The Passenger ⋆ Page 2 of 312 ⋆ Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.

July 27, 2025July 30, 2025

Along the Ishim

The Central park in Астана has a rich history dating back to the late 19th century, when the city was still called Akmolinsk and served as a caravan crossroads on the steppe. Over time, the park has witnessed periods of both decline and revitalization, evolving with the city’s dramatic transformation from a regional town to the modern capital of Kazakhstan. One of the city’s oldest living relics, a black poplar tree planted over 130 years ago, still stands in the park and is considered an important symbol of Астана’s heritage and the community’s connection to its past.

July 27, 2025July 29, 2025

Kazakhstan’s history and culture

National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Астана

The National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, located in Астана, stands as one of the most prominent cultural attractions in the capital. Opened in 2014, the museum was established to coincide with the celebrations of Kazakhstan’s independence and the country’s efforts to preserve and showcase its rich heritage. The structure itself is a masterpiece of contemporary architecture, featuring sweeping lines and expansive open spaces, representing a bridge between the nation’s storied past and its dynamic present.

July 27, 2025July 30, 2025

Орталық мешіті

The Central Mosque in Астана, also known as the Астана Grand Mosque, stands as a magnificent architectural landmark and the largest mosque in Central Asia. Its grand scale is immediately striking, featuring a massive main dome that is about 83.2 meters high and 62 meters in diameter, making it one of the largest domes of its kind in the world. Surrounding it are four towering minarets each reaching 130 meters tall, symbolically divided into five parts representing the five pillars of Islam. The mosque’s exterior is beautifully detailed with white Arabic calligraphy on a blue background, and the entrance boasts one of the tallest wooden doors globally, standing 12.4 meters tall and crafted from hard iroko wood imported from Africa. This blend of scale and intricate detail creates a sense of awe from the moment you approach the mosque.

July 27, 2025July 29, 2025

Nur Alem

The Nur Alem Pavilion stands out as the most recognizable symbol of Астана’s transformation into a city of innovation and ambition. This stunning building is an architectural marvel – a perfect glass sphere with 80 meters in diameter and rising 100 meters tall, making it the largest spherical building in the world. It was designed by the US-American architectural team Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill, renowned for their work on some of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers. Built for EXPO 2017, Nur Alem’s graceful curves and shimmering surface have since turned it into a true icon of the Kazakh capital.

July 27, 2025July 30, 2025

Iconic

Baiterek tower in Астана is a prominent symbol deeply intertwined with Kazakhstan’s modern history and cultural identity. Built between 1996 and 2002 to coincide with the capital’s relocation from Алматы to Астана in 1997, the tower stands 97 meters tall, symbolizing the year of this important transition. Its design is inspired by a Kazakh myth about the Tree of Life, where a sacred bird named Samruk laid an egg in the tree’s branches, represented by the golden sphere atop the tower. This concept embodies the connection between the earth, life, and the sky, making the tower more than just a structural landmark – it signifies new beginnings and the hopes of the nation.

July 27, 2025July 30, 2025

темір жолы

Kazakhstan’s railway system, the backbone of its vast transportation network, stretches impressively across the sprawling landscapes of Central Asia. With over 16,000 kilometers of rail lines, traversing arid steppes, bustling cities, and remote outposts, these tracks serve both as practical passage for locals and as an adventurous experience for travelers. Trains remain the lifeblood for many communities, offering a reliable and affordable way to cross enormous distances that would be daunting by road. The national operator, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTP) / Қазақстан темір жолы (ҚТЖ), continuously modernizes the rolling stock and infrastructure, blending traditional charm with growing efficiency.

July 26, 2025July 29, 2025

Түркістан

Turkistan, nestled in the southern steppe of Kazakhstan, is a city that immediately captivates travelers with its blend of ancient legacy and vibrant modern life. Walking through its wide avenues and bustling bazaars, you can feel centuries of history etched into the very stones beneath your feet. As one of the oldest settlements in Central Asia, Түркістан has been continuously inhabited since at least the 4th century, growing from a simple caravan stop into a major hub along the Silk Road. Its strategic location meant that merchants, poets, and scholars from across Asia and beyond converged here, making the city a living crossroads of cultures.

July 25, 2025July 29, 2025

Unfinished mausoleum

Visiting the mausoleum of Khawaja Ahmed Yasawi in Түркістан, Kazakhstan is an unforgettable experience for anyone interested in history, architecture, or spirituality. The immense structure stands as one of the most remarkable examples of Timurid architecture, with its grand domes and intricate tile work catching the sunlight in stunning patterns. The mausoleum is not just a monument, but an active pilgrimage destination, drawing people from across the region to pay their respects and absorb the serene atmosphere that pervades the site.

July 24, 2025July 30, 2025

World War II

Memorial for Aliya Moldagulova and Manshuk Mametova, Алматы

Continuous learning about history is a necessity. Even concerning a devastating phase like World War II, collective memory is already blurring. In the Western world people start to think, the United States of America have won the war, in other parts of the world Russia is seen as the victor. But we should not forget that it was the entire Soviet Union that paid the highest death toll to slay fascism. The people of Central Asia had a big stake in this; 600,000 Kazakh people died in World War II – a significant share of the population. That’s the reason why they remember their soldiers like the 28 Panfilov guardsmen, but there are more stories to share.

July 24, 2025July 29, 2025

Zhibek Zholy

Wandering the stretches of the Silk Road, I am constantly reminded of how these ancient trade routes once threaded continents together. The Silk Road (or Zhibek Zholy) wasn’t just a single path – it was a vast web spanning from China to the Mediterranean, linking Asia with Europe, and facilitating the flow of goods, culture, and ideas for centuries. Among its most intriguing stretches runs the passage through Kazakhstan, a country whose landscapes are as storied as the history that passed across them.