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Kazakhstan Proves that New Pyramids Can Be Cool Too

We tend to think of pyramids as relics of the ancient world. After all, the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt was built some time around 2560 B.C., while Mexico's Pyramid of the Sun was completed in 100 A.D. But there's no rule that says pyramids can't be cool unless they're really old, so the oil-rich government of Kazakhstan decided to get in on the game and create its own. The result is the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, a modern, 77-meter high pyramid in Astana designed to house the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions as well as a 1,500-seat opera house, a national center for Kazakhstan's various ethnic groups, and educational facilities. Designed by high-flying architects Foster + Partners and finished in 2006, the concrete, steel, and stained glass structure is at once the most traditional and futuristic shape in the city's skyline, hearkening back to the days preceding the establishment of the Abrahamic faiths while pointing toward a technologically-sophisticated tomorrow. Kazakhstan is a somewhat dicey place to visit these days, but intrepid travelers who are smooth enough to make it to the capital without displeasing the authorities can marvel at the palace from a distance, visit its museum, and even take in an opera performance. And who knows, with the right connections and a few well-placed "gifts," you might find yourself surveying the steppes and mountains of this former Soviet Central Asian republic from the top of the world's newest pyramid.

[Photo: Deputy Dog]

Related Stories:
· Palace of Peace and Reconciliation [Foster + Partners]
· Kazakhstan's Astounding Futuristic Pyramid [Deputy Dog]
· Steppe Pyramid Photos [Flickr/Tienshan]
· Pyramid Coverage [Jaunted]