Almaty Landmarks, Museums and Squares

The main sights of Almaty sit on flat ground, so a two-day route covers most of them without a car. One thing to remember on the map is that the mountains lie to the south, which means uphill is always south. Almaty is Kazakhstan’s biggest city but not its capital, which has been Astana since 1997. Fees below are in Kazakh tenge (KZT), at roughly 470 to 490 per US dollar this year.

Day one: Panfilov Park and the squares

Zenkov Cathedral. Also called the Ascension Cathedral, this is a single building 56 m tall, built between 1904 and 1907 to Andrei Zenkov’s design. It is an active Orthodox church and entry is free, so dress modestly and speak quietly. It was restored from 2017 to 2020, and services carry on. Visitors know it as the tall timber church that came through the 1911 Kebin earthquake, about magnitude 8, with only minor damage.

Memorial of Glory. Close by, an eternal flame honours the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen. It is a place for quiet respect, so keep voices low and avoid loud behaviour.

Ykylas Museum of Folk Musical Instruments. The museum stands at Zenkov Street 24a, on the park’s eastern edge. It opens Tuesday to Sunday. An adult pays about 1,000 KZT, a student 500 KZT and a pensioner 300 KZT. Listings disagree on hours, so check before you go.

Republic Square. The Independence Monument is topped by the Golden Man, a Saka warrior riding a winged snow leopard. The square is outdoors and free.

Day two: the big museums

Central State Museum of Kazakhstan. Find it in the Samal-1 microdistrict, building 44. Doors are open from 09:00 to 18:00, with the last ticket at 17:30, and Tuesday is closed. Foreign citizens pay 5,000 KZT for every hall without a guide and 10,000 KZT with an overview tour in English, Kazakh or Russian. The Gold Collection hall covers Saka gold and the Golden Man story. Prices are on csmrk.kz .

Kasteyev State Museum of Arts. The address is the Koktem-3 microdistrict, 22/1. It runs Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 and is shut on Mondays and the last day of each month. A foreign adult pays about 5,000 KZT. As the museum has reopened after reconstruction, confirm hours beforehand.

Any time of day

Almaty Central Mosque. Built in 1999 on the site of an older Tatar mosque, it welcomes visitors outside prayer times, provided they dress modestly.

The metro. A single line of 11 stations stretches 13.4 km, running from 06:20 to midnight. End to end it takes about 24 minutes, and one ride costs 120 KZT. It opened in 2011, and the ornate stations make the ride a sight in itself.

Sorting out the practicalities

  • Buses cost the same 120 KZT and take no cash. Pay with an Onay card, a QR code or an app.
  • Cameras are restricted near military sites, border areas and airports, and drones need a licence.
  • Your hotel or host registers your arrival within 3 working days, and you should carry your original passport.
  • The free QazETA online authorisation opens on 1 November 2026, should be requested at least 72 hours before travel and becomes mandatory on 1 July 2027. See qazeta.kz for your passport.

Read more: walking tours in Almaty City and attraction tours in Almaty City . The 5-day Almaty itinerary places these stops in a longer trip. City tours are listed at GetYourGuide .