Nur-Astana, completed in 2005, was the largest mosque in Central Asia until it was eclipsed by Hazret Sultan and then the newer Astana Grand Mosque. It remains an important and elegant building, with a single 40-metre gold dome and four 63-metre minarets set in a square forecourt. The height of the dome — 40 metres — is symbolic of the age of the Prophet when he received the first revelations.
The interior is more intimate than at Hazret Sultan — capacity is around 5,000 worshippers — and the prayer hall has Persian-style carpets and a delicately patterned dome ceiling. Non-Muslims are welcome outside prayer times; head coverings are required for women. The mosque sits on the central axis between the Bayterek and the Aqorda and is easily combined with a walk through the main monuments.