Why Astana works
Astana — renamed Nur-Sultan and then reverted back to Astana within the space of a few years — was built almost entirely from scratch after Kazakhstan moved its capital here from Almaty in 1997, and the result is one of the most architecturally ambitious planned cities built anywhere this century. The Bayterek Tower, a 97-metre observation tower topped with a golden orb symbolising a mythical bird's egg resting in a tree of life, anchors the city's central axis and offers panoramic views across the government district's deliberately futuristic skyline. Norman Foster's Khan Shatyr, a vast translucent tent-shaped structure, houses an indoor shopping and entertainment complex including a beach club, functioning as a climate-controlled escape from the steppe's brutal winter cold. The Hazrat Sultan Mosque, one of Central Asia's largest, and the Nur-Astana Mosque both showcase contemporary interpretations of Islamic architecture on a monumental scale, their gold domes visible across much of the government quarter. Astana's Nur Alem, a spherical pavilion built for Expo 2017, now houses a museum of future energy technologies inside its striking glass-and-steel form. Winters here are among the coldest of any national capital, with temperatures regularly dropping below -30°C, making a visit during the milder months considerably more comfortable for exploring the city's wide, deliberately grand boulevards on foot.
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Astana, in frame
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Astana questions, answered
When is the best time to visit Astana?
May to September
What is the weather like in Astana?
Continental, extreme winters below -30°C, warm summers
Do I need a visa to travel to Kazakhstan?
e-Visa required for Indian nationals — apply online before travel (verify current requirement as Kazakhstan periodically updates its visa-free country list). Visa rules change without notice — confirm current requirements with the destination's embassy or consulate before you book.
What currency is used in Kazakhstan?
KZT — Kazakhstani Tenge
What languages are spoken in Kazakhstan?
Kazakh, Russian widely spoken
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