Nazarbayev Center

Another building in Astana that you can’t miss is the Nazarbaev Center. Its original design, the work of British architect Norman Foster, symbolizes the vitality of modern Kazakhstan. It resembles an enormous eye directed at the sky.

This multifunctional building has an area of over 28,000 square meters and consists of nine floors. The open part of the library’s holdings is meant to contain 460,000 items, and its closed stacks will contain another 200,000 items. A unique aspect of this building is the special design of the roof, which allows the diameter of the roof opening to reach 81 meters. All of the interior layout of the complex is concentrated around a central atrium 26 meters in diameter with an area of 535 square meters. Various public events with up to 500 attendees can be held here.

The main activity of the Nazarbaev Center is the formation and further development of a single informational space for studying and popularizing the history of Kazakh statehood and to support the historical legacy of the President.

The objectives of the Center are to strengthen the values of civic identity and patriotism; to promote Kazakhstan’s international cooperation in the political, social, humanitarian, and other spheres; and to disseminate knowledge about Kazakhstan and its role in the global community.