St Nicholas Cathedral

Autumn colours in Kazakhstan

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September 25th 2015
Almaty under blue skies and autumn sunshine. In the wide tree-lined boulevards, the leaves are turning orange and gold. To the north the city has an impressive backdrop, the Tian Shan mountains, rising to about 5,000 metres and already snow covered. It is our first Silk Road city and interestingly mixed. Many buildings date from the Soviet era, some are neo-classical and hugely imposing but oth ... read more

Asia » Kazakhstan » East Kazakhstan » Almaty

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Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. D... ... read more