00:03From mountain trails to buzzing markets, from quiet green escapes to a city shaped by history and culture, Almaty, Kazakhstan's
00:11southern capital, is full of surprises.
00:15Join me as I explore a city that brings it all together. Welcome to Kazakhstan. Welcome to Modern Omads.
00:27We begin our journey high above the city, in the Medeo Valley.
00:31Set in the Zailiski Alatao of the Chanchet Mountains, this area is known for its dramatic scenery, a fast-flowing
00:38mountain river, the famous Medeo Ice Rink, currently under reconstruction, and a local ritual that draws people here year-round.
00:47They call it the Hell Stairs, 842 steps to the top. For many locals, this is how the day begins.
00:55Let's take on the challenge.
01:04Not sure about the health part, but you'll definitely feel it.
01:11And the reward? A panoramic view of the Medeo Valley, the snow-capped peaks of the Chanchan, and the city
01:18stretching out below.
01:23As you come down from the highlands into the city, one symbol keeps appearing – the apple.
01:29It gives Almaty its name – from Alma, the Kazakh word for apple, and also the name Alma, short for
01:36the Almaty Museum of Arts.
01:38Here, the art begins even before you step inside.
01:41Yinka Shonibara's wind sculpture – it's one of the several artworks that is located around the world.
01:46And it's interesting that, you know, at the core of this artwork, there is, let's say, a goal to mark
01:53the changes that happen in the society, in this globalized world, right?
01:57And it's interesting how Almaty is now inscribed in this conversation between these wind sculptures that are scattered around the
02:05world.
02:05Dedicated to modern and contemporary art, the museum brings together more than 700 works from Kazakhstan and across Central Asia.
02:14Highlights include a retrospective by Almagul Medlybaeva, I Understand Everything, and Konaktar, a group exhibition of regional artists exploring nomadic
02:24culture and everyday life.
02:25Alongside them are major international names, from Anselm Kiefer and Yayoi Kusama, to Richard Serra, whose monumental steelwork junction dominates
02:35the space.
02:36You don't just see this sculpture, you experience it.
02:39The space shifts as you move, and the rusted steel walls reveal the passage of time.
02:51Look closer, and the city begins to reveal itself in the details.
02:56For local photographer, Alen Shai Akmetov, that shift came after the pandemic, when familiar streets started to feel new again.
03:03He even published a photo book dedicated to Almaty's architecture.
03:07One building he keeps coming back to is the National Academy of Sciences, a striking example of Soviet monumental classicism.
03:16The wide windows, in which the light blows up, it's a fantastic atmosphere.
03:42And it's not just in the buildings, across the city, you roll stone walls into stories, from a Kazakh cosmopolitan
03:50artist, to a national ornament, to a national ornament.
03:50Inspired by Vincent van Gogh, to images rooted in ancient petroglyphs, and bold pop art takes on the city's symbol,
03:57the apple.
03:58Today's street art in Almaty is a destination in its own right.
04:03Six minutes by cable car from the city center, and you're here, on Koktobe, the green hill in Kazakh.
04:09It's a place you'll find on postcards and souvenirs, and one that stays with you long after you leave.
04:14At the top of Koktobe brings it all together. Rides, music monuments, and sweeping views of the mountains.
04:21For some, it's also a place to reconnect with the city and with its memories.
04:27I was born in Almaty. We lived in Kazakhstan. We moved in 1991 to Germany.
04:33I'm not the first time visiting Almaty. I like the mountains. We also have the mountains in Germany, but it's
04:38not the thing that is here.
04:39From the mountains above to the streets below, Almaty reveals itself in layers through breathtaking scenery, rich culture, and the
04:48people who bring the city to life.
04:50And that's just within the city limits. What lies beyond is another story and another episode.
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