VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
ARCHIVE OF THE OFFICIAL SITE
OF THE 2008-2012 PRIME MINISTER
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
VLADIMIR PUTIN
The Kazakh capital of Astana was founded in 1830, initially named Akmolinsk, a name that it bore until 1961. The city was renamed Tselinograd in 1961 and Akmola in 1992, finally changing its name to the present Astana in 1998.
The city, located on the right bank of the Ishim River, has an officially estimated population of over 600,000 people.
In 1832, the Akmolinsk area was established in the Omsk Territory. In 1869, the city of Akmolinsk became one of the district centres of the Russian Empire, following the Temporary Provision on Administration in the Steppe Areas of Orenburg and West Siberian Governorates General.
In the 1950s, the city served as the centre for the reclaiming of virgin and fallow lands.
The city, then named Akmola, became Kazakhstan's official capital on December 10, 1997, changing its name to Astana, which literally means "capital city" in Kazakh, on May 6, 1998.
Astana is home to the Kazakh President's official residence and the country's legislative and executive bodies.
Located in central Kazakhstan, the city is a large hub of transport and industrial activity. Astana's major manufacturers are the Tselinselmash, Mitmash, Kazmashapparat, Tselindormash, Etalon and Transzhelezobeton. The city also has a car-repair yard, as well as a number of light industry and food enterprises.
Astana's airport service routes to 45 CIS cities.
The city's major educational institutions are the Gumilyov Eurasian National University, State Medical Academy and Kunayev Humanities University. Among the city's museums and cultural attractions are the Kazakh Music and Drama Theatre, the Gorky Russian Drama Theatre, four cinema halls and several recreation centres.
THE PALACE OF INDEPENDENCE
The Palace of Independence, located opposite the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation and the Kazakh Eli Monument, is designed to host large-scale international forums and art exhibitions. The project, implemented by Turkey's Sembol İnşaat construction company, is estimated at $100 million.
The parallelepiped-shaped complex has a total area of 18,000 square metres. The walls, made of dark blue glass, are enchased with white coated frames. The three-storey building has a multi-purpose hall that seats 4,500 people, halls for solemn ceremony, several exhibit and conference halls, a 700-seat restaurant and a 3D cinema hall. Planned are the Arts Museum, the Kazakhstan Museum of History and the Museum of Technology. A unique model of Astana, with a size of 40x25 metres, will be installed, and is expected to become a must-see for Palace visitors.
THE HOUSE OF GOVERNMENT
The House of Government, or the Ukimet Uyi, is located on the left bank of the Ishim River, next to the Ak-Orda Presidential Palace, Parliament buildings and the Ministry House. Construction of the House of Government commenced in March 2002, with the Government moving to the offices in the 22-storey building in August 2005, leaving the residence in the city's old centre on the Ishim's right bank.
The parallelepiped-shaped building with a rectangular roof, built by Turkey's Ceylan Limited, has a total area of 33,752 square metres. The building's facade is decorated with granite that was carved at a local factory. The Ukimet Uyi is home to the Prime Minister and his deputies' cabinet rooms, the Prime Minister's administrative office and the Government's conference rooms.
THE AK-ORDA PRESIDENTIAL PALACE
Construction of the Ak-Orda Presidential Palace, the official residence of the Kazakh President, commenced on the left bank of the Ishim River in September 2001, with the opening ceremony held on December 24, 2004. The presidential residence is the finishing piece in the architectural complex that includes the buildings of the Government, Parliament, Supreme Court, Defence Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Astana-Baiterek Monument.
The building's name, Ak-Orda, refers to the powerful empire that existed on a vast territory that included modern Kazakhstan, known as the "White Horde" (Aq orda) and referred to in Russian chronicles as "Golden Horde".
Paved with white marble and granite, the five-storey Palace combines both European architecture and Kazakh traditional elements. The building's total area is 36,720 square metres and its height is 80 meters.
The first floor includes the main grand hall, a ceremonial hall for official receptions held by the Kazakh President, a conference hall and a winter garden. The third floor has a yurt-styled Oriental hall, with an interior finished with marble and granite, a Marble Hall used for document-signing procedures at official visits and summits hosted by the Kazakh President for foreign heads of state, presidents and prime ministers, while the Golden Hall serves as the President's private meeting place. Also located on the first floor are the Oval Hall, a guest room, a hall for extended talks, and the Security Council hall.
The Palace's fourth floor includes the Dome Hall, used for the President's top level meetings with heads of state and meetings with members of Kazakh ministries and state agencies, parties, movements, and creative community members. In the Conference Hall, the President meets with the Cabinet, ministers, heads of state agencies, directors of the Presidential Administration departments, mayors of Astana and Alma-Ata, as well as businessmen and representatives from cultural groups. Also located on this floor is the negotiation room, where the head of the Presidential Administration and the Presidential Aide meet for talks with foreign delegations, ambassadors accredited in Kazakhstan, and foreign businessmen.
