A bridge in an Asian city leaves people walking through it feeling ‘like they’re inside a big fish’.
The 1,030ft long Atyrau Bridge in Astana, Kazakhstan, opened for the first time in 2018.
Crossing the River Ishim, the footbridge has lanes for pedestrians and a bike path as well as safety barriers.
The outer ‘shell’ of the bridge consists of a total of around 2,450 aluminium petals.
These each boast a unique shape and are designed to resemble fish scales, giving those inside the impression they are inside a huge sea creature.
The website Visit Astana say of the pedestrian bridge: « The outer shell of the bridge resembles fish scales — the symbol of the Atyrau region; the decorative structure of the bridge consists of 2,450 aluminum petals, each of them has a unique shape. When you go inside, you will feel as if you are inside a big fish. »
The bridge, which opened in July 2018, was given to Astana by the Akimat (local government) of Atyrau Oblast.
The gift was to mark the 20th anniversary of Astana becoming the capital, after then president Nursultan Nazarbayev announced he was moving Kazakhstan’s capital from Almaty in 1997.
Astana would briefly undergo a name change after Nazarbayev resigned, becoming Nur-sultan in his honour in 2019 – although this decision was reversed in 2022.
The bridge is not the only incredible structure in the Central Asian city either.
The city also boasts the sphere topped Baiterek tower – the sphere of which changes colour depending on the sun.
It is also home to the Nur-Astana mosque, a huge Islamic place of worship built between 2002 and 2005 which allows up to 5,000 men and 2,000 women to pray at once.
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