The Cathedral of the Holy Ascension — universally called the Zenkov Cathedral after its architect Andrei Zenkov — stands in the middle of Panfilov Park as one of Almaty's most recognisable and beautiful structures. Built in 1904 in the Russian Orthodox tradition, it rises 54 metres and is painted in vivid greens, blues, and creams that make it look almost confected against the backdrop of the Tien Shan mountains.
The cathedral survived the 1911 earthquake that destroyed most of the surrounding city, and it survived the Soviet period too — repurposed as a museum and then as a concert hall before being returned to the Orthodox Church after independence. Step inside to see the frescoed interior and the candles burning before the iconostasis. The surrounding park is pleasant for a stroll whatever the season, with the Eternal Flame memorial to the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen nearby.