Ascension Cathedral — Attraction in Almaty

Ascension Cathedral of Almaty , is Russian Orthodox cathedral located in Panfilov Park in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The work started in 1994 & was completed in 1907, the cathedral is made out of wood but without nails. ( Some speculate the decision to refrain from using nails was due to their contribution to the crucifixion of Jesus ). & is 56 meters tall. It is claimed to be the second tallest wooden church in the world. The cathedral survived the 1911 earthquake with minimal damage, even though it was built without any nails, which some bishops attributed to divine intervention.

The inner structure of the cathedral was made in art workshops in Moscow and Kiev. The iconostasis was painted by N. Khludov. After the Russian Revolution the cathedral was used to house the Central State Museum of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic. From 1930 to 1940 it was used by notable public organizations. The first radio transmitters in Almaty were situated in the cathedral's belfry. Restoration work on the cathedral began in 1973 and lasted until 1976. In May 1995 control of the cathedral was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church. In 1997, after additional restoration work, it was reopened for religious services. Since July 2017, the cathedral has undergone a large-scale reconstruction, which ended on October 28, 2020. The cathedral is currently open to the public, and welcomes newcomers and guests.

Cathedral" coinage:-

On June 2, 2007, the National Bank of Kazakhstan put into circulation the coin "Cathedral Cathedral" (proof quality) of 500 tenge in 925 sterling silver with the mintage of 4000 pieces with the aim to promote the understanding of the culture of Kazakhstan, and to favor the idea of religion as a peaceful teaching about spiritual and moral self-improvement of person. The coin bears the coat of arms of Kazakhstan as well as inscriptions divided by dots on its circumference saying "500 ТЕҢГЕ", "ҚАЗАҚСТАН РЕСПУБЛИКАСЫ" in Kazakh and "РЕСПУБЛИКА КАЗАХСТАН" in Russian are depicted on the obverse. Reverse: in the center - image of Voznesensky Cathedral of Alma-Ata city, in the upper part - circumferential inscriptions "КАФЕДРАЛЫҚ ШІРКЕУ" and "КАФЕДРАЛЬНЫЙ СОБОР" and trademark of Kazakhstan Mint, on the left side - inscription "ALMATY 2007", on the bottom - inscription "Ag 925 31.1g"

The park around the Cathedral is well kept as well & peaceful. It has a kids play area, Open Gym area. The park also has other monuments such as. " Monument of Panfilov", " Memorial of Glory ",

In the night when up-lighters are on then the Cathedral looks stunning. I visited in mid August of 2024.

Historical Significance 10 on 10 Time Taken Depending on your Interest                but usually about 1 & Half hours . Do I recommend.... A must visit if you are in Almaty. Tickets : No...

The murals and the embellishments inside are beyond enchanting – there is something mystical about Orthodox churches that no one can explain, including this cathedral. The pictures shared in my review, which shows the interior of the cathedral, speak for themselves. Plus the exterior façade itself, adorned with different hues of paint color like blue, pink/ red, yellow, green, and gold, is an eye candy and very picturesque; a far cry from the cathedral buildings that you will see in Western Europe which are mostly drab grey. Proof are in the shared pictures. Unfortunately, the weather was cloudy that day so the pictures don’t give justice to the colorful façade of the cathedral. I would like to point-out as well that the cathedral is not too grandiose as the overall structure is modest in size: not small nor too large.

If you are a first time tourist, my suggestion is to visit the church on a Sunday (I visited mid- or late morning), as you will feel the mood and energy of the cathedral and its surroundings. I did not go inside the church while the service is ongoing and I imagine it to be quite serene. However, the energy outside of the church is quite the opposite: bustling with energy with street vendors like flower sellers who are anticipating church goers to exit the cathedral. And once they do, the surrounding areas of the Cathedral become quite lively and vibrant – families or friends mingle with each other, women buying flowers from vendors, children running, playing, and feeding pigeons, and horses being rented for short rides around the park. People look quite happy but the overall mood is still enigmatic or mysterious.

Definitely a must see and visit if you happen to be in Almaty as a tourist. A trip to Almaty would be incomplete without seeing this...

🌳 Panfilov Park & Zenkov Cathedral – Almaty, KAZAKHSTAN 🇰🇿 🌎🙏❤️

About the Place Panfilov Park is a lush, historic urban park in the heart of Almaty, known for its towering trees, war memorials, and tranquil walkways.

Within it stands the stunning Zenkov Cathedral — an ornate wooden cathedral built without nails, decorated in vibrant colors.

It’s a peaceful oasis, cultural hub, and a favorite for locals & tourists.

Location Coordinates 📍 Latitude: ~43.2520° N 📍 Longitude: ~76.9286° E

Opening Times 🕒 Open daily: ~ 6:00 AM – 10:00 PM

Entry Fees 🚫 No general park entry fee.

🎟️ Small fee for entering inside the Cathedral (if applicable).

History Park established in the 1870s; renamed for the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen who died in WWII.

Zenkov Cathedral built in 1907; survived major earthquake in 1911.

How to Reach (From Across the World 🌎)

✈️ Fly into Almaty International Airport.

🚗 Taxi or rideshare to city centre.

🚉 Public transport / tram / bus to Panfilov Park area.

More Information Beautiful architecture + photo spots.

Quiet cafes nearby.

Small museums (folk instruments) close by.

Multilingual Captions with Flags

🇰🇿 Kazakh: Панфилов паркі – Алматының тынысты жүрегі; Зенков шіркеуі – сәнді ағаш ғимарат.

🇷🇺 Russian: Парк Панфилова и собор Зенкова – исторический, живописный уголок Алматы.

🇮🇳 Hindi: पैनफिलोव पार्क और ज़ेंकोव कैथेड्रल – अल्माटी की सांस्कृतिक खूबसूरती।

🇺🇸 English (US): Panfilov Park & Zenkov Cathedral – Almaty’s serene cultural gems.

Viral Hashtags #PanfilovPark #ZenkovCathedral #AlmatyLandmarks #WoodenArchitecture #HistoricPark #CulturalHub...