The eye catching golden domes and kaleidoscopic color scheme of the Ascension Cathedral in Almaty, Kazakhstan, draw visitors to the city’s Panfilov Park, but the building’s genius architecture and complex history demand just as much attention.
In addition to the church’s striking beauty, the architecture and engineering command respect; at a height of 56 meters, the Ascension Cathedral is one of the tallest wooden constructions in the world. It’s widely believed that the church was built entirely without metal. However, while the vast majority of the structure is made of Tien-Shan spruce, there are a small number of nails, bolts, and other metal pieces. The church’s interior came from artistic workshops in Moscow and Kiev, while the icons were painted by local artist and ethnographer, Nikolay Gavrilovich Khludov.
The cathedral is located in Panfilov Park in the center of Almaty, Kazakhstan, and is easily accessible by public transport.