ALMATY

 
Kazakhstan : Founded as a Russian frontier post in 1854, and called Verney on the site of the silk road caravanserai Almatu. It was renamed Alma-Ata ((=«Father of apples») and later as Almaty, it served as the capital of the Kazakh Republic, later Kazakhstan, until the seat of government was moved to Astana in the North.

Two hundred and fifty kilometers fromBishkek, it often serves as the gateway to Kyrgyzstan as there are more international flights connecting with its newly refurbished airport than use Manas airport.

The Zailinsky Ala Tau mountains rise to the south of the city, and from the foothills there can be splendid vistas of the city — when the smog is not evident. Skiing and skating is available in winter at the reknowned Medeo stadium and Shymbulak. There are a large number of hiking routes — especially over the mountains to Lake Issyk Kul — but there may be problems because technically travelers are only permitted to cross the border at properly established border crossing points. There are also a number of national parks in the various valleys to the South of the city.

The city centre covers a wide area, and has a number of long straight streets running North to South and East to West.

Amongst the main sites are :

• Panfilov Park with the striking memorial to the Panfilov heroes, and the Zenkov Cathederal — a wooden structure designed in 1904 and claimed to have been built without a single nail, which reputedly helped to preserve it during the devastating 1911 earthquake which destroyed practically the rest of the entire city; 
• St. Nicholas Cathederal; 
• the Arasan Baths; 
• Gorky Park — not as big as it«s Moscow namesake — but larger than it»s Bishkek namesake; 
• a number of striking museums — Historical, Archaeological, Geological, Musical instruments, Fine Arts; 
• Medeo and Symbulak; 
• A range of Government buildings;