Ascension Cathedral, Almaty (must see)

The Ascension Cathedral, also known as the Zenkov Cathedral, is a wooden Russian Orthodox church situated in Panfilov Park, Almaty. Completed in 1907, the building stands at a height of 56 meters and is believed to be the second-tallest wooden structure in the world. Interestingly, the cathedral was constructed entirely without nails.

In the late 19th century, the first bishops of the Turkistan eparchy recognized the need for a Russian Orthodox Church in Almaty. On September 26, 1903, the bishop of Turkestan and Tashkent, Paisii, sanctified the church's foundation, and the construction process began between 1904 and 1907.

The belfry was added in 1906, and the cathedral managed to survive the 1911 earthquake with minimal damage, a feat that some attributed to divine intervention. There are rumors that the decision to avoid using nails was influenced by their role in the crucifixion of Jesus.

The interior of the cathedral was constructed in art workshops in Moscow and Kyiv, and the iconostasis was painted by artist N. Khludov. Following the Russian Revolution, the cathedral was repurposed as the Central State Museum of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, and from 1930 to 1940, it was utilized by significant public organizations. The belfry even housed the first radio transmitters in Almaty.

From 1973 to 1976, restoration efforts were undertaken, and the cathedral was handed back to the Russian Orthodox Church in May 1995. After further restoration work in 1997, it was reopened for religious services.

From July 2017 to October 2020, the cathedral underwent extensive reconstruction, and it is now open to the public, welcoming visitors and newcomers.