Almaty is a city of fountains and a walk through them -
Quiet squares and recreation parks in Alma Ata -
The Oriental Calendar Fountain in Almaty is one of the most striking and unusual architectural and artistic ensembles in the city, symbolizing the richness of cultural traditions and a person's connection with the eternal passage of time. Locals call this fountain "Zodiac Signs" fountain. It is located in a picturesque part of the city, next to the monument to Alexander Pushkin and next to the Academies of Sciences of Kazakhstan. The fountain was created in the 1980s and from the very beginning was conceived not just as a decorative ornament, but as a deep symbol. It is based on a round bowl decorated with bronze sculptures, each of which represents one of the animals of the eastern calendar. A rat, a bull, a tiger, a hare, a dragon, a snake, a horse, a sheep, a monkey, a rooster, a dog and a wild boar – all of them are executed with special artistic expressiveness, emphasizing the ancient philosophy of the cyclicity of time and the harmony of man with nature. If you walk down Pushkin Street, then after a few blocks after a leisurely walk you will reach 28 Panfilovtsev Park, where the Memorial of Glory and the Cathedral are located.
How to get there and visit -
The Oriental Calendar Park (Zodiac Signs) is located along Pushkin Street between Shevchenko Street and Kurmangazy Street, next to the monument to Alexander Pushkin, Medeu district, Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 43°14'47"N 76°57'15"E
Information -
The Oriental Calendar Fountain (Zodiac Signs) in Almaty is one of the most recognizable and beloved sights of the city. It was created in 1979 by architect V. N. Kim and sculptors V. A. Sidorenko, V. F. Tverdokhlebov and N. P. Zhuravlev. Initially, the fountain was called "Orbit" because of its circular composition, reminiscent of the orbits of the planets, but later received its modern name due to the sculptures of animals of the eastern zodiac cycle. It consists of a large circular pool with a central bowl, from which twelve pedestals are arranged in a circle. On each of them there is a bronze sculpture of an animal, in the middle of the water bowl there is a pedestal on which stands a sculpture of the Sun with 216 rays. A fountain of water gushes from each animal towards the Sun.
The Oriental Calendar fountain has become not only a place of recreation, but also an important cultural attraction in Almaty. Meetings are often arranged here, photos are taken, and children are also taught about the Eastern zodiac, combining entertainment and cognition. The water flowing through cascades and shimmering in the sun symbolizes eternal movement and renewal, and the round shape of the bowl reminds of the infinity of life and the repeatability of its cycles. The fountain looks especially beautiful on summer evenings, when the soft lighting adds mystery to the sculptures, and the composition itself seems to come to life. This fountain can be called a real poetic sculpture, which combines the oriental wisdom and skill of Kazakhstani architects and artists. He reminds everyone that a person is only a part of the great circle of time, where the past, present and future are connected into a single whole.
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