Over the two weeks I’ve been living in Almaty, I have been fortunate to see many buildings and parks and streets that are a part of the fabric of the city. Whenever I venture off-campus, I get to see a new mural or cool piece of graffiti that speaks to the vibrancy of the culture and life here. One of my favorite details is the large painted apples along the street, reminiscent of the red balls outside of a Target in the US. They celebrate the name of Almaty (which comes from the Kazakh word “alma” meaning apple) while bringing life and character to the streets. Finding each of these small details makes me feel as if I am a part of this great city.
However, in this post I did not want to focus on those apples or an artsy rhinoceros I saw painted on the side of a store because the two parts of the city that left the biggest impression on me throughout all of our walking tours were the St. Nicholas Cathedral and the Ascension Cathedral.
Art in the streets of Almaty
The St. Nicholas Cathedral appeared at a distance, practically blending into the clear blue sky. Our group had gotten off the bus and walked down a street bordered by dirty walls and littered with cigarettes. However, at the end of the road, past spiked iron gates rose a glorious, baby blue cathedral right in the middle of the oldest part of Almaty. The soft blues and whites of the facade brought the building up into the clouds, and the golden crosses, erupting from shining onion domes, gave the cathedral a divine radiance as if truly blessed by the heavens.
Our first look at the St. Nicholas Cathedral through the parking lot.
We entered during a service, and while the members of the congregation stood and listened, our group quickly became distracted by an old calico cat who was resting on the steps to the belltower. When we reentered after the service had ended, he reappeared, sleeping underneath portraits of a few saints. However, the presence of this adorable creature was not enough to distract me from the intricate design of the cathedral. Scenes from the Bible hung across the wall beside portraits of saints, and the golden gate through which the clergy passed was so elaborate that it seemed as if to walk through to the inner chamber would be to walk into heaven.
Our new best friend taking a snooze
Inside the St. Nicholas Cathedral.
We were fortunate enough to be invited up into that bell tower by a man who worked for the church. One after the other, we climbed up two narrow, winding staircases and packed ourselves into the small, circular tower. Small brass bells were strung up around the space, framing the crosses through the windows. Earlier we had heard the celebratory ringing of those bells for the end of the liturgy, and it felt surreal to think that I was standing in the place that had created such beautiful music.
Inside the bell tower.
Unfortunately, I have not yet heard the bells of the Ascension Cathedral, but I was able to hear a part of a service that was held in song. I understood exactly zero words that were sung, but the multiple voices from the clergy echoing underneath the beautiful checkered dome of the cathedral would let anyone listening know that this was in honor of God.
A look up at the Ascension Cathedral’s ceiling.
The Ascension Cathedral has a similar layout to the St. Nicholas Cathedral, but it is larger and more richly decorated. Scenes from the Bible covered the walls, and the beams of light coming through the stained glass windows created designs on the dark marble floor with bright yellows, blues, and reds. The entrance to the Sanctuary was made of two stories of intricate gold, the crucified figure of Jesus at the top of this carved pyramid. Like in the first cathedral, every inch of the building from the inside to the outer facade held meaning and spoke to the great care and devotion that went into creating a place like this one.
Inside the Ascension Cathedral.
The place’s splendor is largely in part due to its architect, Andrei Zenkov. Zenkov had a lasting impact on the cityscape of Almaty. He understood how to design buildings that had beautiful ornamentations but could still withstand the force of an earthquake. The Ascension Cathedral’s design was put to the test during the 1911 Kebin earthquake that destroyed almost all of the buildings in the city, except for the cathedral. With its many golden onion domes, sparkling like the crown of a queen and dripping with jewels from its silver crosses, Zenkov’s cathedral withstood the massive tremors of the earth. He proved that ornamentation of this kind was possible, even in a city prone to earthquakes like Almaty. The Ascension Cathedral is a testament to what is possible here in Almaty. This building is truly an integral part of the city that combines respect and understanding of the land on which it was built with a design honoring the heavens above.
The Ascension Cathedral.
Both cathedrals, despite similar in design and purpose, are distinct parts of the character of Almaty. In my mind it is the music that ties these two cathedrals together. I was raised in a religious household, but over time my family drifted away from this belief in a higher power. However, when I heard the ringing of the chimes at the St. Nicholas Cathedral and the rich chorus of voices at the Ascension Cathedral, I was transported to what it felt like to believe in something holy and divine. I don’t know if I believe in a god, and I have never practiced Russian Orthodoxy, but there was something truly glorious and transcendent in that music.
The heart and soul of Almaty can be found in those cathedrals, in their gleaming domes and bright facades, and especially in the music pouring out of their windows. When I think about Almaty’s character and spirit, my mind will go to these two buildings that have withstood the test of time and continue to shine brightly all throughout the city.
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