Almaty︱Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen

Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen

Every country or city has its own parks or monuments built in memorial of the martyrs. For example, the Cenotaph in Hong Kong and the Monument to the People's Heroes in Beijing. For Almaty, it is the Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen, which was built in honour of the 28 Almaty martyrs that kept Moscow safe with their brave sacrifices when resisting the Nazis. In the park, you can feel the intensity of the war in front of the relief of the monument. You can also, in front of the “eternal flame”, pray for world peace while feeling the immortal spirit of protecting our homes and defending the country. Other nearby sculptures such as the Afghanistan War Monument remind us of the cruelty of war, as well as the need to cherish world peace.

After a short stroll under the shade of trees, you may visit the Ascension Cathedral and say your prayers. Ascension Cathedral is the second tallest wooden cathedral in the world, which created a miracle by not requiring a single nail in the building process. During the Soviets’ rule, the cathedral had been used to house a museum and a radio tower respectively. It was after the independence of Kazakhstan that the building was returned to the church and received the UNESCO Heritage Awards.

The beauty of this cathedral and its subtle architecture are astonishing. In addition to the cathedral, you can, by visiting the nearby Kazakh Museum of Folk Musical Instruments, which was once the House of Officials, to learn about the history of traditional Kazakh instruments. You will notice that the cathedral is a Russian-style building with Kazakh patterns, showing you the integration of Eurasian cultures.