The Atameken – a 200m-long, walk-around country map with models of major buildings – is quite fun.
Atameken
Nur-Sultan (Astana)
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan
3 MILES
This huge blue-glass-and-white-marble museum covers the history and culture of Kazakhstan from ancient to modern times. Themed halls comprise interactive…
Khan Shatyr
1.3 MILES
Nur-Sultan's most extraordinary building (so far), the Khan Shatyr is a 150m-high, translucent, tentlike structure made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene …
Palace of Peace & Reconciliation
2.65 MILES
This beautiful glass-and-steel pyramid was opened in 2006 as the home for the triennial Congress of World and Traditional Religions, hosted by Kazakhstan…
Bayterek Monument
1.53 MILES
Nurzhol bulvar's centrepiece is this 97m-high monument, a white latticed tower crowned by a large glass orb. This embodies a Kazakh legend in which the…
Nearby Nur-Sultan (Astana) attractions
1. Duman
0.12 MILES
Duman is a modern leisure centre most worth visiting for its oceanarium, which has over 3000 creatures from the world’s oceans and a 70m shark tunnel…
2. City Park
0.35 MILES
The large, somewhat-untidy city park abuts the south side of the Ishim river. On its southern edge you'll find the Atameken, a 200m-long, walk-around…
3. Museum of the Armed Forces
0.73 MILES
The yurt-shaped museum showcases beautifully presented exhibitions on weaponry and warfare, with striking murals greeting visitors. On the ground floor,…
4. Museum of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
1.22 MILES
Inside the former presidential palace, a succession of lavish galleries display gifts to President Nazarbayev from foreign governments and grateful…
5. Transport & Communications Ministry
1.23 MILES
The tall, gleaming, copper Transport & Communications Ministry, has been dubbed the ‘Lighter’ by irreverent locals. Ironically, there was a fire inside…
6. KazMunayGaz
1.26 MILES
East of Khan Shatyr, across a park, stand the grand headquarters of the state energy company, KazMunayGaz.
7. Khan Shatyr
1.3 MILES
Nur-Sultan's most extraordinary building (so far), the Khan Shatyr is a 150m-high, translucent, tentlike structure made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene …
8. Emerald Towers
1.31 MILES
Striking office blocks whose tops splay outward like the pages of opening books.