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Astana Ishim River Waterfront Embankment

Explore the Ishim River waterfront that divides old and new Astana — the embankment promenade connecting the Soviet-era right bank with the futuristic left bank development, the river that provided the original rationale for the city's location and now serves as the green spine of the capital, the waterfront parks and recreation areas that make the city livable in its extreme continental climate.

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1
Embankment Promenade
The Ishim River embankment promenade — the tree-lined walkway along both banks of the river connecting the old and new parts of Astana, the promenade used by Astana residents for walking, cycling, and rollerblading in the summer months, the river itself frozen solid for five months of the year when the temperature regularly drops below minus 30°C.
2
Right Bank Old City
The right bank old city of Astana — the Soviet-era urban fabric of apartment blocks and administrative buildings that was the original town of Akmola before it became Kazakhstan's capital, the neighborhood of older buildings providing the human-scale contrast to the monumental architecture of the new left bank development.
3
Duman Entertainment Complex
The Duman entertainment complex on the Ishim waterfront — the indoor oceanarium in the middle of the steppe, the complex containing the largest aquarium in Central Asia with sharks, rays, and tropical fish, the hotel, cinema, and bowling alley of the integrated entertainment complex providing year-round recreation in a city where outdoor activity is limited for half the year.
4
River Bridge Architecture
The bridge architecture spanning the Ishim — the multiple road and pedestrian bridges connecting the two banks, the bridges designed as architectural statements in keeping with the capital's ambition for memorable modern architecture, the pedestrian bridges providing the best views of the left bank skyline with its eclectic collection of futuristic buildings.
5
Central Park Astana
The Central Park of Astana — the riverside green space developed as part of the capital's public amenity infrastructure, the park with its fountains, outdoor amphitheater, and children's play areas providing the green lung of the built-up urban core, the park crowded in summer when the long daylight hours allow outdoor recreation in a city where winter severely limits public outdoor life.
6
Riverside Restaurant District
The riverside restaurant district of Astana — the cafes and restaurants along the embankment serving the urban population that has grown to over 1 million as government employees, business workers, and their families have relocated to the capital, the restaurant district reflecting Kazakhstan's multicultural urban culture mixing Kazakh, Russian, Korean, and international cuisines.