After a three-and-half-hour flight from New Delhi, little did I realise that startlingly alien surroundings would accost me. It is astounding that Kazakhstan, a country separated by a mere four-hour plane ride from Delhi, presented a world so far removed from India, not just in terms of topography and weather but also culturally.
Kazakhstan is the world’s largest landlocked country, larger than Western Europe and the 9th largest in the world. For a country of its size, a population of 19 million is ridiculously low.
Astana was a small town meant as a prison camp for families of dissidents of the erstwhile Soviet Union. In 1997, former President Nursultan Nazarbayev shifted the capital away from the lively and cultural city of Almaty on the eastern border with China. He then built a green field capital in Astana, right in the heart of the steppes, to rival the best.
Astana was rechristened Nursultan after its former President in 2018 but regained its old name in 2022. The city is surreal, incredibly clean, sparsely populated (1 million) and replete with futuristic buildings.
Kazakhstan is so richly endowed with oil and mineral resources that one would imagine all the citizens to be rich. But Kazakhstan remains a middle-income country with glaring economic inequalities. Nazarbayev poured billions of dollars into creating the new capital city that is today, nothing short of a glittering marvel.
Situated in the heartland steppes, the climate of Astana is extreme and unforgiving. Grim winter and grey skies grip the city for seven months between October and April when the temperature fluctuates between -20 and -40. Mounds of snow can be seen on either side of the road. It is common to see snow-clearing machines working tirelessly to keep the streets motorable and walkable. Even so, driving and brisk walking in such conditions can be challenging. But the residents are so acclimatised that they go about their daily business without much fuss. The womenfolk even walk effortlessly on snowed paths wearing leather boots with high heels.
A short three months of glorious summer between May and July provide succour and cheer to the residents, during which the city takes on a colourful look with bright blooming flowers and the greening of trees. Fresh vegetables and the iconic Kazakhstani apple are ubiquitous, providing a welcome culinary diversion (especially for vegetarians) from their traditional horse meat and Kumis (horse milk). The buildings are architecturally so futuristic that The Guardian labelled Astana the “space station in the steppes”, while others have used adjectives like “science fiction”, “weirdest capital”, “bizarre” or “other-worldly”.
The Yessil River divides the city into the Right Bank and Left Bank. The Right Bank represents the old city where there are lingering traces of charming old Soviet architecture and culture. But the left side represents Astana's shiny face. One of the most eye-popping buildings on the Left Bank is the Khan Shatyr, a giant tent-shaped super mall.
Designed by British architect Norman Foster, it was built to resemble the traditional Kazakh nomadic house “yurt”. Constructed using the latest technology, the building can maintain 20 to 25 degrees inside, even though it is minus 20 to minus 40 degrees outside.
The Bayterek (meaning a tall poplar tree) in the heart of the city, is a monument as well as an observation tower that seems to symbolise the economic aspirations of the Kazakh people. It embodies a folktale about a mythical tree of life and a magic bird of happiness.
The bird, (Samruk) had laid its egg in the crevice between branches of a poplar tree. The observation deck is 97m above ground level, corresponding to 1997, the year in which Astana became the capital.
From its second deck, the Bayterek offers a panoramic 360-degree view of Astana and beyond. At the centre of the viewing platform, there is a podium, with a gold imprint of the hand of former President Nursultan Nazarbayev embedded in a lectern. Visitors are encouraged to place their hand over the presidential imprint and to look down the impressive avenue of gardens and neo-classical presidential palace. The guide would say that it is a way to connect with the former President and send a message.
Nursultan Nazarbayev was the only President that Kazakhstan had known from the time it broke free from the Soviet empire in 1992.
He presided over the modernisation of the country and was revered as a father figure until Kassym Jomart Tokayev became the President following his resignation in 2019.
The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, also known as the Pyramid, was built to house the Assembly. Designed by British architect Norman Foster, the 200ft-tall structure contains a 1500-seat opera house that hosts the biannual Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions with representatives from Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism and other faiths.
The opulent Astana Opera is modelled on the Russian Opera House. Even some apartment complexes like the Triumph are a carbon copy of the ones found in Moscow. But what catapulted Astana onto the world stage was its huge distinctive globe-shaped “Nur Alem”, the Future Energy Museum built for the Astana Expo in 2016. It is the only building in the world in the form of a sphere, 100 metres tall and 80 metres in diameter. It houses eight floors, each dedicated to a different energy theme.
It was designed by German architect Albert Speer Jr, who said that the building epitomises the last drop of oil and the era when humankind will switch to future energy. Unlike in most other countries, there are no satellite towns surrounding Astana city. Instead, the city limits lead to vast swathes of empty steppe grasslands, where horses sometimes run wild.
Enormous resources are invested to provide consistent heating and lighting to its residents during winter, making it a high-maintenance city.
Despite its harsh winters and emptiness, the unique architecture and warmth of the residents make Astana one of the most promising travel destinations.
(The author is a former foreign service officer who served in Astana.)