Atyrau is at the northern end of the Caspian sea in Kazakhstan.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
The wooden fort at the mouth of the Yaik River was founded in 1645 as Nizhny Yaitzky Gorodok (literally, Lower Yaik Fort) by the Russian trader Gury Nazarov. The fort was plundered by Cossacks, leading the Guriev family to rebuild it in stone (1647–62). The fort gradually lost its strategic significance and was demolished in 1810. Between 1708 and 1992 the city was known as Guriev. The city began growing in 1930s when a fish cannery was constructed and the Balykshi housing area. Later, a lot of industrial plants were transplanted here during World War II. An oil- and gas-processing plant was constructed and a housing district, Zhilgorodok.
1 Manjali Mosque (Imangali), Qanysh Sätbayev Ave 15. Beautiful mosque. Entrance only with long trousers. Next door is the grand Isatay and Makhambet Square with a noble statue of these guys on horseback. (updated Jan 2019) Atyrau Regional Museum, Bauyrzhan Momyshuly St, from ukuleles to little yurt-like things, discover what made Atyrau Atyrau, and just to the west is the Atyrau Art Museum. Museum of Military Vehicle, Vladimir Street 28, find this mostly outdoor exhibit next to the Fantasy World with its big Ferris wheel, come see all the artillery here in Victory Park. Aktau Paleontology Museum, Mukhtar Auezov Ave, a natural history museum that borders the Retro Park with some cool statuar…
Atyrau Fitness Center, Alipova St 1. 09:00-24:00. The gym has a good selection of machines including running, cycling, steppers, multi-weights and free weights. A sauna is available. Ice Skating Palace (Muz Aidyny) (In the Nursaya micro district), ☏ +7 7122 209355, +7 7122 328834. The complex is six thousand square meters with ice area of 30 meters wide and 60 meters long. Kazakhstan English Language Theater of Atyrau. The first all-English theater and drama group in Kazakhstan. Started in Almaty in 2001, KELT began operating in Atyrau in 2008, performing Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in spring 2010.
Cafe La Roma, Kurmangazy 5, ☏ +7 7122 283 700, pizzalaroma@rambler.ru. Pizzeria. Delivery available. Selena (Селена), 2, Azattyk St, ☏ +7 712 232 1024. A restaurant where you can just sit around and enjoy the food, Asian and European. Air conditioned and family-friendly.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
In Jul, Atyrau typically sees ~34°C daytime highs and 0 rainy days.
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