This impressive monument is viewed as a signature symbol of modern Kazakhstan. What is the story behind it?
In 1997, Kazakhstan moved its capital from Almaty to Akmola, a town that has changed names several times since it was founded in the 19th century. The current name, Astana, literally means “capital”. Now a vibrant and meaningful architectural symbol was needed to consolidate the town’s elevated status. Erected in the center of Astana, Baiterek, translated as “poplar”, became such a landmark.
The concept, drawn from Kazakh lore, was proposed by Kazakhstan’s first president, Nursultan Nazarbayev, and given flesh by a team of architects led by Akmurza Rustembekov. A symbol of life and peace, the strong and slender Baiterek tree extends its sturdy roots deep into the earth, while its sprawling crown supports the sky. The tree’s steel trunk is 97 meters high.
Samruk, the fabulous bird, lays a golden egg once a year at the top of the tree in an evocation of the eternally shining sun and the ever-repeating solar cycle. It appears before us as a huge glass sphere 22 meters in diameter, changing color in harmony with the ambient light.
Baiterek has an ethnographic museum, art gallery and cafe at ground level. High-speed elevators in the trunk take visitors to the observation deck for a bird’s eye view of the city below.
Photo: shutterstock.com
