KYZYLORDA

Kyzylorda’s railway station is more than just a station; it’s a custodian of the city’s history. At 120 years old, it’s one of the oldest buildings in the city. Built in 1905 by decree of Nicholas II, it was once the most stylish building in Kyzylorda and, frankly, remains one of the most photogenic.

The Kyzylorda Regional Museum is housed in a building that is one of Kyzylorda’s architectural landmarks, built in 1953. The museum itself was founded in 1939 and, until receiving its own premises, was housed in the Church of Our Lady of Kazan. The museum’s collection contains nearly 40,000 exhibits. Its highlights include the armor of batyrs, cannon barrels used in the capture of the Ak-Mechet fortress, and a collection of coins that circulated along the Silk Road.

The Church of Our Lady of Kazan is the only functioning Russian Orthodox church in the Kyzylorda region, designated an architectural monument of national significance in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Construction of the church, designed by local architect Esakov, began in 1890 under the supervision of engineer Kalinin and lasted over five years.

The Barsakelmes Nature Reserve is the only one in Kazakhstan and one of several in the CIS with extreme environmental conditions, located in a zone of global ecological disaster. It is a unique “natural laboratory” for studying climate aridization, desertification of natural systems, and the restructuring of ecosystem composition and structure. It is also an arena for speciation, the formation of relief, landscapes, and biodiversity. The translation from Kazakh doesn’t inspire optimism: “If you go, you won’t return.” This is a mystical and mysterious place, shrouded in legend. It is said that both time and space are altered here in the most incomprehensible way, similar to the famous Bermuda Triangle, making it ideal for extreme travelers.

Korkyt Ata Memorial Complex – According to legend, the great Turkic composer and poet Korkyt Ata was born not far from this place on the banks of the Syr Darya River, in whose honor this monument was named. This man is deeply revered not only in Kazakhstan but also far beyond its borders, especially in the Turkic countries. The monument consists of four steles facing different directions. At the top is an organ that, with the slightest breath of wind, begins to produce a sound similar to the kobyz, a national musical instrument.

The ancient city of Syganak – Long ago, this city was one of the centers of crafts and trade, located on the Great Silk Road. At various times, it became the capital of the Kazakh Khanate, and even earlier, the headquarters of the Kipchaks, who lived in the Syr Darya Valley, and the headquarters of the Ak Orda (White Horde – the Ulus of Jochi). Syganak is mentioned in chronicles as early as the 10th century. It began to decline after the Great Silk Road lost its significance, and was partially destroyed with the arrival of Russian troops during the conquest of Central Asia by the Russian Empire.

The Aral Sea is a former endorheic salt lake in Central Asia, on the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Before its shallowing, the Aral Sea was the fourth-largest lake in the world. The sea was replaced by a desert, the Aralkum, and the sea divided into smaller bodies of water.

We also recommend visiting the N. Bekezhanov Kyzylorda Regional Musical and Drama Theater, the Park of the First President, and the Kyzylorda Regional Philharmonic.