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Imagine a beach resort on the top floor of the world’s largest nomad tent. Think of a park shaped after a dove of peace and of a concert hall that symbolises a traditional Central Asian instrument. As a stark contrast, imagine these surrealistic buildings to be erected in extremely cold winters in the barren plains of Kazakhstan. Conceiving Astana, the peculiar city that houses these structures, as one of the most unusual places on this planet sounds very reasonable indeed.

The original name of Astana is Akmolinsk. In Soviet times, the sleepy town counted some 300,000 inhabitants and was infamous for its proximity to the ALZHIR, which was a Russian acronym for Akmolinsk Camp for Wives of Traitors of the Motherland gulag. In 1997, after Kazakhstan had proclaimed its independence, Akmolinsk was selected to become the nation’s new capital, which would be built in honour of its first and only president, Nursultan Nazarbayev. Akmolinsk was then renamed to Astana, meaning capital in Kazakh language, and nothing would be the same again.

With its population having grown to 800,000, the sky is the limit in architects’ playground that is Astana. The two undeniable landmarks are the Bayterek Tower, understandably referred to as the Lollipop, and the presidential palace, Ak Orda, which is roughly eight times the size of the resembling White House. The long list of architectural eye catchers, many of which are designed by the likes of two celebrated architects, Sir Norman Foster and Kisho Kurokawa, also include ashtray-, lighter- and pyramid-shaped structures.

Nobody doubts the president has played a key role in the planning of the city that would almost have carried his name. It was Nazarbayev himself who rejected a parliamentary proposal to alter Astana’s name to Nursultan. Some believe the name change may still take place as a tribute after the president passes away. Anyhow, this incident demonstrates that, in spite of Kazakhstan’s often shockingly low positions on corruption, democracy, and human rights indices, Nazarbayev remains a very popular figure in most circles. He is pushing to see more women in top governmental and business positions and is a key figure in the struggle for a WMD-free world. Besides being a proud Kazakh, Nazarbayev actively promotes tolerance and cherishes the rich cultural backgrounds of the numerous peoples that inhabit his country.

Another reason for Nazarbayev’s fame is the rapid development Kazakhstan undergoes. The futuristic architecture introduced above is a testimony to this development, which is, truth be told, a by-product of the petrodollars earned thousands of kilometres west of Astana. Nevertheless, the capital can be regarded as an icon of Kazakhstan’s divergence from its Soviet past and of its economic success, which has clearly outclassed the surrounding Central Asian states.

Believe it or not, even Astana faces growth issues like any other city. As it is largely built on marshlands, constructing an underground system is nearly impossible. The result is that almost all transportation is conducted with car, preferably a large one. However, traffic jams and congestion are not one of Astana’s major concerns. One of the great advantages of being the world’s newest national capital is its careful and spacious planning. This, some say, relates to the nomadic traditions of the modern Kazakhs’ forefathers, who were fond of abundant space.

A more serious issue appears to be the forbidding climate of the winters, which complicates construction projects. Some of the gas pipes are above the ground, simply because maintenance and repair are very difficult in winter time, if not impossible. Moreover, the left bank of the Issym River, the area in which all the ultra-modern edifices are planted, seriously lacks residential zones, and, thus, bars, restaurants, grocery stores, and so on. But who cares if it boosts the trendy surreal image of this unique place?

Two questions keep popping up in one’s mind when being in the Dubai of the Steppe, as Astana is sometimes dubbed. First, how is the impossible made possible in such an isolated place? Second, is the estimated $20 billion investment in the urban development valuable for the Kazakh future or is it a real-life toy for urban planners, architects, and politicians? The oil and gas reserves account for some of the answer to the first question, and so do the preparations for the 2017 World Expo.

It is furthermore obvious that the ninth largest country on earth intends to invest in its image building. Whereas proponents point at the necessity of destination branding and the ever increasing amount of private investments in town, critics compare Nazarbayev with a child that likes building blocks. These people also stress the funds should be spread more evenly across the country that faces some serious social, economic, and environmental issues. To illustrate, the Aral Sea in the country’s south dried up almost completely as a result of contamination and former Soviet irrigation projects. On another note, some Kazakh areas do not even have access to electricity.

It appears that Astana will remain a subject of debate for many years to come. Like it or not, it is a mind-blowing, one-of-a-kind project that does not leave any visitor untouched. Full novels can be written about the stories behind the construction of certain buildings and the city as a whole. And the genre? Science non-fiction, without a doubt.

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