Bayterek tower

Walking along the avenue of architecturally impressive buildings, I come across the Bayterek tower, a national monument. The Kazakh word “bayterek” translates literally to mean “tall poplar,” as in the tree. That’s what makes Bayterek Tower such a fitting name for a national monument steeped in symbolism and meaning, connecting the old world to the modern in a celebration of progress. The height of the tower, which stands 97 meters tall to represent 1997, the year in which Astana was named the capital of Kazakhstan.

The unusual construction of the tower is more than just a unique artistic flourish. The golden sphere that rests atop the many pointed spires of the tower is meant to symbolize an egg nestled amongst tree limbs – a nod to an age-old local folktale about happiness and beginnings, focusing on a bird who laid its egg in the sacred tree of life.Read more