The Palace of Independence is a wedge-shaped contemporary building on the southern square, near the National Museum and Hazret Sultan Mosque. It functions as both a state ceremonial hall (used for the inauguration of presidents and major state occasions) and a small museum of national symbols and the Kazakhstani constitution.
The main draw for visitors is the city model on the upper floor: a meticulously detailed scale model of central Astana, complete with miniature ministries, parks, and the Bayterek. Standing over it gives the most coherent sense of how the planned city actually fits together. Other galleries hold the various drafts of the constitution, ceremonial flags, and gifts from foreign heads of state. Combine with the National Museum next door.