Baiterek (; "tall poplar tree") is a monument and observation tower in

Astana Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan. With a population of 1,423,726 within the city limits, it is the second-largest in the country after Almaty, which had been the capital until 1997. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim (river), Ishim ...

, the capital city of

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...

. A tourist attraction popular with foreign visitors and Kazakhs, it is emblematic of the city, which became capital of the country in 1997. The tower is located on Nurjol Boulevard, and is considered a symbol of post-independence Kazakhstan.

Design

The project was launched on the initiative of the first President of the Republic of Kazakhstan,

Nursultan Nazarbayev Nursultan Abishuly Nazarbayev (born 6 July 1940) is a Kazakhstani politician who served as the first president of Kazakhstan from 1991 to 2019. He also held the special title of Elbasy from 2010 to 2022 and chairman of the Security Council of ...

; the architect of the project is Akmurza Rustembekov. The 105 meters tall structure rises from a wide flat base within a raised plaza. It consists of a narrow cylindrical shaft, surrounded by white branch-like girders that flare out near the top, supporting a gold-mirrored 22 meter diameter sphere. The base contains a ticket booth and exhibition space, with two lifts rising within the shaft to the observation deck within the 'egg'. Entrances to the monument are sunk below eye level, reached by stairs from the surrounding plaza. The observation deck is 97 meters above ground level. It consists of two levels, one with 360 degree views of Astana and beyond, with a second, higher level, reached by a flight of stairs. The top level features a gilded hand print of the right hand of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the first President of independent

, mounted in an ornate pedestal. A plaque invites visitors to place a hand in the imprint and make a wish. Alongside the handprint, and also oriented in the direction of the presidential palace, is a wooden sculpture of a globe and 16 radiating segments, commemorating the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, held several times in

, previously known as "Nur-sultan".

Symbolism

The monument was built as a symbol of the transfer of the capital from Alma Ata to

in 1997. The monument is meant to embody a folktale about a mythical tree of life and a magic bird of happiness: the bird, named

Simurgh The simurgh (; ; also spelled ''senmurv, simorgh, simorg'', ''simurg'', ''simoorg, simorq'' or ''simourv'') is a benevolent bird in Persian mythology and Persian literature, literature. It bears some similarities with mythological birds from di ...

, laid her egg in the crevice between two branches of the tree. The significance of "Baiterek" as a symbol of a new stage in the life of the Kazakh people is emphasized by the artistic composition "Ayaly alakan" ''( - "caring hands")'' with an imprint of the president's right hand, located at a height of 97 meters, which symbolizes 1997 - the year of the proclamation Astana as the new capital of the state and, accordingly, a new starting point in the history of the country.

Photo gallery

File:Kazakhstani tenge 10000 (2006).jpg, The 10,000 Kazakhstani tenge banknote showing the image of the Bayterek tower File:View from Bayterek tower.jpg, View from the top floor of Bayterek

References

External links

Bayterek Tower from "Abasayyoh"
Buildings and structures in Astana Towers in Kazakhstan Foster and Partners buildings Buildings and structures completed in 2002 Culture in Astana Tourist attractions in Astana Towers completed in 2002 Observation towers in Astana Landmarks in Kazakhstan 2002 establishments in Kazakhstan {{AkmolaRegion-geo-stub

Design

Symbolism

Photo gallery

See also

References

External links