Saryarka District
Original Soviet-era Tselinograd (pre-1997 capital designation) on Ishim's southern bank—organic city growth versus Esil's planned symbolism. Lower property values, working-class heritage, small business vitality. By 2026, renovation pressure tests preservation versus displacement of authentic urban life.
Saryarka District represents Astana's history before it became a capital. The name means "yellow steppe" in Kazakh, and the district occupies the original Soviet-era city of Tselinograd (later Akmola) on the southern bank of the Ishim River. Here stand the buildings of the Virgin Lands campaign era—the utilitarian Soviet architecture that predates the futuristic towers across the river.
While Esil District was master-planned for symbolic impact, Saryarka District grew organically over decades. The railway station, the older residential neighborhoods, the Soviet-era factories and offices—this is the city that existed before 1997's capital designation. The district contains Astana's working-class heritage, the infrastructure that served Tselinograd's agricultural administrative function before national ambition transformed its purpose.
By 2024, Saryarka District houses much of Astana's residential population and service economy. Property values are lower than the gleaming new developments in Esil, making the district more affordable for ordinary residents. Small businesses, markets, and the commercial activity that emerges spontaneously rather than by design characterize the economic life, contrasted with the planned developments across the river.
Through 2026, Saryarka District will navigate between preservation and redevelopment. The Soviet-era infrastructure requires renovation, while the district's authenticity offers contrast to Astana's architectural spectacle. The question is whether urban renewal displaces existing communities or builds on their commercial vitality—whether the yellow steppe becomes a museum piece or a living counterpoint to the capital's planned modernity.