Romance, music and sakura at the First President’s Park in Almaty

Almaty is not just a city of apples, it is a garden. There are a lot of public gardens, parks, and shady alleys in the city, and one of the biggest green surfaces is the park of the first president of Kazakhstan. When you’re in this amazing city and perhaps wonder where to find romance, music and sakura, I would recommend you visit the First President’s Park in Almaty.

As you can see from the name of the park, the first president of the Republic of Kazakhstan took the initiative to build it. The main idea was to have a combination of nature and modernity. The park is located not far from the center of the city, so it’s easily achievable by both, public transport and taxi. 

The First President's Park, Almaty

Dulati Street 1, Almaty, Kazakhstan

Some dedications to the president

Walking in the park, you will notice a big sculpture of the first president of Kazakhstan and the wings of the golden eagle behind him. It might look very narcissist, but in reality, this monument is dedicated to the anniversary of the independence of Kazakhstan. In one of the alleys, you can also notice an oak sculpture with an eagle on the top of it. There is a big oak nearby, which was planted personally by the president.

Must-visit places in the park:

1. A romantic side of the park - This park is not only about love for the first president of Kazakhstan. It also has a corner of lovers: there’s a heart-shaped stone, ‘lovers’ bench and a special wall for locks. It looks nice, and in fact, it's really cozy.

2. The singing fountain - The best part of the park is the singing fountain. You'll see it as soon as you pass the entrance. Actually, it’s not just one fountain, but a whole set of five fountains. These five smaller fountains are round bowls, located on different levels. The center of the fountain has a form of a crown and is surrounded by zodiac signs. From 6 pm to 10 pm, the fountain starts the mode of water music show with the lights. It starts to change the light colors and dance with the beat of playing music, usually those of classic melodies. 

3. An observation platform - This platform is small and located on the artificial hill. Both locals and tourists, love to stay there because of the beautiful view of the city or the panorama of the great mountains. The platform has a gazebo, so that you can enjoy the view with comfort. 

4. A Japanese garden - This garden was built in 2015 and has a small pagoda, pond and Japanese style lanterns. The real sakura blooms here every spring. Apart from sakura, there are many trees brought specially from Japan. 

The park is always open, from 5 am (9 am in the winter) to 10 pm. So, you can easily find a time to visit the first President’s Park in Almaty, where you can find romance, music and sakura. If you wonder what else to see in this city, here are five places not to be missed in Almaty.