Almaty

Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan, is the country's most modern and stylish city, attracting visitors with its unique architectural designs. The city sits on the banks of the Ishim River, which separates it into the right and left banks. The left bank is particularly stunning, home to all the distinctive structures.

Gradually, banks and other significant organizations are relocating their headquarters to Astana from Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan. It is advisable to avoid visiting Astana for tourism purposes during the cold season, as even those from Siberia might find the temperatures unbearable. Winter in the city is marked by harsh, biting winds. Conversely, summers in Astana can be quite hot.

Astana takes great pride in hosting the international specialized exhibition EXPO-2017. This event significantly boosted Kazakhstan's status on the global stage. Over three months, more than 4 million people visited the exhibition. Today, the "Nur-Alem" sphere, which was the main building of the EXPO, houses a museum.

Astana is also renowned for its Barys hockey club, which enjoys fame far beyond its home city. The team's matches consistently attract packed stadiums.

The capital of Kazakhstan is certainly a city worth visiting at least once in a lifetime.

The third largest city in the country – Shymkent is in the south of Kazakhstan. This is one of the largest industrial and commercial centers of the Republic, located relatively close to the borders with Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, as well as their capitals - Tashkent and Bishkek.

In 2011, Shymkent was voted "Best City in the CIS", according to the assessment of the International Assembly of Capitals and Cities.

Until 1992 the city was called in Russian - Chimkent. Consonant with the name Shymkent, it reveals its etymology as a "green city". In Turkic "Chim" or "Shym" means "turf", "meadow," and Kent stands for the "city".

Turkestan is one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan. It was founded in 418. It is known that in the tenth century the city was called Shavgar (Shavagar). It was part of the Samanids state.

In the XII century, Shavgar disappeared from written sources, but Yasi (Yassy) appeared, which was also located on the territory of present-day Turkestan.

In the XII century, the famous philosopher and poet Khoja Ahmed Yasawi lived and was buried in Yasi. In 1398, when Yasi was part of Tamerlane's empire, the ruler erected a mausoleum over the philosopher's grave and built a mosque. It is to this mausoleum that pilgrims are coming in an endless stream today. The religious complex is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Since the XVI century, Yasi has become the main city of the Kazakh Khanate. At the same time, it was renamed Turkestan. The Mint appeared here, where silver money with the image of rulers began to be printed. This is confirmed by archaeological excavations.

Jules Verne and Herbert Wells had highlighted the issue of space flights long before the first rocket was launched, but the trigger for space travel was a war, the Cold War between USSR and USA. A nuclear weapon had to be delivered to the enemy at the rocket speed; thus they started tests that demanded testing areas. This is how the history of Baikonur started.

In 1954 authorities of the USSR put a task for scientists and military officers to find a convenient place for testing area construction. Few conditions applied: large underpopulated and non-agricultural region, availability of railway station for delivering cargo and rocket blocks, accessibility of drinking and technical waters, and some others. There were only 3 suitable places found on the territory of the vast country. The steppe region of Kazakhstan at the shores of Syr-Darya, close to the small village Tyuratam, with a railroad Moscow-Tashkent nearby, suited the best for the construction of the cosmodrome.