Abdulhamid Kattani Mosque
Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Ordabasy Square, Shymkent
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Photo: TheGreatSteppe, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Entry
- Free
- Hours
- 24/7, every day
- Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 20 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Where
- Junction of Tole Bi, Kazybek Bi and Aiteke Bi streets, Al-Farabi District
- Buses
- Stop “pl. Ordabasy” (пл. Ордабасы): routes 6, 23, 84, 158 among others
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Taxi
- ≈ 10 min from the railway station, 20–25 min from the airport
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Walk from the station
- ≈ 1.5 km as the crow flies, about 25 min
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time needed
- 20–30 min for the square; 2–3 h with the park and citadel
- Paying
- Tenge; carry cash for buses and small kiosks — foreign cards work in hotels and bigger shops
verifyingi
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Key facts
3 streetsstart at the square — Tole Bi, Kazybek Bi and Aiteke Bi, named after three Kazakh judges
2 sourcesi
Russian Wikipedia: ShymkentKazakhstan.travel2009the Independence Monument was unveiled on 22 September
2 sourcesi
Russian Wikipedia: Independence Monument (Shymkent)Sxodim1726the Ordabasy assembly of the three Kazakh zhuzes against the Dzungars, after which the square is named
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Russian Wikipedia: Kurultai in Ordabasy (after the Kazakhstan National Encyclopedia)34 mthe monument’s height in tourist guides; Wikipedia gives a 24 m stele plus an 8 m figure
4 sourcesi
Kazakhstan.travelWelcome.kzRussian WikipediaSxodim8 mthe Zher-Ana (Mother Earth) figure on top of the stele
2 sourcesi
Russian Wikipedia: Independence Monument (Shymkent)Kazakhstan.travel7 swallowsreleased into the sky by the figure at the top
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English and Russian Wikipedia: ShymkentShymkent.info3 faceson the stele, each carved with sayings of one of the three judges
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Russian Wikipedia: Independence Monument (Shymkent)Kazakhstan.travelBazaar Squareits 19th-century name — a market stood here before moving to the Upper Bazaar
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English Wikipedia: ShymkentKazakhstan.travelKoshkar-Atathe river runs under the square, with fountains in it beside the monument
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English and Russian Wikipedia: Shymkent104 mthe footbridge from the square into Independence Park
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English and Russian Wikipedia: ShymkentIs Ordabasy Square worth visiting?
Yes, as your starting point — not as a destination on its own. The square takes 20–30 minutes: walk round the stele, look at the carvings, sit by the fountains. What makes it worth it is location. From here you can walk to the Kattani Mosque, across the footbridge into Independence Park and up to the citadel mound in 10–12 minutes, and see most of old Shymkent in 2–3 hours.
Don’t expect a quiet plaza. This is a working city junction with buses, taxis and office traffic around a broad pedestrian centre. Come early in the morning or towards evening: Shymkent summers are very hot, the fountains help, and the stele looks best in soft light.
The Zher-Ana Independence Monument
The centrepiece is the Independence Monument, unveiled on 22 September 2009. It is a three-sided stele topped by an eight-metre female figure, Zher-Ana — “Mother Earth” — releasing seven swallows into the sky. Its Kazakh name is Täuelsızdık monumentı; many guides simply call it the Zher-Ana or Mother Earth monument.
Each face carries sayings of one of three 18th-century judges, or *bi*: Tole Bi, Kazybek Bi and Aiteke Bi, one from each of the three Kazakh zhuzes (tribal unions). The base is wrapped in Kazakh ornament. Tourist guides give the height as 34 m; Wikipedia gives a 24 m stele plus the 8 m figure.
For a photo of the whole thing, step back to the edge of the square by the fountains — up close, the figure gets cut off, but you see the carved ornament.
How to get to Ordabasy Square
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Abdulhamid Kattani Mosque is about 1 min away on foot.
- Independence Park is about 6 min away on foot.
- Shymkent Citadel is about 15 min away on foot.
More tips
- By city bus to the stop “pl. Ordabasy” (пл. Ордабасы). Two city guides agree on routes 6, 23, 84 and 158 among others — check the live route in the 2GIS app.
- From Shymkent railway station: about 10 minutes by taxi, or about 25 minutes on foot — the square is roughly 1.5 km north-west of the station.
- From Shymkent Airport (CIT): 20–25 minutes by taxi or pre-booked transfer; ask for “Ordabasy Square” or the Independence Monument.
- Driving: Sxodim lists free parking on the Tole Bi side, though spaces go fast at rush hour.
- Once there, everything is on foot: the Kattani Mosque is on the edge of the square, the footbridge leads into Independence Park, and the citadel is beyond it.
Things to do around the square
- Read the sayings of the three judges carved into the stele and look up at Zher-Ana and her swallows.
- Cool off by the fountains set in the Koshkar-Ata river, which runs right under the square.
- Visit the Abdulhamid Kattani Mosque — a working mosque on Tole Bi Street, at the edge of the square.
- Walk about 250 m south to the old Koshkar-Ata mosque and mausoleum — the mosque dates from the mid-19th century.
- Cross the 104 m footbridge into Independence Park, opened in 2011 with the Altyn Shanyrak monument.
- Climb the Shymkent Citadel mound, about 600 m south-west, for the view back over the centre.
- Stroll up Kazybek Bi Street — once Nikolaevskaya, the main street of the 19th-century “New Town”.
Why is it called Ordabasy?
The name recalls the Ordabasy assembly of 1726. After crushing defeats by the Dzungars in 1723–1725 — remembered as the “Years of Great Disaster” — khans, judges and warriors of all three zhuzes met and agreed on a joint army under Abulkhair Khan, which won several victories in 1727–1729. Tole Bi, Kazybek Bi and Aiteke Bi led the judges at the assembly, which is why their names are on the three streets and the stele.
The assembly did not take place here but in the Ordabasy hills near the Badam river, in today’s Turkistan Region, now a historical reserve. Some guides say a peace treaty was signed on this square in 1728; the Kazakhstan National Encyclopedia dates the assembly to 1726 and places it at Ordabasy hill.
The square itself is older than the name. In the 19th century the town’s eastern edge and the gates to Sayram and Taraz were here, beside a market — so locals called it Bazaar Square until the market moved to the Upper Bazaar.
Money and practical tips
The square costs nothing. For buses, taxis and kiosks you will want tenge. Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are widely accepted in hotels, supermarkets and restaurants in Kazakhstan’s big cities, but small vendors and some transport are cash-first. Kaspi QR, the local payment app, needs a Kazakh bank account unless your wallet supports Alipay+.
Bring water and a hat in summer, and comfortable shoes if you carry on up the citadel mound.
Ordabasy Square vs Independence Park, the citadel and Arbat
| Ordabasy Squareyou are here | Main square with the monument | Free | 20–30 min | — | Morning or early evening |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Park | 2011 park with the Altyn Shanyrak monument | Free | 30–45 min | Over the bridge, 2–3 min | Morning or early evening |
| Citadel | Ancient town mound, open-air museum | 1,000 ₸ for foreigners (unofficial) | ≈ 1 h | ≈ 600 m, 10–12 min | At opening, before the heat |
| Arbat | Pedestrian promenade | Free | 40–45 min | ≈ 1.7 km, 20–25 min | At dusk |
The square, park and citadel are one walkable block — do them in a row. Save Arbat for the evening.
Shymkent’s historic sights compared
Every historic place in Shymkent rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.
| Ordabasy Squareyou are here | 45 | 20 min | Free | — |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence Park | 44 | 1 h | Free | 4 min walk |
| Shymkent Citadel | 43 | 1 h | 1,000 ₸ for foreign visitors | 10 min walk |
| Regional History Museum | 38 | 1 h | ≈ 400 ₸, students ≈ 200 ₸ | 8.6 km |
| Sayram | 24 | 3 h | Shrines free; museum fee not published | 12.9 km |
Old Shymkent in half a day
The monument square, the Kattani Mosque, the bridge into Independence Park and the citadel mound — all on foot. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and walks.
- Ordabasy Squareyou are here20 min · Free
- 3 min walk from the previous stopAbdulhamid Kattani Mosque20 min · Free
- 5 min walk from the previous stopIndependence Park1 h · Free
- 7 min walk from the previous stopShymkent Citadel1 h · 1,000 ₸ for foreign visitors
4 places · about 2 h 55 min with walks · 15 min on foot in total
Nearby — add to your day
Independence Park
Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Shymkent Citadel
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Shymkent Arbat
Shymkent, Kazakhstan
How to do it right
- Make Ordabasy your first stop: the Kattani Mosque, Independence Park and the citadel are all walkable from here.
- For the full stele in one frame, shoot from the edge of the square by the fountains.
- In summer come early or late — the paving gets hot by midday, and it is cooler by the water.
- Pause halfway across the 104 m footbridge for a view back over the square and the mosque dome.
- Type “Ordabasy Square” in taxi apps, not just “Ordabasy”, or you may end up at the football stadium.
- End the day on Arbat, a 20–25 minute walk along Kazybek Bi Street.
Questions
Where is Ordabasy Square in Shymkent?
In the historic centre, Al-Farabi District, where Tole Bi, Kazybek Bi and Aiteke Bi streets meet — next to Independence Park, the citadel and the Kattani Mosque.
Is Ordabasy Square worth visiting?
Yes, as a starting point. The square takes 20–30 minutes, and the mosque, Independence Park and the citadel are all within a short walk.
What is the monument on Ordabasy Square?
The Independence Monument, unveiled in 2009: a three-sided stele carved with sayings of three Kazakh judges and topped by the Zher-Ana (Mother Earth) figure.
How tall is the Zher-Ana monument?
Tourist guides say 34 m. Wikipedia gives a 24 m stele with an 8 m figure on top.
Why is it called Ordabasy?
After the 1726 Ordabasy assembly, where the three Kazakh zhuzes agreed on a joint army against the Dzungars. The assembly itself met in the Ordabasy hills near the Badam river, not on this square.
How do I get to Ordabasy Square?
City buses stop at “pl. Ordabasy” (routes 6, 23, 84 and 158 among others). A taxi takes about 10 minutes from the railway station and 20–25 from the airport.
Can I walk from Shymkent railway station?
Yes — it is about 1.5 km north-west of the station, roughly 25 minutes on foot.
Is there an entrance fee or opening time?
No. It is a public square, free and open around the clock.
What else is near Ordabasy Square?
The Kattani Mosque on the square, the Koshkar-Ata mosque and mausoleum 250 m south, Independence Park over the footbridge and the citadel about 600 m away.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Russian Wikipedia: Independence Monument (Shymkent); Wikidata Q16677771
- English Wikipedia: Shymkent — Ordabasy Square section; Russian Wikipedia: Shymkent
- Russian Wikipedia: Kurultai in Ordabasy (after the Kazakhstan National Encyclopedia, vol. IV, 2006)
- Russian Wikipedia: Abdul-Hamid Kattani Mosque
- Kazakhstan.travel — Ordabasy Square and Independence Park
- Welcome.kz — Ordabasy Square, 2023
- Sxodim — Independence Monument “Zher-Ana”: address, bus stop, routes, parking
- Shymkent.info — Monument Zher-Ana at Ordabassy Square
- Bento.travel — payments in Kazakhstan
- OpenStreetMap (Nominatim) — monument, mosque, Koshkar-Ata mausoleum, hotel, railway station
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