History of Astana

source:www.gatchina3000.ru

In the VIII century, the territory of Kazakhstan was inhabited by Turkic tribes, who during the summer organized meetings to discuss economic, military and pastoral issues. The headquarters of the tribal chiefs was situated in the territory of modern Astana. Later on this place were held trade fairs, which sold a wide variety of goods. Mostly here were selling a large variety of dairy products. These circumstances had led to the fact that the district was named Akmola, which means White Affluence.

The emergence of the settlement dates from the beginning of the XIX century, when the Russian army organized military campaigns to the south with the view to appropriation of the new territories. As a result of these trips in 1830, the territory of modern Kazakhstan was annexed by the Russian Empire. A military camp was located on the ground of Akmol, which over time was built Akmola fortress. By 1862 the military fortifications transformed into the city and became known as Akmola.
At the beginning of XX century the city became an important trade center of Kazakhstan and southern Siberia. Mostly the reason of that was Akmola’s advantageous location at the crossroads of caravan routes between China, Russia and Central Asia. The city has continued a tradition of holding annual fairs, which gathered the merchants of the closest states. In addition, at the fairs met Kazakh intellectuals, singers, narrator, therefore, that enabled the city to become the cultural center of the region. The development of Akmola as commercial and cultural center of Kazakhstan contributed to the growth of the population size.

In the mid 50-ies of the XX century, at the time when in Soviet Union had been holding the program of development of virgin and long-fallow lands, in Kazakhstan was formed virgin land, which consisted of five northern provinces. Akmola became the administrative center of virgin and in 1961 was renamed the town Tselinograd (from Russian means a virgin city).

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Kazakhstan declared itself a sovereign republic. Tselinograd was returned its historic name - Akmola. Adoption of Akmola city the capital of the Republic of Kazakhstan took place in 1997. Previously the capital of Kazakhstan was Alma-Ata city. A year later, Akmala city was renamed to Astana

Astana - Sights of Interest