivan Velyaminov ordered the dispatch
of Lieutenant Colonel Fyodor Kuzmich Shubin the Second, a participant in
the Battle of Borodino and at that time the commandant of the Peter and
Paul Fortress, to lay the foundation of the fortress and establish the
Akmola district. Initially, the Russian fortification was intended to be
built on the Nura River, in the Akmola tract, 30 miles south of the
modern city, but this location turned out to be inconvenient, since the
Nura and Ishim Rivers flooded vast areas every spring during the flood,
which regularly happens to this day. Therefore, it was decided to move
the construction of the fortification to the Ishim River, in the
Kara-Utkul tract, while the new fortress retained its original name of
Akmola. Thus, the beginning of the modern city in 1830 was laid by the
Cossack outpost of Akmolinsk, which, according to the new management
system developed by M. Speransky, had the status of "Akmola Prikaz". The
outpost was built on the right bank of the Ishim, where the stadium on
Kenesary Street is now located. It was located on an island in a swampy
area, where the passage was difficult. Its walls were originally wooden,
but after a fire they were rebuilt from brick. Experts believe that the
stadium's foundation partially rests on the former walls of this
outpost. Retired military personnel, having completed their service,
settled with their families outside the outpost walls. The settlement
around the outpost was called the Cossack Land. The official opening of
the Akmola District Prikaz took place on August 22 (September 3), 1832.
Konurkuldzha Kudaymendin was appointed the main sultan of the Akmola
Outer District, and his brother Arystan Kudaymendin was appointed
deputy. The Akmola Outer District included the following volosts: the
Argyn Toka-Karpyk tribe, Tinali Karpyk, Kareke Altai, Kirghiz Tortuyl,
Temesh, Sarymurat, Saidaly Altai, Aitkozha Karpyk, Tama, Zhagalbayly,
Altai, Tarakty, Tungatar Karpyk. In May 1838, the fortress was besieged
by Kazakh rebels for six days. During the siege, the fortress was
destroyed. It was restored only after the suppression of the uprising of
Kenesary Kasymov.
On June 16 (28), 1863, the Akmola
fortification, which occupied a prominent place in the system of
Siberian fortifications, was given the status of a district city.
From 1854 to 1868, the city of Akmolinsk was the center of the
Akmola district and was part of the region of the Siberian Kirghiz.
Since 1868, according to the Personal Decree of His Imperial
Majesty, given to the Governing Senate on October 21, No. 46380 "On the
transformation of the management of the Kirghiz steppes of the Orenburg
and Siberian departments and the Ural and Siberian Cossack troops", the
Akmola region was formed, with the regional city of Akmolinsk.
In
1900, Evgraf Alekseyev was elected as the city's mayor.
During
the Soviet era, the railway to Kartaly, built in 1931-1936, had a major
impact on the city's economic development.
Dictionaries record
the standard stress Akmolinsk with the local pronunciation Akmolinsk.
On March 20, 1961, Akmolinsk was renamed Tselinograd as the center of
the all-Union development of the North Kazakhstan and South Siberian
virgin lands, being the center of the Virgin Lands Territory, which had
all-Union significance in providing the country with grain.
In
Tselinograd, the largest agricultural machinery plant in Kazakhstan, PO
Tselinselmash, as well as the Kazakhselmash plant (formerly the 50th
Anniversary of the USSR Plant), specialized in the production of
agricultural machinery for areas susceptible to wind erosion, previously
operated.
Since the 1960s, large-scale construction work has been
underway. According to the general plan of 1961-62 (chief architect of
the project G. Ya. Gladshtein), new residential areas were created on
free land in the southeast of the city, built up with multi-story
buildings according to standard designs. Significant public buildings
appeared:
Palace of Virgin Land Workers (Palace of Culture; 1960-64,
architects O. Krauklis, D. Danneberg, P. Vogel) - now rebuilt into the
Astana Concert Hall;
Youth Palace (1976, architects A. T. Polyansky
and others) - now the Zhastar Palace;
Ishim Hotel - now the Grand
Park Yesil Hotel;
TV Center, etc.
On June 16, 1979, with the
support of the regional administration of D. A. Kunayev, there were
protests by the population in the city against the project of creating a
German autonomy in Northern Kazakhstan, which led to the fact that this
plan was never implemented.
On July 6, 1992, the city was renamed according to its historical
name to Akmola. The word Akmola translated from Kazakh means "White
Shrine" (or "White Grave", there is also a variant meaning "White
Abundance"). This is explained by the fact that approximately 20
kilometers from the city there is a tract of the same name, on the top
of a white limestone hill of which the local Kipchak Niyaz-bi, revered
by Abylai Khan, is buried. In 1829, Sultan Konurkuldja Kudaymendin, a
descendant of Tauke Khan, petitioned the Russian government to open an
"outer district" with the center in the Akmola tract. Initially, it was
planned to build a Russian fortification on the Nura River, in the
Akmola tract, 30 miles south of the modern city. However, this place was
and remains unsuitable for construction, since the Nura and Ishim rivers
flooded vast areas every spring during the flood (which regularly
happens to this day), so the fortification was built on the site of the
modern city directly on the Ishim River, in the Kara-Utkul tract;
nevertheless, the fortress retained its original name Akmola.
Due
to the negative connotations in the interpretation of the name "Akmola"
as a "white grave", another version of the origin of the name "Akmola"
was officially proposed: the area was the center of trade fairs, where a
significant amount of dairy products were sold (kumys, shubat, etc.),
which gave the name of the area the meaning of Ak mol - "white
abundance".
According to the first president of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev,
Alma-Ata no longer meets the requirements for the country's capital: the
city is not located in the center, but in the southeast of the country
on the border with Kyrgyzstan and China. Alma-Ata also has a poor
environmental and seismic situation. When choosing a new capital,
Nazarbayev followed 32 criteria: socio-economic indicators, climate,
landscape, seismic conditions, development prospects, human resources,
and others. Convincing the Supreme Council deputies to move it, the
president claimed that "in the new capital, Kazakhstan will receive not
only a new socio-political center, but also the largest scientific,
cultural, and business center of Kazakhstan." On July 6, 1994, the
Supreme Council of Kazakhstan adopted a resolution on moving the capital
from Alma-Ata to Akmola. According to the construction plan approved by
the president, 175 facilities were planned to be built in Akmola at the
first stage, 102 of which were to be completed and commissioned in 1996.
But at first, construction was slow due to climatic conditions and the
lack of experience of the builders. Therefore, Nazarbayev took it under
his personal control and personally participated in checking the quality
of construction of key structures.
On December 10, 1997, the
President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev made the final decision to
move the capital. The international presentation of Akmola as the new
capital took place on June 10, 1998.
On May 6, 1998, by the Decree of the President of Kazakhstan, "taking
into account the petitions of local executive and representative bodies,
the wishes of the public of the city of Akmola and based on the
conclusion of the State Onomastic Commission under the Government of the
Republic of Kazakhstan", the city of Akmola was renamed the city of
Astana. The toponym Astana is from the Kazakh astana - "capital".
Later, the day of the capital was moved to July 6, since it was on
this day that the Supreme Council of Kazakhstan adopted a resolution on
the transfer of the capital of the country, and it is also the birthday
of the first president of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The day of the
capital is a national holiday.
In 1999, by decision of UNESCO,
Astana received the title of "city of peace".
After acquiring the
status of the capital and the organization of the special economic zone
"Astana - a new city", the city became the second largest in the
country, and many modern architectural and urban development projects
are being implemented in it. The population increased from 270,000 in
1996 to 700,000 in 2011, and the city's territory was significantly
expanded to an area of over 700 km² due to the construction of a new
administrative and business center and other neighborhoods nearby.
Astana is intended to accommodate a number of coordinating bodies of
the Eurasian Economic Community. The city also hosts other major events,
including sports. For example, in 2011, Astana hosted the 7th Asian
Winter Games. In addition, in 2017, the city hosted the international
specialized exhibition Expo 2017.
In February 2017, three plots
of land in the Tselinograd district of the Akmola region with a total
area of 8,719 hectares were transferred to the territory of Astana.
One plot of land with an area of 7,300 hectares in the area of Lake
Maibalyk is intended to expand the boundaries of the airport territory,
its security zones and prevent flooding and inundation of these
territories. Part of the included territories around Lake Maibalyk is
supposed to be used for recreational purposes to organize a short-term
recreation area for the population. Two other sites with a total area of
1,419 hectares (previously located on the territory of the rural
districts of Kabanbai Batyr and Talapker of the Tselinograd district of
the Akmola region) will be used to create the National Pantheon of the
Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as to place a new city cemetery.
At the beginning of June 2017, the population of Astana exceeded 1
million residents. Astana has become one of the fastest growing capitals
in the world: since 1997, its gross regional product has grown 190
times, industry - 30 times, investments - 50 times.
On March 20, 2019, the new President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, in his inauguration speech after taking the presidential oath, proposed renaming Astana to Nur-Sultan in honor of the first President of the Republic Nursultan Nazarbayev. However, it was proposed to write the name of the capital with a hyphen, the two words that make up the name mean in Arabic nur (Arabic: نور) "light", and sultan (Arabic: سلطان) - "power", "authority", "authority". The proposal was supported by the Parliament of Kazakhstan and deputies of the city maslikhat. On March 21, 2019, those who disagreed with the renaming took part in unauthorized protests in Astana. On March 23, Tokayev signed a decree on renaming the city, and a law dated March 23, 2019 No. 238-VI ZRK was also issued, according to which changes were made to the name of the capital of Kazakhstan in Article 2 of the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan. At the same time, Astana Akim Bakhyt Sultanov stated that after the renaming of the city, residents will continue to be called Astana residents. It was also decided that residents of Nur-Sultan will not need to change their documents, the old ones with the name Astana will remain valid. According to critics, the decision to rename the city was unconstitutional, since according to the Constitution of Kazakhstan (clause 2, Article 48) “A person who has assumed the powers of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the event of early release or removal from office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (elected), on the grounds and in the manner provided for in paragraph 1 of Article 48, does not have the right to initiate amendments and additions to the Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan.” The Ministry of Justice of Kazakhstan commented that the amendments to the constitution on renaming the capital were in full compliance with the Constitution (a proposal to hold a referendum can be initiated by parliament, but if the president decides to submit the draft amendments to parliament for consideration, it is not submitted to a national referendum).
After mass protests in January 2022, among other issues, the issue of
renaming the city back to Astana was raised.
After the events of
January 2022, President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev took a
number of measures to reform the political system of Kazakhstan. One of
the elements of this reform was the introduction of amendments to the
country's constitution, one of which was the reverse renaming of the
capital of the state to Astana, as a result of the adoption of these
amendments, on September 19, 2022, President Tokayev signed a decree on
the reverse renaming of the capital to Astana. The decree entered into
force on the day of signing.
The area of the city is 797.33 km² (after the annexation of 87.19
km² of the Akmola region territory without settlements to the city on
February 7, 2017).
The city is located on a steppe plain. The
relief of the territory it occupies is low floodplain terraces. The
lower elevation above sea level is located in the floodplain of the
Ishim River 337 m, behind the bypass road, the upper one behind the
bypass road, towards Shubar 407 m.
Chestnut soils predominate.
The geology of the city is Paleozoic undifferentiated deposits in
the northern part and middle-upper Quaternary deposits in the southern
and western parts. Most of the city stands on sedimentary rocks, mainly
on sandy loams.
Astana is located on the banks of the Ishim River
and is divided into two parts: the right and left banks. The
hydrographic network of the city is represented not only by the single
Ishim River, but also by its minor right tributaries Sarybulak and
Akbulak. There are numerous fresh and salt lakes within a radius of
25-30 km around the city.
The city has a sharply continental climate. Summers are hot and dry, winters are frosty and long. The average annual temperature is 3.1 °C. Precipitation is 300 mm per year. With an average summer temperature of about 20 °C and an average winter temperature of about -15 °C, there are often cases when the heat in summer can exceed 40 °C, and frosts down to -50 °C are possible in winter due to the fact that Siberian frosts can reach the city in winter, and hot air masses of Central Asia in summer. Due to its unfavorable location for humans in the middle of a steppe prone to drought and strong winds, a large-scale project is being carried out to develop a green belt around the city - a strip with trees and other large green spaces.
Rivers
Ishim (river)
Akbulak (Solenaya ravine) - right
tributary of the Ishim River
Sarybulak - right tributary of the Ishim
River
Lakes
Taldykol Lakes:
Bolshoy Taldykol - used as a
wastewater evaporation pond
Taldykol - divided into several
unconnected parts
Maly Taldykol - drained and built up, had a
connection with Taldykol through a channel
Maibalyk - in the south of
the city, southeast of the Nursultan Nazarbayev Airport.
Buzykty — in
the west of the city, near the lake is the ancient settlement of Bozok
Tassuat — in the south of the Yesil district near the ring road.
Canals
Nura-Ishim
Islands
There are two artificial islands
on the Ishim River: Green and nameless on the territory of the former
JSC Gazmashapparat.
The city's economy is based on trade, transport and communications,
and construction. In terms of contribution to the gross product of the
trade sector of the economy of Kazakhstan, Astana ranks second among
regions and cities of national significance after the city of Almaty.
The total regional product of the two cities of Almaty and Astana
accounts for more than half of the total volume of trade in Kazakhstan.
In terms of retail turnover, Astana also ranks second in the country.
Astana is the leader in the republic in terms of construction rates.
One fifth of all residential real estate commissioned in Kazakhstan in
2009 was in Astana. For more than five years, the city has been the
leader in terms of the volume of residential buildings commissioned.
The city's industrial production is concentrated primarily on the
production of building materials, food products/drinks, and mechanical
engineering. Astana occupies a leading position in Kazakhstan in the
production of building metal products, ready-to-use concrete, and
building products made of concrete. The city also has a relatively high
share in the production of building metal structures, radiators and
boilers for central heating, and lifting and transport equipment.
In order to attract investors and develop new competitive
industries, the city has a Special Economic Zone "Astana - New City".
The advantages of the SEZ are the presence of a special legal regime
that provides for tax and customs benefits. Projects in various areas
are being implemented on the territory of the SEZ.
By Decree of
the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev dated March
17, 2006, No. 67, a strategic plan for the sustainable development of
the city until 2030 was approved, defining the main areas of activity
for the formation and sustainable development of the city as the capital
of the state. The development of this plan was carried out by Astana
Innovations JSC. With the support of the Akimat (municipality) of
Astana, 4 pilot projects of "Smart cities" have been implemented: "Smart
clinic", "Smart school", "Smart street lighting" and "Smart payments".
The key feature of the implementation is financing through investment
funds.
The revenue side of the Astana budget in 2024 is
945,330,089.0 thousand tenge, including tax revenues - 698,140,892
thousand tenge, non-tax revenues - 770,354 thousand tenge, proceeds from
the sale of fixed assets - 3,000,000 thousand tenge, transfer receipts -
243,418,843 thousand tenge. Investments in fixed assets of Astana in
2011 per 1 resident amounted to 818 thousand tenge. Private investment
in housing construction — 89.1 million tenge per thousand residents in
2011. Per 1 thousand people, bank deposits — 429 million tenge, banks
issued 358.7 million tenge in loans (2011). According to the results of
2015, the average per capita income in Astana was 3.7 million tenge.
The gross regional product in 2022 was 10,672,480.5 million tenge.
The share of Astana's GRP in the republican is 10.3%. The size of GRP
per capita was 17,490.2 US dollars. In the structure of GRP for 2022,
the production of goods amounted to 15.5%, the production of services -
77.9%. The main share in the production of GRP is wholesale and retail
trade; repair of cars and motorcycles - 22.4%, professional, scientific
and technical activities - 9.6%, manufacturing industry - 8.2%.
The volume of scientific and technical work performed amounted to 19.7
million tenge per 1,000 people.
Railway transport
Astana is a railway junction at the junction of
the Petropavlovsk-Karaganda-Balkhash and
Barnaul-Pavlodar-Astana-Kartaly-Magnitogorsk lines. The central office
of the national railway company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy is located in the
city.
In 2017, a new railway station was built in the
southeastern part of the city, called Nurly Zhol, near the Millennium
Alley being created. In the industrial part of the city, in the area of
CHPP-3, it is planned to build a terminal for freight cars.
Automobile transport
A major highway junction: the M-36
Chelyabinsk-Alma-Ata and A1 Astana-Petropavlovsk highways pass through
the city.
At the end of 2019, the ring road around Astana was
fully opened.
City transport
City transport is represented by
buses (92 routes, 871 units), including 15 electric buses (by the end of
2020 there should be 100 units). The total length of the city route
network (2004) is 1720 km, the annual passenger turnover is 115 million
people, the fare is 110 tenge, payment is possible only with a transport
card or by scanning a QR code.
Trolleybus service was opened in
1983 (3 routes, however, since 2006, only 1 route No. 4 has been left;
51.7 km of contact network, 40 units). In 2008, the only trolleybus
depot was recognized by a special state commission as unprofitable due
to debts to the energy supply company and was completely closed.
In the past (1940s) in Tselinograd for a short time operated as a form
of urban transport intracity non-electrified passenger broad-gauge
railway - "Gorvetka".
In the park of culture and recreation
previously operated children's narrow-gauge railway named after Hero of
the Soviet Union Mikhail Yaglinsky, opened on June 9, 1946. In early
2002, the Children's Railway was transferred to the balance of the city
and by April 2002 it was completely destroyed - the rails were removed,
the tracks from the sleepers were leveled, a cafe was opened in the
station building.
In 2011, the construction of the high-speed
tram line was supposed to begin. It was planned that the first stage of
the construction of the light rail tram line with a length of 16.4
kilometers, which includes nine stations, was planned to be completed by
December 1, 2013, but this year the construction did not begin. In
November 2013, Nursultan Nazarbayev announced the abandonment of the
construction of the LRT due to the high cost, in exchange for which it
was promised to launch high-speed buses. Construction began only in 2017
with the construction of overpasses along which trains will pass. The
opening is planned for 2025.
Air transport
The city has an
international airport Nursultan Nazarbayev, capable of receiving all
types of aircraft. The airport is located 16 km from the city center.
After the reconstruction in 2017, the airport's capacity is 8.2
million passengers per year. The total area of the new passenger
terminal is 47 thousand m². The cargo terminal of the Nursultan
Nazarbayev airport has a capacity of 15 thousand tons per year.
River transport
Since 2008, shipping along the Ishim River has been
organized within the city limits. The city administration created a
specialized enterprise, the State Enterprise of the Republic of Astana,
as part of the implementation of the Shipping Yesil program. The first
navigation was opened in 2008.
Bicycle transport
Astana Bike,
a bicycle rental service, has been operating in Astana since 2014. By
2017, it had 40 stations with 1,000 bicycles; the stations are no more
than 500 meters apart, as the system is designed for short-term trips.
Registration in the system for the season costs 10,000 tenge, a deposit
is also charged for the RFID card ($5.50), the first half hour of
bicycle rental is free, and further use costs 100 tenge (55 cents) per
hour. After three hours of rental, the system reminds you that it is
time to return the bicycle: the fourth and subsequent hours cost 1,000
tenge.
College of Public Catering and Service
Polytechnic College of
Astana
Medical College
College of Innovative Technologies
College of Finance and Economics
Humanities College (Pedagogical
College)
Humanities and Law College of KazGUU
College of the
Eurasian Humanities Institute
College "Turan"
College of
Management
College of the Financial Academy
College of Economics,
Technology and Standardization of Food Production
Trade and Economics
College of Kazpotrebsoyuz
College of Economics and Law
College of
the Kazakh University of Technology and Business
College of Transport
and Communications
Kazakhstan International Linguistic College (KILC)
There are more than fifteen higher education institutions in Astana,
including:
Academy of Public Administration under the President of
the Republic of Kazakhstan
Eurasian National University
Kazakh
National University of Arts
Kazakh Agrotechnical University named
after Saken Seifullina
Kazakhstani branch of Moscow State University
named after M.V. Lomonosov
Kazakhstani-Russian University (closed in
2014)
Astana Medical University
Nazarbayev University
Eurasian
Humanitarian Institute
Financial Academy
Kazakh University of
Economics, Finance and International Trade
Kazakh University of
Technology and Business (KazUTB)
Turan-Astana University
Astana IT
University
Astana International University
The city has the Akmola Regional Philharmonic, museums (the National
Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Museum of History and Local
Lore, the Museum of Fine Arts, the Saken Seifullin Museum), theaters
(the National Opera and Ballet Theater named after Kulyash Baiseitova,
the Kazakh Music and Drama Theater named after Kalibek Kuanyshpayev, the
State Academic Russian Drama Theater named after Maxim Gorky), the
National Space Center, the Nur Alem Museum of Future Energy, and
libraries. The city's cultural and educational institutions also include
the Congress Hall, the Youth Palace, and the Presidential Culture
Center.
In addition to the two largest theaters in Central Asia,
Astana Opera and Astana Ballet, the Kazakh National Academy of
Choreography was opened in the capital of Kazakhstan on the initiative
of Nazarbayev. In 2020, on the initiative of Nazarbayev, a new building
of the State Academic Kazakh Music and Drama Theater named after K.
Kuanyshbayev was erected with an area of more than 22 thousand m².
On July 6, 2000, the Tree of Life fountain was built in the capital
according to the design of Azat Boyarlin. The structure itself is purely
symbolic in nature, conveying the eternal cycle of life. The opening of
the square was timed to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the
President of Kazakhstan. On July 6, 2018, a monument to the Hero of the
Soviet Union Manshuk Mametova will be erected in the capital for the
20th anniversary of Astana. Author - Murat Mansurov.
Astana hosts
many cultural events. From October 24 to 30, 2006, Astana hosted the IV
Youth Delphic Games of the CIS member states. The event was prepared and
held jointly by the National Delphic Committee of Kazakhstan and the
International Delphic Committee. From September 24 to 29, 2012, the
Seventh Open Youth Delphic Games of the Member States of the
Commonwealth of Independent States were held in Astana. Over a thousand
artists from 16 countries took part in the Games: Austria, Azerbaijan,
Armenia, Afghanistan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Georgia, Italy, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Romania, Tajikistan, Turkey, Ukraine.
The city also hosts several festivals: music (Astana-Arkau, Zhas
Kanat, The Spirit of Tengri), cinema (Astana) and others.
Since Akmola (since 1998 — Astana, in 2019-2022 — Nur-Sultan) became the new capital of Kazakhstan on December 10, 1997, many songs and compositions have been written in honor of the city. Kazakh pop singers Nagima Yeskaliyeva, Altynai Zhorabayeva, Kairat Nurtas, Ali Okapov, musical groups "Dos-Mukasan", "Baiterek", "Arnau", "Zhigitter" and many others have songs dedicated to the capital of Kazakhstan in their repertoire.
Coat of arms
The shape of the coat of arms is round. The central
element is the unification of two symbols - Baiterek and Shanyrak. The
entire space of the coat of arms is divided into two rings. The outer
ring symbolizes the history of the great steppe. The red color
represents fire. The inner ring contains symbols of Kazakhstan's
independence and the greatness of Astana. The blue color reflects the
color of the flag of Kazakhstan.
Flag
The flag of Astana is a
rectangular blue panel with a width to length ratio of 1:2 with the coat
of arms of Astana in the middle, from which golden sun rays extend in
all directions.
Islam
The largest religious buildings in Astana are the Central
Mosque, the Hazrat Sultan Mosque, and the Abu Nasir al-Farabi Mosque.
There are also mosques named after Sadvakasa Haji Gilmani, "Shubar",
"Tolybai", Yryskeldy Kaji and the mosque named after Sheikh Kunta Haji.
The madrasah "Astana" was opened at the mosque "Nur Astana".
Orthodoxy
In Astana there are 6 Orthodox churches and one monastery,
including the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary -
one of the largest in Central Asia, accommodating up to 4,000 people.
Catholicism
Since 1999, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the
Archdiocese of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Astana has been functioning in
the capital
Roman Catholic Parish of the Mother of All Nations
(Lesozavod area, Akkulsky Lane, 2a)
Greek Catholic Parish of St.
Joseph the Betrothed (Arasan Street, 2/1)
Judaism
"Beit Rachel
- Chabad Lubavitch", synagogue.
Karaotkel (cemetery) - historical.
Koktal (cemetery) - the
largest.
National Pantheon of Kazakhstan - elite.
Ilyinka
(cemetery)
Taldykol (cemetery)
Zheleznodorozhny (cemetery)
Internationalny (cemetery)
New Cemetery (Astana)