Explore the history of Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, through its name changes—from Tselinograd and Akmola to Nur-Sultan and back. What each era signaled.
Astana is more than Kazakhstan’s capital. It’s a city that has changed its name several times, and each switch carries a story of its own—woven with politics, symbolism, and the broader shifts the country has lived through.
On the site of today’s Astana, a medieval settlement called Bozok existed in the 12th–14th centuries, as evidenced by archaeological finds. The modern city took shape in 1830, when a military outpost named Akmolinsk was established here—one of the Russian Empire’s frontier posts in the steppe.
In the Soviet era, 1961 brought a new name: Tselinograd, chosen in honor of the Virgin Lands campaign. It underscored the region’s agricultural role.
After Kazakhstan gained independence, the city was renamed Akmola. It was then that President Nursultan Nazarbayev decided to move the capital from Almaty to this location. In 1997, Akmola officially became the country’s new capital.
In 1998, the city received another name—Astana, which in Kazakh simply means ‘capital’. The choice was straightforward, neutral, and easy to pronounce in different languages. It reflected the city’s new role as the center of a young nation beginning to build its independence.
With its new status came large-scale construction. Architects drew up a plan to transform the city into a modern metropolis. Unconventional buildings rose alongside expansive avenues, and the skyline began to resemble a ‘city of the future’.
In 2019, another renaming followed. After Nursultan Nazarbayev stepped down as president, his successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, proposed calling the capital Nur-Sultan as a gesture of respect to the country’s first leader.
The decision was made quickly, yet public reactions were mixed. Some supported the initiative, while many felt naming a city after a living politician was not the best idea. Even so, the name lasted for nearly three years.
In September 2022, the authorities decided to restore the previous name—Astana. According to the deputies who put the proposal forward, the name ‘Nur-Sultan’ never became truly popular. The return was widely read as a sign that the country was moving toward renewal and openness.
Many also saw it as an effort to ease the capital’s strong link to the past and shift toward a more contemporary, neutral identity.
At first glance, a name change might seem like a matter of signs and paperwork. In Astana’s case, each new name reflected a broader turn in the country:
These shifts touched more than maps and documents; they influenced the public mood. In that sense, the city’s names have worked like a mirror, reflecting how the country itself has evolved.
Today, Astana is more than a label—it’s a brand recognized beyond Kazakhstan’s borders. Many hope the name will now remain steady. If the city’s story suggests anything, it’s that change is always possible. For now, constancy might speak as loudly as any new symbol.
