Top 10 Fascinating Tourist Spots in Exotic Almaty
The verdant city Almaty is placed in the lap of the snow-clad Zailiysky Alatau and it is the gateway to Kazakhstan. Today Almaty is fully modernized with luxurious skyscrapers, classy shopping malls, splendid restaurants, and impressive nightclubs, but still, the traditional Russian touch can be found in Almaty in their traditional Kazakh cuisines, steamy Russian baths, and pleasant Kazakh hospitality.
It is the most populous and most cosmopolitan and largest city of Kazakhstan and also the commercial and cultural hub. Almaty is not only the prime city of Kazakhstan but it is one of the most appealing tourist spots in entire Central Asia. Here are the must-see places to visit in Almaty.
First President Park
The First President Park is a leafy park placed in a backdrop of the picturesque mountain. The park is named after Kazakhstan’s first President Nursultan Nazarbayev and it opened for the visitor from November 2011. It is located in the crossing of the Navoi Street and Al- Farabi Avenue in the district of Bostandyk in Almaty. The park is 1.5km stretched from one end to the other.
There is a spectacular fountain in the park which is the largest in Almaty and the light and sound show in the evening is another main attraction of the park. There are lined up trees and floral beds in the park and there are sitting arrangements in the southern part of the park. The entry of the park is free and various cultural programs and shows take place in the park around the year. The park is equally popular among the locals and the tourists.
TV Tower
Almaty TV Tower is located in the famous Kok Tobe hill which is a great recreational tourist spot of Almaty and also a renowned landmark. The TV tower is placed on the south-eastern slope of Kok Tobe. The tower was built from 1975 to 1983 and it is 372 meters tall.
It is considered to be one of the highest television towers in the whole world as it is placed on Kok Tobe which itself is 1100m high from the sea level. The tower has two observation platforms, but these are not open to the public. The look of the Almaty TV Tower is very unique; it is tubular and made of steel.
Independence Monument
The Independence Monument, also called the Golden Warrior Monument is located in the main square; the Republic Square in Almaty It is a great piece of architecture and a major landmark of Almaty. There is a statue of Saka warrior and a leopard in its feet which is placed over a 91 feet high column. This statue is showing the rich history of Kazakhstan from the time of Queen Tomiris till the present day.
This beautiful architecture is a creation of a group of reputed architects of Kazakhstan under the leadership of Shota Valihanov. This Independence Monument was inaugurated on December 16, 1996, and it is located next to the Presidential Residence, the Foundation of the First President of the Kazakh Republic, The Akimat House and the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Republic Square
Republic Square is the prime square of the city Almaty. It is an open place used for various public events like National festivals, parades, official and sports events, and also a great place to explore the art and culture of Almaty. It is the biggest square of the city with a length of 580 meters and a width of 210 meters and it opened in 1980.
Some very important part of Almaty is situated in this Republic Square; these are the Monument of Independence, Akimat House, The Presidential Residence and The foundation of the First President of the Kazakh Republic. The Central State Museum of the Almaty is quite near to Republic Square.
Cable Car
Kok Tobe cable car ride is very famous in Almaty which runs from the place near Hotel Kazakhstan beside the Palace of the Republic, up to the mountain of Kok Tobe. The length of the cable car journey is 1727 meters and it takes only six minutes to reach the hill. There are 17 cable cars which are operating currently.
This journey is over the spectacular fruit gardens and some old places of the city Almaty. This short journey is very smooth and pleasing to the visitors, but if any visitor has a problem of vertigo then it’s better to avoid it. The cable car facility is closed in poor weather.
Central City Park
The popular GorkyPark is a good recreational place for both the children and adult. This park is also known as the Central Park and it is covering an area of 100 hectares. The park is located in the middle of the city Almaty in its Medeo district, near the Green Bazaar and Panfilov Park.
The Gorky Park is named like this to give tribute to famous Russian author Maxim Gorky locals also call the park as Park Gorkogo. There are shady walks for walkers and the park is decorated with the flower beds, shrubs and water bodies. There is one amusement park for kids and it is full of fun rides and entertainments.
Kok Tobe
Kok Tobe is a mountain and the highest point of the city Almaty which is a popular tourist spot in Almaty. The height of Kok Tobe is 1100m from the sea level and situated in the extreme south-east region of the city. The television tower of Almaty is placed here which is one of the highest TV towers in the world.
Apart from that, there are several cafes and restaurants, a mini-zoo, craft shops, a roller coaster, a children’s playground, a sign of ‘I Heart Almaty’, and the very famous life-size statues of the four Beatles made of bronze. The visitors can get a 360-degree panoramic view of the city from Kok Tobe.
Museum of Folk Musical Instruments
The Almaty Museum of Folk Musical Instrument is a must watch place for music lovers. This museum is a wooden building made by architect Zenkov in 1908 and it is located at the edge of Panfilov Park. The outer structure of the museum is like a traditional Russian building and the inside decoration is complete of the classic Kazakh style and in front of the building there is a sculpture of the narkobyz, which is a Kazakh instrument.
There is a wonderful collection of traditional Kazakh instruments like wooden harps, bagpipes, dombra, kobyz, etc. There is also the collection of several Turkish, Uzbek and Kyrgyz instruments. Visitors can attend the occasional traditional music performances here.
Opera and Ballet Theatre
The Opera and Ballet Theatre, Abay Opera House is one of the finest ballet and opera houses in Almaty. The opera house is named after Abay Qunanbayuli who was the renowned poet, composer, and philosopher of Kazakhstan. This opera house was opened in 1934. The founder of this opera was Yevgeny Brusilovsky and he directed eight national operas and a ballet, such as Kyz-Zhibek, Birzhan, and Sara, Yer-Targhyn, Kamar-sulu, Aiman-Sholpan, etc.
More than forty Kazakh and western opera, music and ballet performances were done here. One of the famous performances of this Abay Opera is ‘Abay’, in which the famous musician Akhmed Zhubanov and LatiMukhtar Auezovf Khamidi had given music and Mukhtar Auezov had given the libretto. This opera house was last renovated in the year 2000.
Ascension Cathedral
The Ascension Cathedral or Voznesensky or Zenkov Cathedral is one of the most glorious architectures of Almaty. The monument is located in the Almaty’s Panfilov Park. It was built in the early 19th century under the supervision of Zenkov. This 56 meters high monument is made with the high technology of that time in the Semi ruche concept, i.e. the building is made of unbreakable concrete, preserved timber, and proper ventilation.
The building is made of wood with beautiful carving and intricate detailing. There are brighter outer walls and multicolored domes, which are quite similar to the St. Petersburg’ cathedral. Many Christian pilgrims and non-Christian tourists come to see this beautiful piece of art.
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