The main cities of Kazakhstan -
Natural and architectural sights of Almaty -
The city of Almaty (Alma Ata), (in Soviet times, the city of Verniy) is the southern capital of Kazakhstan and its largest economic, cultural and scientific center. Located at the foot of the picturesque ridges of the Trans-Ili Alatau, with a population of 2.3 million people, the city harmoniously combines modern infrastructure with a rich historical heritage. Almaty, whose name translates as "father of apples", is surrounded by ancient apple orchards, considered the cradle of the wild apple – the wild Sievers apple tree, the ancestor of all modern apple varieties, grows here. The apple is a symbol of the city of Almaty. Today it is a vibrant metropolis where traditions and innovations, mountain landscapes and urban dynamics meet, attracting tourists, researchers and nature lovers from all over the world.
The nature of the city of Almaty -
The nature of Almaty impresses with its richness and diversity and is closely intertwined with urban life. From the south, the city is framed by snowy peaks and green gorges, from which fast rivers and streams flow, feeding the urban irrigation ditch system. Due to this, Almaty is called the "garden at the foot of the mountains" – in summer it is immersed in foliage, in spring it smells of apple orchards, and in autumn it becomes a bright carpet of yellow, scarlet and orange colors. From the city you can get to two mountain gorges, the first gorge and the most frequently visited is the Small Almaty Gorge. There is a high-altitude skating rink Medeo, and a high-altitude base of Shymbulak, where a ski base operates in winter. From this base, a cable car leads to the Big Talgar pass, which allows you to reach it. There are many mountain routes from the pass to various peaks and peaks around the city of Almaty.
The second equally interesting and frequently visited mountain gorge near the city of Almaty is the Great Almaty Gorge. The famous Great Almaty Peak is located in the upper reaches of this gorge, which can be seen from anywhere in the city. There is also a Big Almaty Lake, which is accessed by an asphalt road. It is not possible to drive into the gorge by car, you can only get here by bike, electric bike or on foot. Also, be sure to visit the Kok-Zhailau mountain plateau and the Alma-Arasan gorge. These locations also serve as a starting point for various kinds of mountain peaks, mountain peaks, which are great for outdoor enthusiasts and hiking in the mountains. Kok-Tobe Park is located in the foothills of the city in the eastern part of the city, which can also be reached by cable car. The second symbol of the city, the Kok–Tobe TV Tower, is located nearby on a hill.
Architecture of the city of Almaty -
The city of Almaty is rich in its architecture, theaters, museums, concert halls, and art galleries are located here. A special place is occupied by the Abylkhan Kasteev State Museum of Art, the largest art museum in the country. The city is famous for its Abai Opera House, the Zhambyl Philharmonic, as well as many festivals, from jazz and rock concerts to ethnic festivals and national celebrations.
The famous park named 28 Panfilov Guards, dedicated to the years of the Great Patriotic War and its heroes, is located in the city. This Park is home to the famous "Cathedral of the Ascension of the Lord", a beautiful Orthodox church that was built without a single nail and which survived the strongest earthquake.
How to get there and visit -
The city of Almaty is located in the south-east of the country at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau Mountains and the Tien Shan Mountains in the Almaty region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°14'28"N 76°53'12"E
History -
Almaty, known until 1993 as Alma Ata, has a rich and multifaceted history dating back to ancient times. Even before the foundation of the modern city, these lands were a zone of active life: ancient settlements were located here, the routes of the Great Silk Road passed, as evidenced by archaeological finds of mounds and ancient settlements. The modern history of the city began in 1854, when the Russian military founded the Vernoye fortification on the site of a Kazakh settlement. It was a strategic decision to strengthen the borders of the Russian Empire in Central Asia. A year later, a Cossack settlement appeared here, and in 1867, the fortification received the status of a city and the name Verniy. The city developed rapidly as the administrative and commercial center of the Semirechensk region. In the Soviet period, from 1929, Alma Ata became the capital of the Kazakh ASSR, and then the Kazakh SSR. This time radically changed the appearance of the city: large-scale construction of administrative buildings, residential areas and cultural institutions in the style of Stalinist neoclassicism took place here. It was during this period that the city's iconic facilities were built.
The southern capital of Kazakhstan -
Almaty is the center of education and science of Kazakhstan. It is home to leading universities, academies, and research institutes. Thanks to this, the city attracts students and scientists from all over the region. The city is also known as the sports capital of the country. Almaty hosted the Asian Winter Games in 2011, and the ski resort "Shymkent" and the alpine skating rink "Medeo" have become the hallmark of the city and a favorite destination for tourists.
For travelers, Almaty opens up as a city with a thousand faces: it is a modern business center with skyscrapers and business clusters, and the cozy streets of old Alma Ata with mansions of the XX century, and mountain landscapes that begin literally 20 minutes drive from the center.
Today, Almaty is a city where you can feel the rhythm of the metropolis and at the same time go to the mountains at any moment, breathe in the fresh air, enjoy the noise of mountain rivers and the grandeur of the Ile Alatau peaks. This is a place where the connection with history is preserved, but at the same time a future is being created where oriental traditions are harmoniously combined with modern trends.
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