Astana - Pyramid of Peace and Concord

Astana – Pyramid of Peace and Concord is one of the landmarks of the city of Astana. The pyramid has become a symbol of the unity of different religions, ethnicities and cultures as well as of the cosmopolitanism of the nation and the state. The idea to erect the “Pyramid of Peace and Concord” came from President Nursultan Nazarbayev and was presented by him at the first “Congress of World and Traditional National Religions”, which took place in Astana on 23 and 24 September 2003. The pyramid was completed in 2006 and the concert hall was inaugurated by Montserrat Caballé.

The building was designed by the internationally renowned architect Norman Foster especially for the “Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions”. Its uniqueness lies not only in the purpose for which it was built, but also in the principle of the “Golden Fibonacci Ratio” according to which the pyramid was built. At the base there is a square with a side length of 62 metres, the height is also 62 metres.

The pyramid itself symbolises the three main concepts of many religions – the underworld, which is in dark colours; the middle part of the pyramid symbolises peace and is in white; the sky is the glass top of the pyramid.

The Pyramid of Peace and Concord is undoubtedly one of the landmarks of the capital Astana. The pyramid has become a symbol of the unity of the different religions and cultures, of the cosmopolitanism of the people and the state. The Pyramid of Peace and Concord has well-equipped conference halls and exhibition rooms, art galleries, presentation complexes and much more.

The internal layout of the pyramid is interesting. The building is divided into five floors. On the ground floor there is a concert and opera hall with 1500 seats. It can accommodate various international congresses and conferences, different stage events, concerts, opera and ballet performances. The acoustics of the hall are unique and one has the feeling of being immersed in the atmosphere of an ancient Greek amphitheatre.

The largest hall, the Cheops Atrium, has an area of over 2,000 m² and houses an impressively large exhibition entitled “The Master Plan of Astana 2030”.

The Cradle Hall, where the world-famous conference of the leaders of the world’s religions took place, is located on the fifth floor of the Pyramid of Peace and Concord. Around the hall is the “Winter Garden”, where one can admire the diversity of vegetation from all over the world. The pyramid is crowned by a large glass dome with pictures of 130 doves symbolising the peoples of Kazakhstan. At night, the dome glows and, like a beacon, points the way to the symbol of the unity of the different religions, cultures and nations.

Remarkable are the lifts that lead not only upwards but also diagonally to the top of the pyramid.