kazakhstan
Almaty is the biggest
commercial center of Kazakhstan and the most
populated city of the nation with its 1.34 million population
according to information of 2008. Despite losing the status of
Capital in 1997 Almaty remains one of economical centers and the
ethnicly, culturally diverce in the country.
From time to time the
name of the city changed several times and once it was “Verny”
meaning faithfull if translated from Russian. The word Alma Ata
consist of two separate words the first meaning apple and the
next father. But together they do not make any sense. There is
great genetic
diversity among the wild apples in the area
surrounding Almaty: the region is thought to be the ancestral
home for the apple, and the wild Malus
sieversii is considered a likely candidate for the
ancestor of the modern domestic apple. The region is often
visited by the researchers and scientists from all around the
world in order to learn more about the complex systems of
genetics, and also to discover the true beginnings of the
domestic apple.
History
Silver dirham minted in
Almaty (Almaty), in 684 Hijri year (1285-1286). On Antiquities,
discovered by archaeologists in what is now Alma-Ata, it is
possible to judge that this area has long been inhabited by
nomadic tribes. The most characteristic monuments of this region
are burial mounds of Saks VI-III centuries BC. e., the largest
of which up to 20 m and a base diameter of 100 m located on the
banks of the rivers Bolshaya and Malaya Almatinka, Esentaya
(Vesnovka), Aksai. Currently, most mounds buried under of
residential buildings of the city.
Usuns tribes who replaced Saks, were very familiar with
agriculture and had permanent settlements. This can be judged by
the archaeological findings such assickles, graters, simple
irrigation systems and others.
Later the area was part of West Turkic, and Karluk Turgesh
kaganates and State Karakhanids. While Karluks in Trans-Ili
Alatau foothills began to appear sedentary agricultural
settlements in the field of permanent hibernation (kystau) and
the city as a rate nomadic elite.
In the VIII-X centuries on the territory of modern Alma-Ata were
several small settlements, one of which allegedly called Almaty
and was on the Silk Road.
In the beginning of the XIII century, the region of Almaty, as
well as all the Seven Rivers, was subjected to the Mongol
conquest. Events of that time were described by the famous
statesman, Zahir al-Din Muhammad Babur in his memoirs, Alma-Ata
named among the ruined cities. The sources that describe the
events of the XIV century, the city is Almalik. Thus,
Seref-Addin Yazdi, describing the campaign of Timur in
Moghulistan in 1390, writes that Timurid army moved from
Tashkent to the Issyk-Kul, and then on the Kok-Tobe, passed
Almalik continue through Karatal on Irtysh. By the end of the
XVI century Almaty remains only a small portion, which is home
to Kazakhs kind of Dulat Zhuz.
Inception of the
modern city was laid February 4, 1854, when the Russian
government decided to build on the left bank of
the Little Almatinka fortification. Beginning from 1854 to 1921
the region was called Verny.
Sights of Almaty
Panfilov Park, Zenkov
Wooden constructed Cathedral, St.Nicholas Cathedral, National
Musical Instruments Museum, Central State Museum, Almaty's Green
Bazaar, Panoramic view at observatory.
Panfilov Park
Named
after Major General Ivan Panfilov a famous hero, the park is one
of best places in Almaty. The park also honors those who gave
their lives in the "great" wars, WWI and WWII. The park is
also known for the 28 Heroes Park for 28 men who died while
defending their country in the battle of Moscow in at the
beginning of WWII.
There are several things to see in the park and it can easily
take most of a day to see all the sights. Throughout the
park there are several war monuments but the largest one is at
the site of the eternal flame. The huge bronze statue
contains fighting soldiers who look fierce erupting from the
stone slab beneath them. The center figure's outstretched
arms are massive and give a sense of the force used to protect
his beloved country. They look out on a flat slap of black
marble that contains at the other end an eternal flame in the
center of a bronze star surround by a wreath.
National Musical Instruments Museum
National Musical Instruments Museum is located not far from
Panfilov Park. It was built by the famed architect Z.A.
Zenkov and the outside of the building has unique carvings.
Inside is housed the best collection of native instruments of
the Kazakh culture. If you are fortunate to visit when
there is a trained curator, he will even play the instruments
for you. The price of admission to the museum is around
200 tenge. The museum is open every day except Mondays or
when they decide not to be open. Few of the exhibits have
English captions but if you like folk instruments this is a good
place to see dombras the national folk instrument of Kazakhstan.
A dombra is sort of like a lute. In the past this building was
used for military officers gatherings.
Zenkov Cathedral
Zenkov Cathedral, also known as the Voznesenski Orthodox
Cathedral. It was built in 1904 by Z.A. Zenkov the church
stands 164 feet, entirely made of Tian Shan fir tree wood
without nail. Zenkov Cathedral is one of
eight unique buildings in the world that are entirely
made of wood without a single nail. Almaty quake in 1911
that supposedly registered a 10 on the Richter
scale couldn’t hit Zenkov Cathedral. Zenkov Cathedral is
like a Russian fairy-tale looking construction that you would
look forward to see somewhere in Russia. During soviet
time Zenkov Cathedral was used as a museum
but in May 1995 it was returned to the Orthodox Church and since
1997 daily services have been held.
While it is a currently working church no camera are allowed in,
however there are books that can be purchased with photos, or
you can purchase a three CD set that has the history of the
building, a choir program and a service. The set is nice
but the only problemis it's in Russian and
Kazakh.
There are many icons and other relics of the Orthodox faith
inside of the Cathedral houses. The icons are amazing and
ornante as is the alter area of the church. When visiting
inside it is adviced that you not talk and of course no
photography is permitted even the photo you want to sneak with
your mobile phone will get you escorted out.
There is no fee to visit the Cathedral. In case you want
to light a candle or purchase an icon there's a little church
store just inside the lobby.
The Central State Museum
The Central State Museum
of the Republic of Kazakhstan was established
in 1930 in Almaty. The current building dates back 1985 and
hosts 4 large exhibition halls covering hundreds of unique
Kazakh exposures including spiritual and cultural material
describing the 1000-year history of the nation. The Central
State Museum in Almaty is primarily a history museum, with
exposures describing the development of Kazakhstan and its
people from the Bronze Age to the Soviet Union, and the present
day. There are also displays of Kazakh handicrafts and souvenir
store which sell rugs and jewellery. Museum is
open:Wed-Mon 9am-6pm.
