The Heart of Eurasia - Astana

        Before introducing a city where I came from, I would like to highlight that I am not originally from that city, but due to the fact that I have been staying in it for a long period of time I wanted to say more about it. 

Here it is: ASTANA

The name of the city means "The Capital" in Kazakh language. But there were some different names, such Akmola, Tselinograd in the past. 

The last name was given to the city during its being proclaimed the capital of the Republic of the Kazakhstan in 1997.

       Now, let me switch to Astana's history and its germination as a cultural and trade center of SaryArka (North-Central Kazakhstan) region. 

The earliest period: 

From the earliest times Akmola plains were a place, where different cultures and civilizations met. In the middle of 1st millenium B.C., a chronographer named Herodotus mentioned the route across the Big Steppe (later Great Silk Way), which went right there. Caravan tracks contributed to the prosperity of trade and handicraft industry in the cities traditionally engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture.  

It is confirmed  by the recent discovery of Bozok ancient settlement (near Astana), which during centuries had been a political and religious center of Saryarka.

From the middle of XVIII to 1961 - 1992 

In the 30s of 19th century in Kazakhstan plains on the place of Aqmola settlement a new town sprang up – Akmolinsk – an important commercial and economic center. Thereat its population was a little more than 2000 people. However, for the next 30 years the population of this town increased 3-fold.

                                 Akmolinsk

Tselinograd

A new stage in the life of the city started in the 60s of the 20th century: in December 1960 city with a population of 100 thousand became the center of the Virgin Lands Campaign of the North Kazakhstan. In 1961 Akmolinsk was renamed  into Tselinograd, in 1992 – into Aqmola and on May 6 1998 it received the name of Astana.

www.astana.gov.kz