Things to Do at Palace of Peace and Reconciliation

The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation (Pyramid of Peace) charges 1,500 KZT for adults (about $3 USD) and opens Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 to 18:00, sitting on a low hill south of the presidential palace. Designed by Norman Foster and completed in 2006, the 77-meter glass and granite pyramid was built specifically to host the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, a triennial interfaith gathering that Nazarbayev initiated. The apex holds a stained glass window designed by British artist Brian Clarke, depicting 130 white doves representing the nationalities of Kazakhstan, and the triangular glass panels darken and lighten automatically based on sun angle. Inside, the ground floor holds a 1,500-seat opera house (used for the opera season September to May; tickets 2,000 to 8,000 KZT), while the upper levels contain a national museum of culture, meeting rooms, and a cafe at the midpoint with views through the angled glass walls toward the steppe horizon. An atrium garden inside the pyramid grows palms and tropical plants maintained at 22 degrees year-round, creating a bizarre contrast with the frozen landscape visible through the glass. The elevator to the apex observation level (included in the ticket) gives views of Astana's entire Left Bank skyline. The pyramid glows at night when interior lights turn it into a translucent beacon, and the walk from Bayterek Tower takes 20 minutes along the central boulevard. Guided tours in English run at 11:00 and 15:00 for groups of five or more.

The palace sits in Astana's newer district, about 15 minutes by taxi from the city center. Most drivers know it as 'the pyramid.' If you're staying near Bayterek Tower, you can walk there in 20-25 minutes along tree-lined streets. Public buses run nearby. But given how spread out Astana feels, a taxi or ride-share is more straightforward. There's decent parking if you're driving yourself-weekends get busy though.