Ust Kamenogorsk City Tour - Oskemen

Day 1: Ust-Kamenogorsk

Ust-Kamenogorsk is one of the oldest cities in Kazakhstan, now it is more than 300 years old. Established as an Russian avant-guard fortress in the time of so called Great Game between Russian and British empires, it evolved into one of biggest and most developed cities of Soviet and post-Soviet Kazakhstan. Once, along with Karaganda city it contributed around 40% of Kazakhstan economy in terms of GDP. Still the region has a lot of mining enterpises, heavy industry, more than 30 models of cars are assembled in this city. The city itself managed to preserve its mainly Soviet look. Generally, it was developed and formed by USSR effort. Ust-Kamenogorsk is home for many prominent persons of Russian Empire, USSR and post-Soviet Russia and Kazakhstan. Among them chief commander of Russian army during World War I, general Kornilov, the last prime-minister of USSR under Stalin, Gregory Malenkov, famous fantasy writers Paul Bazhov and Serge Lukyanenko, many Olympic, World and Europe champions on ice hockey, famous politicians and artists. In post-Soviet time its population dropped almost by half, from 620 thousand people down to 320 thousands, but the city still looks very neat. The population is very diverse both ethnically and by confessionally. Three biggest confessions are sunny muslims, christian orthodox belivers and catholic christians. Unlike the rest of Kazakhstan, Christian old believers are also widely represented in this area. Have a good time in Ust-Kamenogorsk!!