Kensai-1 Almaty
Cemetery of the nation's heroes
A city has many collections that tell its story. There are galleries for its art, libraries for its books, and then there are places like the Kensai cemetery. Established in the late 1960s, I suppose you could call it a quiet and final library of the nation's greatest lives. Its hillside location in a wide, tranquil ravine—an accurate translation of its Kazakh name—affords it not only peace but also a splendid panoramic view of the city sprawling below.
To walk through Kensai is not a morbid affair; rather, it is like wandering through a silent, open-air hall of fame. This is the chosen resting place for the figures who shaped modern Kazakhstan. Here you will find the graves of formidable statesmen like the great Dinmukhamed Kunaev, celebrated authors who penned the nation’s soul, and beloved singers whose voices once filled the grandest halls.
What I find most moving are the monuments themselves. These are not simple markers but final works of art, and if you have a keen eye, you will spot wonderful gems of Soviet Modernism in their design. From bold, geometric forms to stark, elegant lines, the elements of the monuments add a fascinating architectural layer to the memory of the great lives they commemorate. A visit here is a history lesson told in stone and silence, a chance to pay quiet homage to the remarkable collection of characters who built this nation.
About this spot
Sarsenbayev str., 187
- Mon - Fri 08:00 - 17:00, Sat - Sun 08:00 - 14:00
KZT
free
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