Trans-Ili Alatau is a mountain range located in the northwest of the Tien Shan mountain system, on the border of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The city of Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, is located in its northern foothills, as well as the famous Medeo sports complex, Assy-Turgen Observatory, and the alpine ski resort Chimbulak.
The name “Trans-Ili Alatau” was adopted in 1865, when the famous traveler and geographer P.P. Semenov stopped at the crossing of the Ili River and saw a grand ridge that stretched behind the river. Trans-Ili Alatau on Google Maps. Photos by: Grigory Bedenko.
Tags: Almaty oblast
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Fairytale castles on a hillside in Petropavl
No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Art, Entertainment, Travel
The Fayzulins family houses are located in the microdistrict of Podgora from where the city of Petropavl originates. The terrain here has a large slope.
The head of the family, Anvar Galimovich Fayzulin, explains how he came up with such an unusual idea – to build castles literally in the air. He says: “I just did not want to live in a garbage dump.” Photos by: Vitaly Rezunov for voxpopuli.kz
Tags: North Kazakhstan oblast · Petropavl city
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Collapsed Land of Cape Dzhigalgan
No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Nature, Regions, Travel
Cape Dzhigalgan (“collapsed land” in the Kazakh language) is the main attraction of the Tub-Karagan peninsula located on the Mangyshlak peninsula on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea in the west of the Mangystau region.
This is a mountain range with a giant hollow of almost perfect round shape littered with numerous rocks. Some boulders reach the size of a small village house. The rocks are scattered so chaotically that there is a feeling that the collapse has occurred recently. Cape Dzhigalgan on Google Maps. Photos by: Roman Smirnov.
Tags: Aktau city · Mangystau oblast
Aktau Mountains (translated as “white mountains”) are chalk mountains of different colors, mostly white, located in the territory of the national park of Altyn-Emel in the central part of Almaty Oblast. It will take you about 5-7 hours to get here from Almaty. Aktau Mountains on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.
Tags: Almaty oblast
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The Ascension Cathedral in Almaty
No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Architecture, Religion
The Ascension Cathedral (1904-1907), also known as Zenkov’s Cathedral (in honor its architect Andrei Zenkov), is located on the territory of the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen in Almaty. It is included in the list of historical and cultural monuments of Kazakhstan of republican significance.
This church is a unique architectural structure – one of the tallest wooden buildings in the world and the tallest Orthodox wooden church. The highest point at the upper end of the cross on the main dome is 39.64 meters, at the top of the bell tower – 46 meters. Zenkov’s Cathedral on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergio.
Tags: Almaty city
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Picturesque Mountain Plateau of Asy
No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Nature, Regions, Travel
Asy (Assy), a mountain plateau located at an altitude of 2,560 meters above sea level about 100 kilometers east of Almaty, is one of the largest intermountain valleys of the Northern Tien Shan. The length of the plateau is more than 20 km, the width – up to 15 km.
In summer, this area is used as a huge pasture. The best time to visit the plateau is the end of May – the beginning of June, when numerous herbs bloom here. Asy Plateau on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.
Tags: Almaty oblast
Out with the old, in with the new! Sending Happy New Year best wishes to you!
On the mountain skating rink of Medeu (1955) by Abylkhan Kasteev.
Tags: No tags
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Landscapes of the Tekes River Valley
No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Nature, Photos, Regions
On the territory of Kazakhstan, the Tekes River flows mainly in a wide intermountain valley in Raiymbek District – one of the most beautiful places in Almaty Oblast located in its southeastern part. This area is rarely visited by tourists, which contributed to the preservation of its pristine nature. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.
Tags: Almaty oblast
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Mysterious Stone Eggs of Mangyshlak
No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Nature, Travel
The Valley of Balls is one of the most interesting and unusual sights of Mangystau Oblast and Western Kazakhstan. Stones of almost perfect spherical shape are scattered along the plateau and its slopes. The height of some stones reaches 1.5 meters or more.
The origin of these stone spheres is still not clear. Their shapes are gradually changing and the landscape becomes more and more mysterious. The Valley of Balls on Google Maps. Photos by: Roman Smirnov.
Tags: Aktau city · Mangystau oblast
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Magnificent views from the top of Mount Akkogyt
No comments · Posted by Sergei Rzhevsky in Nature, Regions, Travel
The following beautiful photos were taken on the top of Mount Akkogyt (3,009 m) located in the south-east of the Almaty region and belonging to the mountain range of Terskey Alatau (Terskey Ala-Too).
Most of this mountain range is situated in Kyrgyzstan, but there is a small part of it on the territory of Kazakhstan. Mount Akkogyt on Google Maps. Photos by: Sergey Terekhov.
Tags: Almaty oblast
