At the mention of Semipalatinsk the majority of our compatriots remind involuntarily the nuclear test site. But this article is not about this sad milestone in the history of our country. Semey is also a city of beautiful historic architecture! To prove this here are our words below.
Ancient mosques
Ancient mosques in Semey are several. Among them there are mosques with one and two minarets. The first of them was built in the XIX century by Abdullah Efendi, Turk by origin. The mosque was built of burnt bricks, rectangular in shape and has one dome. The mosque with two minarets is dated to 1856. The money for its construction was donated by Tatar merchants. It is noteworthy that the mosque has color-painted sayings from the Koran in its upper part. The mosque is included in the list of the cult Muslim architecture of the XIX century.
The Yamyshevsky gates
The Yamyshevsky gates were once part of a large Semipalatinsk fortress, which was built in 1718 on the right bank of the river on the orders of Peter I. The fortress had once more gates: the Yamyshevsky, looking in the direction of Omsk, Ust-Kamenogorsk and coastal gate, facing to the east and Semipalatinsk. But only one remained. Unfortunately, the Yamyshevsky gates, which we can see now, are not the original, once opened one of the entrances to the fortress. It is a display replica of those gates. In 1970 in this area there was the construction of the tunnel and the Yamyshevsky gates were located in its way. Therefore it was decided to dismantle the gates to move it in the direction of 50 meters and reassemble. Thanks to the skillful work of the masters the gates have not lost their historical appearance, but, nevertheless, are not actually original.
The Museum of fine arts named after the Nevzorov
The Museum is named after the Nevzorov because this family in 1988 gave the Museum a gift of their rich collection of fine arts. The family’s collection was collected in four generations. The Museum Fund consists of about five thousand exhibits, including works of contemporary Kazakhstani artists, paintings of Soviet times and paintings of foreign authors. The paintings have gone to the exhibition not only in Kazakhstan but also abroad. The museum itself is in a historic building, the merchant Stepanov’s house. Fedor Stepanov was one of the richest city merchants of the First Guild. He built his house in the 70s of the XIX century. From 1985 to our days, this merchant house is in the possession of this museum.
The building of the former men’s gymnasium
In 1894 this historic building was erected, the men’s gymnasium, designed for 282 students. This age-old construction had difficult fate. During the civil war the school was ordered to disband, and the building to host the headquarters of the 2nd Siberian corps of the ataman Annenkov’s white guards. Soon the building was seized by the rebels and a Military revolutionary Committee was placed in it. In 1934, the building was returned to the institution. But now it was the Teachers Institute, and since1937 it has been Pedagogical. Now the building is owned by the legal body of Kazakh Humanitarian Law Innovative University.
Tynybai Kaukenov Mosque
The mosque has the name of the merchant Tynybai Kaukenov, which was erected in the mid-nineteenth century. The records of 1858 relating to this mosque were found in the State archive of Kazakhstan. It indicates that those days the mosque was visited by 145 male and 137 female parishioners. Also, based on these data, historians suggested that the mosque was built in 1840. It was made of wood, only the foundation was of stone. It has two floors. On the top floor women and on the ground floor men pray. The mosque is open present day.
The building of the Chinese Consulate
The building of the Chinese Consulate is also a monument of architecture in 1903. Since its founding in 1920, the house had belonged to the Chinese mission. Only after 29 years the Chinese Consulate moved in here, thanks to which the building has had a name preserved to this day. As Semipalatinsk has always been Russia’s gateway to China, the Consulate lasted here until the early 60s. In 1963, the building was transferred to the Regional Committee and City Committee of Leninist Young Communist League, then “8th March” kindergarten and teachers’ house. Now it is one of the city’s funds.
Former Governor’s house
The house bears this name not by chance: before the revolution the military Governor lived there. He moved in here in 1977. But with the advent of Soviet power, the building changed its owner and name. For some time this house became known as “Freedom House”. In our days the former Governor’s house is owned by the City Historical-Regional Museum. By the way, the construction of the building dates from the second half of the XIX century.
Resurrection Cathedral
Well-known local historian Victor Kashlak wrote well about the history of the founding of this temple: “In the early 50s of the 19th century, living in Semipalatinsk village retired sergeant Mitrofan Egorovich Kazakov petitioned to build on his money a stone Orthodox Cathedral in honor of Christ’s Resurrection in this village, and to supply it with utensils in sufficient quantity, and he had already prepared all the necessary materials.” Thanks to Kazakov in 1860 the Church began to function. It is also known that during the Great Patriotic war the Church was closed. It opened again in 1946.
F.M.Dostoevsky Literary-Memorial Museum
Deportation years 1854-1857 link Dostoevsky with the city. In the house where now is the Memorial Museum, Dostoevsky rented an apartment from the postman Lepuhin. Here, the writer met with the great Kazakh educator and traveler Shokhan Valikhanov. In this house, Dostoevsky wrote his famous works “Uncle’s dream”, “The Village of Stepanchikovo: and its inhabitants”. The building itself dates back to 1838 year. The current building of the Memorial House-Museum has little resemblance to the old log house where Dostoevsky lived. In 1972 the house was built two-storey extension, to increase the Museum and to fully tell about the writer.
Aniar Moldybayev’s House
This is a memorable place in Semey associated with the name of great Abai Kunanbayev. Abai for a long time came to this house to visit his relative, Aniar Moldybaev. At home there is a label in Russian and Kazakh languages that says: “The great poet and educator of Kazakh people Abai Kunanbayev stayed and lived in this house annually in 1878-1904”. The house was built in the XIX century.
Saints Peter and Paul Church
The building was built in the XIX century. Thanks to the information from the album of the road to Siberia and Asian Russia for 1901, we know that at those times the “Kyrgyz” mission was located there, as evidenced by the photo. Since 1952 the building was owned by Topographic College, and in 1994 the building was given to the Church.