In the CityIn the CityPhoto: Radosław Botev, CC BY 3.0 PL · source
The park begins right where the bustling city center ends—and therein lies its magic: step under the ancient spruce trees and the noise instantly fades away. Nearly 18 hectares of greenery in the very heart of Almaty. The pathways lead past the Monument to Glory with its Eternal Flame, where fresh flowers are always laid. Beyond that stands the bright yellow Ascension Cathedral, one of the tallest wooden temples in the world. Tame pigeons roam the park, street musicians perform, and in the evenings newlyweds come here for photographs—an unspoken city tradition. Getting there is easiest by metro: the Zhibek Zholy station opens practically at the park's entrance, and nearby you'll find the pedestrian Arbat and the Green Bazaar, making it easy to combine your walk into a half-day route.
The park was laid out in 1872 on the site of the old cemetery of the city of Verny, and for the first fifty years it was simply called the City Garden. In the early twentieth century, two major structures appeared here. From 1904 to 1907, the Ascension Cathedral was built, and in 1908, a wooden building was constructed nearby. At first, military authorities of the Turkestan General-Governorate received guests there, and later it became the House of Officials. The park received its current name in the spring of 1942 in honor of 28 guards from the Panfilov 316th Rifle Division who gave their lives stopping German tanks near Moscow at Dubosekovo station. All of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The Monument to Glory with the Eternal Flame was opened in 1975 for the 30th anniversary of Victory: beneath cubes of labradorite are capsules containing soil brought from Hero Cities. At the eastern entrance, a monumental House of Officers with white marble columns was built in 1978.
The wooden building from 1908 today houses the Ykylas Museum of Musical Instruments, named after the Kazakh folk musician who spent his life collecting and preserving national instruments. The exhibition features the dombra, kobyz, syldyrmak, and about forty other types of instruments, including Russian, Dungan, and Uyghur ones. Throughout the park stand 28 granite obelisks inscribed with the names of the Panfilov heroes. On the western side of the memorial runs an alley of Tian-Shan spruce trees planted in different years by heads of state who visited Kazakhstan. The park's trees generally include many species: elm, oak, linden, maple, poplar, and pine—so there's shade almost any time of day. Together with the surrounding buildings, the park forms one of the city's most harmonious architectural ensembles, which is why visitors to Almaty are usually brought here first. The route is best explored on foot and at leisure: it naturally connects the cathedral, the instruments museum, and the exit to the Arbat. The best time to visit is the first half of the day, when the park is less crowded.