Ascension Cathedral

Вознесенский собор

A 56-meter Orthodox cathedral of timber construction, completed in 1907. It is said to have been built without a single iron nail, and its candy-colored exterior stands in the center of Panfilov 28 Heroes Park.

The Ascension Cathedral (also known as the Zenkov Cathedral) was built between 1904 and 1907. It was designed by engineer Andrey Zenkov, stands 56 meters tall, and is the second-tallest wooden church in the world. Legend says it was built entirely with mortise-and-tenon joints without a single nail, although a small number of iron fittings were actually used. During the 1911 magnitude-10 earthquake, it was almost undamaged, making it a surviving representative of Tsarist-era architecture in Almaty. In the Soviet period, it was used as a museum and radio station. It was returned to the church in 1995, and after a major renovation from 2017 to 2020, it regained its yellow, green and pink candy-colored exterior and golden onion domes. Inside are fine icon screens and painted domes. Entry is free, and women must cover their heads with a scarf, which is provided at the door.

The cathedral stands in the center of Panfilov 28 Heroes Park, named after 28 Almaty soldiers who died in the 1941 Battle of Moscow. The park has an eternal flame and large Soviet-style war memorial sculptures. On the east side is the Kazakh Musical Instruments Museum, also a wooden building designed by Zenkov. Admission costs about 500 tenge, and it is worth a visit.

Getting there: the cathedral is located between Gogol Street and Zenkov Street in the city center. It is a 10-minute walk from Zhibek Zholy metro station, and it can also be reached on foot from Arbat pedestrian street and the Green Bazaar.

Visitor notes: photography is not allowed inside the cathedral, and shorts are not permitted. Keep quiet during religious services. The park is a popular location for locals' wedding photos, so it is crowded on weekends.

Ascension Cathedral

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