Prehistoric Almaty During 1000–900 BC in the
Bronze Age, the first farmers and cattle-breeders established settlements in the territory of Almaty.
12th–15th centuries The region comprising modern Almaty and its surroundings was ruled by the
Qara Khitai during the 12th century until they were invaded by the Mongol empire in 1218. It remained under the Mongols until the disintegration of the empire at the end of the century after which the region continued to be a part of the subsequent Chagatai Khanate, or later the breakaway Moghulistan. This region was an important trade route between the West and East, with cities like Taraz to the west and Almaliq to the east as major stopping points. The importance declined during the 15th century though, due to Temür’s attacks and him shifting the trade routes southwards, whereafter Tarim basin became the centre for Moghulistan. Wars with Timur, Bukhara Khanate and Kazakh Khanate decreased Moghul’s rule in Transoxonia over the 15th century and by early 16th century, the Almaty region came under the Kazakh rule.
16th–18th centuries The
Dzungar invaded, dominating the Kazakh people for a period. The Kazakhs fought to protect their land and preserve independence. In 1730 the Kazakh defeated the Dzungar in the Anyrakay mountains, northwest of Almaty. The Senior Kazakh Horde (Uly Zhuz) held jurisdiction over the region. During the eighteenth century, the city and region were roughly near the border of the
Khanate of Kokand. It was then absorbed as part of the Russian Empire in the 1850s.
Foundation of Verny , a 19th-century
Russian Orthodox cathedral located in Panfilov Park, is the fourth tallest wooden building in the world. To establish its control of the region, Russia built
Fort Zailiyskoe () between the Bolshaya and Malenkaya Almatinka rivers. Construction began on 4 February 1854 and was largely completed by autumn. The fort was a pentagonal wooden palisade with one side built along the Malaya Almatinka. Before the end of the year, it was renamed
Fort Vernoe (, "Loyal"), sometimes rendered as Vyernoe at the time. The palisade was eventually replaced with a brick wall with embrasures. The fort's main facilities were erected around the large central square for training and parading. In 1867, the settlement around the fort was large enough that it was reorganized as the town of
Almatinsk (). Before the end of the year, this was renamed
Verny (, ). On 28 May 1887, at 4 a.m., an
earthquake almost totally destroyed Verny in 11–12 minutes. By 1906 the population of the city had grown to 27,000, two-thirds of whom were Russians and Ukrainians. On 3 January 1911 the city was almost completely destroyed with over 770 brick buildings collapsing as a result of the
1911 Kebin earthquake.
Soviet era In 1918, following the Russian Revolution and the establishment of the Bolshevik government,
Soviet power was established in Verny. The city and the region became part of the
Turkestan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (RSFSR). On 5 February 1921, Verny was renamed Alma-Ata, one of the city's ancient names, by a joint consultation of regional government representatives, professional trade associations, and local faith-based groups. In 1926, the Council of Labor and Defence approved the construction of the
Turkestan–Siberia Railway that was a crucial element of the future growth of Kazakhstan, especially in the east and southeast of the region. The Turkestan–Siberia Railway construction also had a decisive economic impact that strongly influenced the destiny of Alma-Ata as the capital of the
Kazakh ASSR. In 1930 the construction of the highway and railway to Alma-Ata was completed. opening up a direct connection from Alma-Ata to
Moscow, the center of the
Soviet government. Alma-Ata became the main entry by air to
Kazakhstan, a status which it retains today. Transformation of this small town into the capital of the
Kazakh SSR was accelerated by the large-scale construction of new administrative and government facilities and housing. The
Great Purge of 1936–38 extended to
Kazakhstan, where numerous intellectuals, activists, leaders, teachers and others were killed.
The Soviet government dominated the population. During the 1930s
Kazakh nomads suffered
starvation after disruption of their traditional living patterns. (see:
Asharshylyq) In 1936 the Architecture and Planning Bureau developed a plan to enhance Alma-Ata as the new cultural capital of the
Kazakh SSR. The plan was based on the existing rectangular system of districts. They were to be strengthened and reconstructed.
World War II During
World War II the government dramatically affected the city's population and structures. To better organize the home front and concentrate industrial and material resources, the government evacuated 26,000 people and numerous industries from the European theatre of war. Alma-Ata hosted over 30 industrial facilities removed from the European section of
the USSR, eight evacuated hospitals, 15 institutes, universities and technical schools; and around 20 cultural institutions.
Motion picture production companies from
Leningrad,
Kyiv, and
Moscow were also moved to Alma-Ata at this time. This brought in so many
ethnic Russians that the
Kazakhs became a
minority in the region.
Industrialization During the years 1941–1945 the industrial potential of the city increased significantly. Development increased during the postwar years. The population of the city grew from 104,000 in 1919 to 365,000 in 1968. By 1967 the city had 145 enterprises, with the bulk of these being light and food industries. The main industries in Alma-Ata were: food processing (36% of gross industrial output), based largely on locally abundant fruit and vegetable raw materials, light industry (31%), and heavy industry (33%). The main products of the region were: •
Food: Meat, flour and cereals (pasta factory), milk,
wines, canned fruit, tobacco, confectionery, alcoholic spirits,
beer, yeast, and tea (packaging) •
Light industry: textiles, fur, knitting,
carpets, footwear, apparel, printing, and the Almaty Cotton combine. •
Heavy industry: electrical engineering, foundry engineering, car repair, bearing repair, building materials, woodworking, concrete structures and structural elements, and housebuilding.
Urban development From 1966 to 1971, 1,400,000 square metres of
public and
cooperative housing were built. Annually, around 300,000 square metres of dwellings were under construction. Most of the buildings constructed during this time were
earthquake-proof multi-story buildings. The Soviet government tried to diversify architectural forms to create a more varied cityscape. During this period, many schools, hospitals, cultural, and entertainment facilities were constructed, including Lenin's Palace, the
Kazakhstan Hotel, and the
Medeo Sports Complex. The supersonic transport
Tupolev Tu-144 went into service on 26 December 1975, carrying mail and freight between Moscow and Alma-Ata in preparation for passenger services; these began in November 1977. The Aeroflot flight on 1 June 1978 was the 55th and last scheduled passenger flight of the Tu-144. Alma-Ata was the host city for a 1978 international conference on
Primary Health Care. The
Alma Ata Declaration was adopted, marking a paradigm shift in global public health. On 16 December 1986, the
Jeltoqsan riot took place in the
Brezhnev Square (now Republic Square) in response to General Secretary
Mikhail Gorbachev's dismissal of
Dinmukhamed Kunayev. On 7 September 1988, the subway
Almaty Metro project started construction; the subway was opened on 1 December 2011 after 23 years.
Post-independence Kazakhstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on 16 December 1991 (
Kazakhstan Independence Day). On 28 January 1993, the government renamed the city from the Russian
Alma-Ata to the Kazakh name
Almaty. In 1997 the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Nursultan Nazarbayev approved the decree to transfer the capital from Almaty to Astana in the north of the country. On 1 July 1998 a law was passed to establish the special status of Almaty as a scientific, cultural, historical, financial, and industrial centre. In 2008, Almaty was ranked the 9th most polluted city in the world. A 2013 study identified cars as a major source of pollution, and it was noted since 2003 and 2013
morbidity had increased by a factor of 1.5, and that the city takes the first place in the republic on respiratory, endocrine and blood diseases, cancer and
bronchial asthma, even though there are no major industrial installations. An independent local air quality monitoring system with a mobile app was launched in 2017. The area of the city has been expanded during recent years with the annexation of the suburban settlements of Kalkaman, Kok Tobe,
Gorniy Gigant District (Mountain Giant). Numerous apartment blocks and office
skyscrapers have transformed the face of the town, which has been built into the mountains.
Squatter settlements such as Shanyrak have resisted eviction in the face of these development plans. Almaty was the site of
a notorious terrorist attack in July 2016, when
Jihadist Ruslan Kulikbayev killed eight police officers and two civilians in a shootout and car chase. Kulikbayev was wounded during the shootout and later sentenced to death for the attack. In March 2020, the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in the city. Soon, Almaty was transformed, as the pandemic led the city into a changed behavior. The government imposed lockdowns of most institutions. In January 2022, Almaty was plunged into
unrest as part of a national political crisis. == Administrative divisions ==