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Alatau

Alatau: Inside Kazakhstan’s $20 Billion “City of the Future”

Details about the ambitious plans for Alatau city were presented to a joint session of Kazakhstan’s parliament on March 20. Authorities are moving ahead full-speed on the project to build the new city that one day could be home to some two million people. According to the plans, Alatau will be a unique city, not only in Kazakhstan, but in the world. [caption id="attachment_45827" align="aligncenter" width="1704"] Image: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) [/caption] From Village to Metropolis Alatau city is being built on the site of what was the village of Zhetygen, some 50 kilometers north of Almaty. It will occupy an area of some 88,000 hectares, “larger than both Singapore and Seoul.” Relieving the congestion of Kazakhstan’s commercial capital was one of the major concerns when selecting a site for the new city. Another consideration was Alatau’s location along the Middle Corridor, the developing East-West trade route linking Europe and China. Alatau city will have an airport and railway junctions. Alatau city will have four districts – Green, Growing, Golden, and Gate. [caption id="attachment_45826" align="aligncenter" width="1704"] Image: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) [/caption] The Gate district will be the business and financial area and is where the airport and railways will be located. It will also be the southern-most area of the city and therefore closest to Almaty. The Golden district will be the “hub of knowledge, healthcare, and innovation,” the location of hospitals and other medical facilities, tech centers, and educational institutions able to take 40,000 students are planned for the district. The Growing district will be the industrial and logistics center for export-oriented trade. It will include clusters for food, chemicals, building materials, and light industry. The Green district, on the shore of Kapchagay Lake and with the Kaskelen River running through it, will be the recreational and tourist area of the city. [caption id="attachment_45828" align="aligncenter" width="1704"] Image: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) [/caption] Alatau city lies along the main road between the cities of Almaty and Konayev (the “gambling capital of Kazakhstan"). Deputy Prime Minister Kanat Boumbayev told parliament on March 20 that testing of air taxis to ferry people between Almaty and Alatau would start this year, and within two to three years, operations would open to the public. Bozumbayev said the flight time would be 10-15 minutes. Additionally, expansion of the Almaty metro system is progressing with plans for the Green Line to eventually reach Alatau. Alatau will be a smart city and will be developed under the principle “digital by default,” meaning people will be encouraged to go online as much as possible for goods and services, but will still offer support for those who prefer to use traditional means. Financing The Kazakh authorities are expecting construction of Alatau city to require some 10 trillion tenge (about $20.836 billion) of investment by 2050. Kazakhstan is seeking foreign investment and offering advantageous conditions to foreign companies. Deputy Prime Minister Bozumbayev said, “The tax model is described separately: incentives are proposed to be granted only...

Urban Legends

Shadows over the Trails: Mystical Legends of the Almaty Mountains

The mountains surrounding Almaty captivate not only with their natural beauty and fresh alpine air but also with the legends that echo along their winding trails. Travelers speak of a ghostly woman in white, a towering old man with a chessboard, and a mysterious "Japanese Road" haunted by the spirits of the past. The vistas are breathtaking, yet around every turn, a chilling tale may be waiting. Urban legends have become integral to the cultural fabric of the Almaty region, shaped by the imaginations of hikers and storytellers alike. But could there be a grain of truth behind these supernatural accounts? The Almarasanian Maiden Most Almaty residents are introduced to local folklore during childhood, particularly during overnight camps in the mountain foothills. Beneath the star-strewn sky and beside crackling campfires, counselors often begin the night's stories with: “Have you heard the tale of the Almarasanian Maiden?” The best-known legend describes a spectral woman dressed in white, appearing along treacherous mountain passes. But older residents tell a more detailed and tragic version. According to this tale, a woman once abandoned by her husband in the Zailiyskiy Alatau mountains was driven to madness. In her grief, she killed her two sons, hanging them from birch trees before taking her own life on a third. Struck by lightning but not destroyed, the three birches remain: two standing strong, the third broken but alive. Climbers later erected two crosses beneath them in remembrance. Since then, sightings of the woman in white have persisted. She is said to either warn travelers of danger or exact vengeance on those who betray loved ones. Though the story may sound fantastical, real-life tragedies have kept the legend alive. In May 2025, a rockfall in the Alma-Arasan Gorge killed a young woman and led to the trail’s temporary closure for reconstruction. In 2009, 11 people died in a horrific accident when a truck collided with a bus stop. While the official cause was listed as a heart attack suffered by the driver, witnesses reported that he remained conscious and tried to steer the vehicle moments before impact. His widow later stated that he had no history of heart problems. The Japanese Road After Japan’s defeat in Manchuria in 1945, many prisoners of war were sent to labor camps across the Soviet Union, including Kazakhstan. In Almaty, they constructed what is now known as the Japanese Road. Built under harsh conditions, the road was originally part of a water supply system connecting Big Almaty Lake to the city. Modern hikers report an eerie atmosphere. Some claim to see ghostly figures, presumed to be the spirits of those who died building the road. These apparitions are seen as ill omens, urging visitors to leave before nightfall. The White Old Man Among the most curious legends is that of a ghostly, two-meter-tall old man with a flowing beard, who carries a chessboard. He appears to hikers and shepherds, silently inviting them to play. Refusing is said to bring bad luck or worse....

Cryptocurrency

Kazakhstan Unveils Alatau: Investor-Led City with Crypto Ambitions

A major new urban development project is underway in Kazakhstan’s Almaty region, where a city named Alatau is being built with an emphasis on private investment and innovation. According to Zhaslan Madiyev, Minister of Digital Development, Innovation, and Aerospace Industry, the city is envisioned as a "magnet" for both domestic and international investors. Initially known as G4 City, the Alatau project was designed as a “smart city” comprising four interconnected districts: Gate District - A financial and business hub Golden District - A center for education and healthcare Growing District - An industrial and logistics zone Green District - An area for recreation and entertainment The development plan for Alatau aims to attract KZT 3.7 trillion (approx. $7.2 billion) in investment and expand the population from 52,000 to 2 million residents. The city will also be part of a special economic zone, with over 170 projects valued at KZT 12.5 trillion (around $24.4 billion) earmarked for implementation. Speaking at the Astana International Forum (AIF), Madiyev stated that the city could take one of two development paths: state-funded, as in the cases of Astana and Turkestan, or developed as a platform for private investment. “There are several options for how the city can be developed,” he said. “Alatau can be made a platform for investors. However, this requires an environment where the private sector can thrive. We need to design the entire landscape to support that in Alatau.” Madiyev also proposed key regulatory and infrastructural reforms to attract foreign investors. English should become the city’s main business language, cryptocurrency should be permitted for free circulation, and foreign nationals should be allowed to purchase real estate. These initiatives, he argued, would help position Alatau as a hub for education and tourism. “This city can become a magnet for young people who dream of living in places like Dubai,” Madiyev said. “We hope they will choose Alatau.”