Changing times, changing names - #Kazakhstan

What do the following world cities have in common - New York, Bombay, Toronto and Saigon? The answer is that each has had its name changed. New York changed from Amsterdam and Toronto from York. Saigon became Ho Chi Minh City and Bombay reverted to Mumbai, writes Colin Stevens.

In Germany, Karl Marx Stadt became Chemnitz in 1990 after the country's reunification. In the former Soviet Union, now Russia, authorities renamed Königsberg to Kaliningrad, after Mikhail Kalinin, one of the leaders of the Bolshevik revolution. Also, Stalingrad became Volgograd after Stalin's death in 1953

But there is another major city whose name change you may be less familiar with.

In March 2019 the Kazakhstan capital was renamed Nur-Sultan in honour of the departing Kazakh president, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The new name given to the Kazakhstan capital is a fitting tribute to the First President who was first elected in 1990 and went on to oversee the oil rich country’s remarkable rise.

The capital is the dynamic political and commercial centre of the country and is also one of Central Asia's most exciting and rewarding destinations.

With a population of just over 1 million – the same as Brussels - the idea of creating a new capital belonged to Nursultan Nazarbayev.

However, it is not the first time the city’s name has changed. On 6 May, 1998, Akmola was renamed Astana. Under Nazarbayev’s long rein, the city was named “City of the World” by UNESCO in 1999 and,since 2000 has been a member of the International Assembly of Capitals and Major Cities.

For history buffs, Nur Sultain was chairman of the Supreme Soviet (head of state) from 22 February to 24 April 1990.

Trip Advisor says Nur-Sultan “boasts a landscape glittering with new architecture and construction projects as the government infrastructure continues to be built”.

Spread over a vast 722 square kilometres, the city, whose name changed by order of presidential decree, consists of four districts - Almaty, Saryarka, Esil and Baikonur. Nur-Sultan is located in the centre of Kazakhstan with the River Esil its main waterway. Its location in the centre of the Eurasian continent makes it an economically advantageous transport, communications and logistics hub - a kind of a transit bridge between Europe and Asia.

Many investors are attracted to its high growth rates with the basis of its economy being industrial production, transport, communications, trade and construction. Its biggest companies include Tselinograd Car Repair Plant, "Tsesna-Astyk" Concern, the car assembly plant "Tulpar-Talgo" LLP and helicopter assembly plant "Eurocopter Kazakhstan Engineering”.

Over the years, the city has become one of the country’s largest business centres and, despite the coronavirus-led economic slump, the entrepreneurial culture still thrives here with 128,000 SMEs operating in Nur-Sultan.

The capital, which used to occupy no more than barren grassland, is the leader in construction in the country and this is partly reflected in the well-being of its residents with the average monthly salary of 154,000 tenge higher than the national average.

The main symbol of the new capital, its original “visiting card”, is the “Baiterek” complex. Other unique architectural structures include the Palace of Peace and Accord, designed by the famous British architect Norman Foster and made in the shape of a pyramid plus the "Khan Shatyr" shopping and entertainment centre - the tallest tent-shaped building in the world.

The capital of this vast, landlocked country also boats the most remote-from-the-sea aquarium - "Duman" along ith the Opera and Ballet Theatre "Astana Opera" and the largest mosque in Central Asia "Hazret Sultan".

If that wasn’t all, there is also the Cathedral in honour of the Dormition of the Mother of God; the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Archdiocese of the Blessed Damosel Mary; the synagogue "Beit Rachel Khabad Lyubavich" and the Central Concert Hall "Kazakhstan".

The flagships of the nation’s education system are also located here: Nazarbayev University, Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilev, Kazakh National University of Arts, Kazakh Agrotechnical University named after S. Seifullin, Kazakhstan branch of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov and Astana Medical University.

The Astana Economic Forum and other important international events are held in the capital on a regular basis while Nur-Sultan, which lies at the junction of the Trans-Kazakhstan and South Siberian railways, hosted the historic OSCE summit.

In 2011, the capital, noted for its clean and quiet streets, hosted the VII Asian Winter Games and, in 2017, the international exhibition EXPO-2017, for which an entire exhibition complex, EXPO-Town, was built on the left bank of the River Esil. The heart of the exhibition complex was the Sphere "Nur-Alem", a unique building in the shape of a sphere with a diametre of 80 meters, on top of which there are two noiseless wind generators.

“Nur-Alem” is the first technological museum of future energy in the Republic.

Top tip for first time visitors: the country can be chilly in the winter so May-September is best for a tourist visit.

All in all, it is clear that in a remarkably short period of time, the new capital, named after the renowned First President of Kazakhstan, has truly put itself on the world map.

Many agree that, in an increasingly troubled world, the city, with its eye-popping skyline and grandiose government buildings, has become a symbol of independence and global success.

Today, it is compared favourably to other planned capitals like Canberra, Brasilia, and Washington, DC.

Astana, which means "capital" in Kazakh, became the capital of Kazakhstan in 1997, taking over from Almaty.

The respected Business Insider magazine says that since 1997 the city has undergone a “massive transformation” and is “filled with futuristic skyscrapers that resemble a science-fiction movie.”

Its rise to world prominence is also a fitting legacy to the former president who served nearly 30 years and who turned 80 on 6 July.

Nur-Sultan’s top five must sees

1. Modern architecture

Astana's growth has been breathtaking and places like the domed Khan Shatyr and the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation are well worth seeing.

2. Exceptional museums

Kazakhstan's capital is a cultural nexus with great attractions like the National Museum of Kazakhstan and the (slightly egocentric but fascinating) Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

3. Activities for kids to enjoy

With attractions like the Duman leisure centre (which has an enormous aquarium) and spectacular city centre light shows every night, youngsters will have plenty to do.

4. World-class shopping options

Kazakhs have fully embraced the global shopping scene, and you'll find a galaxy of prestige brands at Astana's malls like the Khan Shatyr and Mega Mall.

5. Irrepressible nightlife

Astana is bursting with energy, and nowhere is this more evident than the city's clubs, where highlights include the Chocolate Room and Fashion.

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