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I Visited Nur-Sultan, One Of The Coldest Capitals In The World, And Captured Its Stunning Architecture In -20°C
Nur-Sultan, former Astana, is the capital city of Kazakhstan - the 9th largest country in the world. It's also the 2nd coldest capital of the world, where winter temperatures reach regularly less than -35 Celsius degrees.
Its futuristic architecture is mind-blowing. I've been walking around the city on a foggy night. On the other day, my flight back to Poland was canceled due to adverse weather conditions and I got another chance to admire the cosmic, surreal cityscapes of Astana. The temperature was about -20 Celsius and my hands were just freezing.
Strange, but beautiful buildings, including for example lighter-shaped tower, flame-like skyscrapers, enormous stunning mosque and huge palaces, all covered with dense fog and hoarfrost, made me feel like in a fairytale. A futuristic and a bit apocalyptic fairytale.
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#1
Final score:
30points
Patryk Biegański (Submission author) 5 years ago
It is a footbridge over the Ishim river, named Atyrau :)
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#2
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#3
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22points
AMYAH MINOTT-STARLING 5 years ago
it looks like eagle wings but there gold and bend back a lot farther
#8
Final score:
21points
Patryk Biegański (Submission author) 5 years ago
:) it is world's biggest tent. Named Khan Shatyr is a shopping mall in the centre of Nur-Sultan
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#10
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19points
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Jenni Simpson 5 years ago
Would have been helpful if the photographer had identified the building for us dumb westerners!
Patryk Biegański (Submission author) 5 years ago
Hah, sorry! It is The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation.
Load More Replies... #13
Final score:
17points
Patryk Biegański (Submission author) 5 years ago (edited)
This is one of the buildings of the 2017 Expo complex. It’s named Nur Alem - a drop of oil lookalike, 8 floor pavilion and science musem. The project of this building won with the one made by famous architect Zaha Hadid :)
Load More Replies... #14
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Patryk Biegański (Submission author) 5 years ago
Hum, the famous Kazakh cognac helps a lot :D
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AMYAH MINOTT-STARLING 5 years ago
it looks little bit haunted from the top while your going down
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12points
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#30
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What do you think ?
Debra McGeorge 5 years ago
Absolutely stunning city. The modern architecture is inspirational, and love that the older structures are still there, too. The photographer did an outstanding job, playing up all the outstanding features. Wonderful article! Many thanks!
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
thank you, Debra! So nice to hear that! I tried my best to catch the original atmosphere of the city :) What's more - Astana is a modern city. The "old part" is a district of workers from Soviet times and it's not possible to find older than XX century buildings. The architects did a great job to build new ones looking like the ones from deep past :)
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The Original Foxxy Has Herpes 5 years ago
Been there and was blown away by the architecture. Absolutely did not expect to see such modernism and radical buildings like that in Central Asia. Really great photos you have there! Nice work!
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you! So nice to hear. And I agree - Astana is spectacular.
Load More Replies...
Troux 5 years ago
"Photo album of the year 2359" Absolutely breathtaking scenery and compositions!
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you Troux! So nice to read! Indeed - Astana is uncommonly futuristic city.
Load More Replies... Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you, Aliya! Hope the real winters will return to us. The ones we know from the stories and fairy tales :(
Load More Replies... Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
You definitely have to! It is one of my favorite countries in the world! It's so huge and wonderful! I had plans to came back there this May when the endless grassland is covered with pink and purple flowers but unfortunately.. will go there next year for sure :)
Load More Replies...
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Wow, thanks Chris! Yeah, it was freakin cold.. :)
Load More Replies... Why? 5 years ago
Wonderful shots of both modern and the local classic architecture. Just curious though, did anyone get uptight about you photographing the buildings?
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you! No, no one did. I found the locals to be very frendly. Same with the staff or police. Had no problems with taking shots :)
Load More Replies...
RitaGG 5 years ago
Your pictures were absolutely stunning. I am embarrassed to say I have never seen pictures from your country before. And I am an old lady!
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Hi Rita! Thanks a lot! I’m really happy you liked Nur-Sultan! Kazakhstan is truly wonderful and it’s one of my favorite countries in the world. I come from Poland and also live here, in the royal city of Kraków, PL :)
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Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you, Elina! I think you might like Astana! Keep my fingers crossed for your trip to this city in the future :)
Load More Replies... Anne 5 years ago
Stunning!! But.. how did they build this when it's so cold? My builders had to stop at 5C because it would be too cold for the cement... Just many years?
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you, Anne! The temperatures in Nur-Sultan drop below -35 in winter but it also rises above 35 Celsius degrees in the summer. The city is located in the middle of an endless grassland, far away from any big water body - that's why the climate there is very harsh. And it's also very, very windy. Maybe that's why they build new structures so fast :)
Load More Replies... Debra McGeorge 5 years ago
Absolutely stunning city. The modern architecture is inspirational, and love that the older structures are still there, too. The photographer did an outstanding job, playing up all the outstanding features. Wonderful article! Many thanks!
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
thank you, Debra! So nice to hear that! I tried my best to catch the original atmosphere of the city :) What's more - Astana is a modern city. The "old part" is a district of workers from Soviet times and it's not possible to find older than XX century buildings. The architects did a great job to build new ones looking like the ones from deep past :)
Load More Replies... The Original Foxxy Has Herpes 5 years ago
Been there and was blown away by the architecture. Absolutely did not expect to see such modernism and radical buildings like that in Central Asia. Really great photos you have there! Nice work!
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you! So nice to hear. And I agree - Astana is spectacular.
Load More Replies... Troux 5 years ago
"Photo album of the year 2359" Absolutely breathtaking scenery and compositions!
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you Troux! So nice to read! Indeed - Astana is uncommonly futuristic city.
Load More Replies... Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you, Aliya! Hope the real winters will return to us. The ones we know from the stories and fairy tales :(
Load More Replies... Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
You definitely have to! It is one of my favorite countries in the world! It's so huge and wonderful! I had plans to came back there this May when the endless grassland is covered with pink and purple flowers but unfortunately.. will go there next year for sure :)
Load More Replies... Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Wow, thanks Chris! Yeah, it was freakin cold.. :)
Load More Replies... Why? 5 years ago
Wonderful shots of both modern and the local classic architecture. Just curious though, did anyone get uptight about you photographing the buildings?
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you! No, no one did. I found the locals to be very frendly. Same with the staff or police. Had no problems with taking shots :)
Load More Replies... RitaGG 5 years ago
Your pictures were absolutely stunning. I am embarrassed to say I have never seen pictures from your country before. And I am an old lady!
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Hi Rita! Thanks a lot! I’m really happy you liked Nur-Sultan! Kazakhstan is truly wonderful and it’s one of my favorite countries in the world. I come from Poland and also live here, in the royal city of Kraków, PL :)
Load More Replies... Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you, Elina! I think you might like Astana! Keep my fingers crossed for your trip to this city in the future :)
Load More Replies... Anne 5 years ago
Stunning!! But.. how did they build this when it's so cold? My builders had to stop at 5C because it would be too cold for the cement... Just many years?
Patryk Biegański (Post author) 5 years ago
Thank you, Anne! The temperatures in Nur-Sultan drop below -35 in winter but it also rises above 35 Celsius degrees in the summer. The city is located in the middle of an endless grassland, far away from any big water body - that's why the climate there is very harsh. And it's also very, very windy. Maybe that's why they build new structures so fast :)
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