Ak Orda, Presidential Palace

Not far from the Bayterek Tower is Ak Orda, the Presidential Palace. This is the official workplace of the President of Kazakhstan. The palace includes a blue and gold dome topped with a spire. This golden statue atop the dome includes a sun with 32 rays at its apex, and also includes a steppe eagle flying beneath the sun. Like most impressive buildings in Astana, they look very familiar, this one looking like a cross between the Capital building in Washington D.C. and St Paul's Cathedral in London. It was built in 2014, taking three years.

Right next to the Palace is the Kazakhstan Central Concert Hall, another impressive building, with shades of the Sydney Opera House.

And just across the road from it is the Library of the First President of Kazakhstan, Nazarbayev Centre, with it's tilted glass roof pointing towards the Presidential Palace.Read more