The current urban landscape in Astana is the result of explicit efforts to transform the Kazakhstan capital into a world class city and premier hub of Central Asia. While not yet a conventional tourist destination, as more architectural wonders pile up, Astana could well be a mainstream hot spot in the near future.

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The somewhat controversial decision to move the capital from Almaty to Astana took place in 1997. In the years since, the city has grown by leaps and bounds and now has a population of close to 700,000 people.

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A flurry of infrastructure projects has set Astana up nicely to welcome new international business and investment – which is precisely the explicit goal. Major hotel chains now dot the cityscape and as a result, accommodation in Astana is first-rate.

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Astana’s new urban plan is among the most ambitious in recent memory. A significant part of the city is the culmination of a vision by eminent Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa and the whims of the powerful Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

As a result, a multitude of avant-garde, ultramodern landmarks now grace the Astana cityscape. Clearly, President Nazarbayev’s desire is to use Astana as a symbol to underline Kazakhstan’s independence from the former Soviet Union and highlight the country’s ascent on the world stage.

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Baiterek Tower is perhaps the most overt sign the Kazakh capital is on the rise. The prominent lollipop-like landmark contains a restaurant, art gallery and aquarium and serves as a pre-eminent symbol of Astana.

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Khan Shatyr is a prodigious point of interest in Astana that could challenge the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao for sheer architectural audacity. A leviathan project from Pritzker Prize laureate Sir Norman Foster and indeed, Foster + Partners, Khan Shatyr is a nonpareil, world first. The transparent tensile entertainment center soars above the capital like a work of science-fiction and contains parks, shops, a beach resort, promenades and myriad other diversions for the people of Astana.

Image by khansatyr.com

Other Astana attractions include the President’s Museum of Kazakhstan. Built to resemble a nomadic yurt and full of vital historical exhibits, the museum is well worth a tour. The open-air Atameken Map of Kazakhstan, another excellent museum, spans 1.7 hectares and features a diminutive model of the country.

The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation was the first Norman Foster-led creation in Astana. The extraordinary pyramid-like structure is the paragon cultural and civic landmark in the city. With a fine opera house, museums and superb views of Astana, the Palace is a magnificent facility.

Image by Wikimedia Commons

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