Atyrau

Atyrau is a city that stands symbolically at the meeting point of Europe and Asia. For many years, the boundary between these continents was marked by a bridge crossing the Ural River. Though geographers now debate the validity of this division, locals still take pride in their unique position, bridging two worlds. Visitors to the city often stop by the commemorative marker to capture a photograph symbolizing this east-meets-west distinction.

The area now known as Atyrau saw its first stone buildings in the mid-17th century when it was a small settlement called Yaitsky, named for the Yaik River flowing into the Caspian Sea nearby. The infamous Stenka Razin once left his mark here, and after the Pugachev Rebellion, Empress Catherine the Great renamed the river the Ural. The city itself was later renamed Guryev in the 19th century, and its original fortress was dismantled in the early 1800s before the town ultimately took on its current name, Atyrau. Once situated directly on the Caspian Sea, the city has since become separated from the receding coastline. Even so, industry thrived, with fish canneries and oil refineries fueling employment for locals and newcomers alike, particularly during Soviet times, as Caspian regions saw significant industrial growth and development.

The Ural River flows through Atyrau, dividing it into “European” and “Asian” sides. Historically, the European side saw early development with churches and houses for wealthy residents. Today, visitors can still find these old merchant houses, often with a two-story layout featuring a stone base and wooden upper levels, alongside simpler clay houses. Meanwhile, the Asian side caught up and eventually became home to various industrial establishments. This mix of old and new gives Atyrau a chaotic yet lively character, where century-old structures coexist with modern shopping centers and hotels, a testament to the city’s rapid and ongoing growth.

One of Atyrau’s most notable landmarks, if not the most beautiful, is the border marker and small pavilion standing on the European side of the Ural. The placement of this boundary, however, has not always been agreed upon. Soviet scientists argued that the division lay precisely along the Ural River, but in 2010, the Russian Geographical Society questioned this, suggesting the border should be farther south, placing all of Atyrau within Europe. The International Geographical Union remains undecided. Regardless, the city’s main bridge is one of Atyrau’s top attractions, as it is traditionally thought to connect two continents.

Two Things to Experience in Atyrau:

1. Stand with one foot in Europe and the other in Asia.
2. Visit Atyrau’s newest monument honoring Hiuaz Dospanova, a heroic World War II pilot whose story shares similarities with that of the famed Soviet ace Alexey Maresyev.

The pedestrian bridge in Atyrau is another remarkable sight. The longest pedestrian bridge across the Ural, it has earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records. Stretching over 550 meters, this suspension bridge is an engineering marvel rarely matched across the former Soviet Union. The bridge design carefully avoids disrupting river navigation or sturgeon spawning routes in spring, with a central span supported by steel cables.

Atyrau is home to eight bridges, including one railway bridge and one designated exclusively for pedestrians.

One of Atyrau’s most beautiful buildings is the Imanali Mosque on Satpaev Street. Its central blue dome spans 7 meters, rising 23 meters high, flanked by two symmetrical minarets each standing 26 meters tall. The mosque accommodates up to 700 worshippers at once, including 600 men and 100 women.

The Uspensky Cathedral, built in the late 19th century, is another significant religious landmark. Its iconic red brick structure is topped with gilded onion domes, with the central dome reaching 40 meters high.

At the Historical Museum of Atyrau, visitors can immerse themselves in the region’s history, dating back to the 12th century, as well as Kazakh culture. Notably, the museum features an authentic, fully equipped yurt, weapons from the 12th to 18th centuries, sculptures, and everyday objects. One prized artifact is an early 20th-century jug unearthed in Saraychik, adorned with Turkish poetry dating back to the 13th century. Among the museum’s latest acquisitions is a Sarmatian “Golden Man” burial from the 2nd century BCE. The museum also displays Kazakh folk jewelry from the 18th and 19th centuries, crafted with silver, gilding, and gemstone inlays; traditional costumes; and personal khan’s seals from the Golden Horde era.

Atyrau’s art museum, named after the renowned Kazakh artist Shaimardan Sariyev, houses around 1,200 pieces, primarily local artwork.

One of the country’s most important historical sites, the ancient city of Sarayshik, lies a quick 50-kilometer drive from Atyrau in the village of Makhambet. Thought to be where the roots of the Kazakh Horde took hold, Sarayshik became a thriving center of trade and crafts along the Silk Road in the 13th century. Today, the historical and architectural complex in Sarayshik includes mausoleums of seven khans who ruled from the 13th to 16th centuries, a mosque, and an archaeological museum.

Another fascinating destination near Atyrau is the Akkerogeshin mountain chalk cliffs. These limestone formations create surreal, even otherworldly landscapes in the quiet isolation of the region. In these chalk layers, ancient fossils of invertebrates and ammonites are often visible, and fragments of dinosaur and prehistoric marine mammal skeletons have occasionally been discovered here.

What to See in Atyrau: An iconic symbol of Atyrau is the European-Asian border that runs along the Ural River. Visitors are encouraged to explore the main and pedestrian bridges crossing the river, as well as the border pavilion on the European side of the city. Nearby, Saraychik’s historic mausoleums of seven khans and Akkerogeshin’s stunning chalk cliffs are must-sees. If visiting Aktau, check out the Ivushka recreation base along the Caspian Sea, where you can take a dip in a hot mineral water spring said to be quite invigorating. The area also offers several beaches, numerous necropolises, underground mosques, historical monuments, and Islamic shrines. Finally, there is an immense abandoned uranium mine nearby, but that particular attraction is only for the adventurous.