Panfilov Park - Zenkov Cathedral
Written: Oct 25 '09
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Plenty of free things to do, lovely park for a picnic.
Cons: Not much in English, beware of pickpockets.
The Bottom Line: Lovely park in the center of town, plenty of free things to do and see.
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| LRai's Full Review: Almaty Panfilov Park Kazakhstan |
One of my favorite places to go when I'm in Almaty is Panfilov Park in the center of town. Named for a famous war hero, Major General Ivan Panfilov the park also honors those who gave their lives in the "great" wars, WWI and WWII. The park is also known at The 28 Heroes Park for 28 men who died defending their country in the battle of Moscow in 1941.
There are several things to see in the park and it can easily take most of a day to see all the sights. Throughout the park there are war monuments but the largest is at the site of the eternal flame. The huge bronze statue contains fighting soldiers who look fierce erupting from the stone slab beneath them. The center figure's outstretched arms are massive and give a sense of the force used to protect his beloved country. They look out on a flat slap of black marble that contains at the other end an eternal flame in the center of a bronze star surround by a wreath. This is a popular spot for wedding couples to have photos taken on their wedding day.
Not far from this spot is the Kazakh Folk Music Museum. It was built by the famed architect Z.A. Zenkov and the outside of the building has unique carvings. Inside is housed the best collection of native instruments of the Kazakh culture. If you are fortunate to visit when there is a trained curator, he will even play the instruments for you. The price of admission to the museum the last time I checked was around 200 tenge. The museum is open every day except Mondays or when they decide not to be open. Few of the exhibits have English captions but if you like folk instruments this is a good place to see dombras the national folk instrument of Kazakhstan. A dombra is sort of like a lute.
My favorite spot in the entire part is the Svyato-Voznesenski Orthodox Cathedral, also known as the Zenkov Cathedral. Built in 1904 by Z.A. Zenkov the church stands 164 feet, made entirely of Tian Shan fir tree wood without a single nail. It's one of 8 unique buildings in the world that are entirely made of wood without nails. It survived the 1911 Almaty quake that supposedly registered a 9 on the Richter scale (althought the scale wasn't around then). It's a Russian fairy-tale looking building that you'd expect to see somewhere in Moscow. The Easter egg painted building was used as a museum during soviet times but in May 1995 it was returned to the Orthodox Church and since 1997 daily services have been held.
Since it is a working church there are no camera allowed inside, however there are books that can be purchased with photos, or for 1500 tenge you can purchase a three CD set that has the history of the building, a choir program and a service. The set is nice but it's only in Russian and Kazakh.
The inside of the Cathedral houses many icons and other relics of the Orthodox faith. The icons are beautiful and ornante as is the alter area of the church. When visiting inside it's recommended that you not talk and of course no photography is permitted even that photo you just want to sneak with your cell phone will get you escorted out.
It's free to visit the Cathedral and there are no guided tours. If you want to light a candle or buy an icon there's a small church store just inside the lobby area. This building is probably one of the most photographed building in Almaty and of course it's a favorite for most wedding couples. The best time to visit is during the week but weekends are fine as long as you remember it's a working church with services in the morning and early evening.
The park grounds are lovely and a wonderful refuge from the summer heat. I also love this place in the dead of winter covered with snow as it looks like it should be in a fairy-tale book. During the spring and through early fall there are horse drawn carriage rides in the park and most weekends you can find some open fair happening somewhere near the church.
It's a great getaway spot that can be enjoyed for free. Easy access by bus, tram, trolley or taxi and don't forget to pack a picnic so you can enjoy the grassy areas. If you forgot to bring food the Green Bazaar is just a 5 minute walk, or enjoy the park then treat yourself to an open air lunch at many of the nearby restaurants. Do be aware that there are some panhandlers in the park, and a few pickpockets lurking around. Even so, I can't think of a better way to spend a day in Almaty for free.
Recommended:
Yes
Best Suited For: Friends
Best Time to Travel Here: Sep - Nov
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Epinions.com ID:
LRai
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Member: L Rai
Reviews written: 190
Trusted by: 14 members
About Me:
Business consultant, Business Instructor and English teacher working abroad China and Kazakhstan.
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