Kazakhstan Live - Kazakhstan

Kazakhstan

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Did you know

Did you know...

...the apple comes from Kazakhstan

Did you know...

...that the Palace of Peace and Concord was built specifically for the meetings of the leaders of the world’s religions?

The building was designed by the famous British architect Norman Foster. It has the form of a pyramid. Its first levels are occupied by the opera house (seating 1500). The pyramid is 62 metres high with a base of 62 square metres. It contains ample space for meetings and conferences. The top of the pyramid contains a round hall with 200 seats, where the meetings of the world’s religious leaders take place.

Did you know...

....that Kazakhstan is the largest country with a predominantly Moslem population and also the northernmost Moslem country with a secular system of government? The Nur-Astana Mosque has room for five thousand believers inside and two thousand outside on the square. The impressive structure made of glass, concrete, granite and alucobond measures almoste four thousand square meters has four minarets, each being 62 metres high. The aluminium covered domes can be seen from far away.

Did you know...

... that Alexander Mashkevich – the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress and a member of the Executive Committee of the European Jewish Congress – is a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan?

Did you know...

... that the Beit-Rahel-Habbad Lyubavich Synagogue is the largest synagogue in Kazakhstan and in Central Asia? It was founded in Astana on 7 September 2004 and has a total area of 5600 square metres.

Did you know...

... that the Russian Orthodox Church is the second largest religious group in Kazakhstan. 30 per cent of the population are Orthodox, and there are 230 Orthodox associations and 220 parishes or congregations in the country. There are over 300,000 Catholics living in Kazakhstan, belonging to a total of 250 parishes or congregations, 90 religious communities, and 160 visiting groups. There are about 40 Catholic churches, and 200 chapels and houses of prayer. Not to miss is the impressive Svyatovoznesenskii Cathedral - a unique feat of engineering, designed by the architect A. Zenkov in 1904. The 56 metres high building is made of blue tyan-shan fir.

Did you know...

... that Kazakhstan is meeting place for world civilizations and religions? The famous Islamic philosopher Hodga Ahmet Yassaui, highly respected by the Turkish people, spent his last years in Southern Kazakhstan, where one can still admire his beautiful mausoleum. The Russian Orthodox Saint, Sebastian Karagandinskii, is likewise buried in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan also has a Jewish holy place: the grave of Lyubavichskii Rebe in Almaty.

Did you know...

... that the 1st May is Unity Day for the nations of Kazakhstan? In other countries, this day is celebrated as Labour Day or as a day of solidarity with the people. In Kazakhstan, there are many associations, unions and communities of ethnic groups, such as communities of Poles, Romanians, Hungarians, Greeks and others.

Did you know...

...that the 22nd September is the Day of People’s Languages? To support the different ethnic communities in Kazakhstan, the Government financially assits mass media institutions and theatres of ethnic groups. The German community, for example, is very active. The Republican German Drama Theatre was founded in 1989 and Germans in Kazakhstan have their own radio and TV channel, called “Wir Deutschen”.

Did you know...

...that the Republican Korean theatre of musical comedy celebrates its 75th anniversary this year? As the Korean community in Kazakhstan, the theatre has a long tradition: it is the oldest ethnic theatre group in Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan’s Koreans are committed to preserving their traditions and live in peace with all nationalities of Kazakhstan.

Did you know...

... that there is a small community of about 800 ethnic Assyrians living in Kazakhstan? They have a Sunday school for youth - the only one in Central Asia - and their own folklore choir.