The current capital of Kazakhstan is an attractive tourist destination, but the city has not always been the main city in the country, as evidenced by the history of Astana. However, the history of the city with this toponym is very short. After all, Kazakhstan previously had another capital - Alma-Ata. And to this day, this city remains the most developed from an industrial point of view. The infrastructure of the current capital is still trying to catch up with the infrastructure of the former main city by leaps and bounds.
Akmolinsk city
This name is the very first that the local settlement bore. It dates back to 1830. It is about him that there is evidence as a Cossack settlement. Then these places belonged to Russia and were raided by the Kokand people. Akmolinsk became an outpost defending this part of the country's territory. However, already in 1838 the city was burned down. But it was gradually revived.
Soviet period
Little Akmolinsk became the famous Tselinograd during the years of the development of the virgin lands of Kazakhstan. The railway stretched here, because people were needed to develop the land, and the rich harvest also had to be exported on something over time. Cultivation of land was successful, and until now the Akmola region of Kazakhstan is considered a grain land.
After the collapse of the USSR
The capital did not move to this city immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union. This was preceded by the following events:
- renaming of the city from Tselinograd to Akmola in 1992 - the original toponym acquired the Kazakh pronunciation;
- the decree on the transfer of the capital to Akmola, issued in 1994;
- transfer of the capital from the border to the interior of the republic - from Alma-Ata to Akmola in 1997.
What did the name "Akmola" mean? It seems to us very euphonious, but its translation from Kazakh is “white grave”. An unhappy name for the capital, although it is in these places that the legendary famous warrior Niyaz-bi is buried. Therefore, we had to rename the city to Astana. However, this word also means "burial", but apparently the shade of meaning is different, closer to the concept of "shrine".
The renaming took place in 1998. And after that, a public holiday appeared, which is celebrated on July 6, the day the capital was transferred here. And there is a reason to celebrate: after all, the city from a secondary one began to turn into a modern capital. Many beautiful buildings have sprung up here. Foreign architects, including those from Japan, were invited to work.
The dynamically developing city today is more beautiful than ever. And therefore, many tourists come here - to look at the streets, temples - Orthodox and Muslim, and also to learn the history of Astana briefly. Those who stopped here to stay for a few days, I can join her in more detail.
