Almaty is considered the cultural capital of Kazakhstan. And these are not just words, because it is in Almaty that you can find a large concentration of higher educational institutions, an impressive list of theaters and multicultural centers, libraries and museums. The southern capital, another name of the metropolis, boasts that different nationalities and religious denominations closely coexist here. This is the place where Europe meets Asia and this is clearly seen in the diverse, dynamic lifestyle of citizens and a special colorful urban environment. Visit Almaty offers you a list of places in our favorite city where you can feel all the delights of the cultural life of the “father of apples” – Almaty.
1) Tulebayev Street – Start your walk with the fountain “Zhetysu” at the monument erected in honor of the Kazakh composer and People’s Artist of the USSR Mukhtar Tulebayev. Walking down a shady alley, you will pass through the area where the intelligentsia of Kazakhstan lives and lived, proof of this you can see on the facades of buildings in the face of commemorative plaques. An interesting fact is that it was on this street in 1988 that Rashid Nugman shot the famous shot from the ending of the film “Needle”. Now a monument to the musician, the main character of the film and the “last hero” Viktor Tsoi has been erected in the same place.
2) Kunaev Street – Named after the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Kazakh SSR Dinmukhamed Kunaev. The street passes through the fundamental building of the Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan, down to the apartment-museum of D. Kunaev, where you can get acquainted with the life of the first person of the Kazakh SSR. Moreover, on the way you will be able to visit the unique and one of the largest baths in Central Asia – “Arasan”, which, by the way, was built during the leadership of Kunaev.
3) Abylai Khan Street – Your route can start from the old railway station and architectural monument – Almaty-2, which is located at the end of the street. Or from the beginning, where there is a clear example of Soviet modernism and one of the largest “keepers of knowledge” of the city – the National Library of the Republic. In addition, for architecture lovers, on the way you will meet the buildings of the Writers’ Union of Kazakhstan and the Kazakh-British Technical University, which remind you of the capital’s past of the city.
4) Pedestrian Panfilov Street is a new cultural place of the southern capital, which quickly and forever fell in love with the guests and residents of Almaty. In the warm season, the street is filled with fun, bright colors, sounds of live music and laughter throughout the promenade.
5) Zhibek Zholy Pedestrian Street is the first pedestrian street that has found a new life after reconstruction. This place has always attracted artists, artisans, musicians and other representatives of the creative life of Almaty. Cultural events and fairs are held here, where you can buy souvenirs.
1) Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet Theater named after Abai, Founded back in 1941 and to this day is one of the central symbols of the city. The building is made in classical style and decorated with Kazakh ornaments and bas-reliefs on the facade. The Abai Theater is a place where you can enjoy both national and world classics of theatrical art.
2) The State Academic Russian Drama Theater named after M. Lermontov is one of the best places for cultural saturation of the soul. The best artists of Kazakhstan have performed and are performing here, who will definitely make you empathize with the heroes of the performance and will not leave anyone indifferent from the audience.
3) The A. Kasteev State Museum of Art is one of the largest cultural centers of Central Asia and the only art museum in Kazakhstan. It contains more than 25,000 works by artists from Kazakhstan, Europe and Asia. The museum’s collection impresses with its diversity and will expand the horizons of the visitor’s imagination. After visiting the gallery, we advise you to also visit the open-air sculpture park, which is located on the territory of the museum.
4) The Almaty Museum is a modern, interactive museum located in the historical building of the city, where visitors will be able to see the development and formation of the city of Almaty from the ancient settlement in Zhetysu, through the epochs of the early Iron Age to the modern metropolis.
5) Central State Museum of Kazakhstan – If you don’t have time to travel all over Kazakhstan, you should definitely visit one of the largest museums in Central Asia – the Central State Museum of Kazakhstan. All periods from the life of our Republic from the primitive world to modern Kazakhstan are collected here. A special place in the museum is considered to be the collection of Saka gold, which is one of the few in the whole world.
6) The Atlas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments is one of the few in the world and the only one in Central Asia that specializes in national musical instruments of Kazakhstan and the whole world. Here you can hear how each of the exhibits sounds and “immerse yourself” in the music of the Great Steppe. In addition, like the Almaty Museum, the Museum of Folk Musical Instruments is located in the historical building of Almaty, which was erected in 1908, which will enhance the delight of visiting.
7) The National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan is a research center of the whole of Kazakhstan. A place where the minds of the nation work on various fields of exact and natural sciences. The Academy has 4 different museums open to the public: archaeological, natural, Museum of the history of Kazakh science and rare books. If you are nearby, we strongly recommend that you take the time to study artifacts and various museum exhibits.
8) Soviet Sculpture Park – For lovers of the Soviet past, there is a park in the city that preserves monuments to the leaders, revolutionaries and poets of the USSR, who once occupied the central squares and streets of Almaty. Here you can find a monument to Lenin, Kalinin, Gorky and many other political and cultural figures of those times.
1) The Central Mosque – from about the VIII century, Islam began its spread on the territory of modern Kazakhstan. Since then, most of the population consider themselves Muslims, however, this does not prevent them from coexisting in harmony and in peace with other faiths. If you are in the lower part of the city, near the famous Green Bazaar, do not miss the chance to look into the main, central mosque of the southern capital.
2) The Ascension Cathedral – the Holy Ascension Cathedral of Almaty, was erected in 1907, and is a reflection of a special attitude to the rich history and, of course, the cultural diversity of the city. The cathedral is included in the list of the tallest buildings in the world built of wood.
1 Tip: reading this information, pay attention to the fact that periodically we mention the directions “top” and “bottom” of the city. The fact is that the southern part of Almaty is located on a hill, and smoothly transitions to a flat area in the north direction. In the city, you will often encounter a similar navigation element, which will help you quickly navigate.
2 Tip: The history of Almaty goes far into the wilds, however, the general development plan falls at the beginning of the 20th century. In this regard, the streets were designed in the form of a grid of intersections. Thus, you should not be surprised if instead of the house number, you will be called the intersection of two streets as a landmark.
