Residence of Abylai Khan

Abylai Khan residence – an urban and architectural monument included in the list of republican significance historical and cultural monuments of the North Kazakhstan region.

Location

The Abylai Khan museum complex located in Petropavl. On 21 August 2008 the residence was opened with the participation of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the first President of Kazakhstan.

Abylai’s white house

Abylai’s white house, Abylai’s camp – the camp of Abylai Khan in Petropavl, a historical monument. When the colonization of the northern part of Kazakhstan began, the construction of the Saint Peter fortress began in 1752 in the Kyzylzhar gorge on the banks of the Esil River. This, in turn, affected the establishment of trade‑economic relations between the countries. In this regard, it became necessary to build such a structure near the khan’s special camp to discuss issues such as Cossacks raiding steppe dwellers, taking livestock from Kazakhs and seizing land. According to archival materials, “At the request of him, Abylai, a wooden house was built in 1765 near the Saint Peter fortress on the Enkystau mountain on the upper Esil River for his residence” and “Enkystau (a wide plain for grazing)”, and the “Abylai’s white house” became not only a dwelling but also a place for resolving tense issues. There are various opinions about the location of the building. It was precisely determined to be 2–3 kilometers from the fortress, at the foot of a “mountain” (on a hill), which at that time (the second half of the 19th century) was the edge of the city. The “Abylai’s white house” seems to have burned down as a result of a city fire, and a stone house was built in its place, which people continued to call “Abylai’s white house”. The “Abylai’s white house” is a national historical monument of the Kazakh people. The construction of Abylai’s white house is directly related to the facts and legacy of Abylai Khan’s life. Because it had not undergone extensive repair or restoration for a long time, the house suffered considerable damage. With the initiative of the governor of North Kazakhstan region T.A. Mansurov and with the support of the President of Kazakhstan, the historical‑cultural monument will be fully restored during 2006–2007.

Museum complex

Within the “Cultural Heritage” program for 2004–2006, restoration work was carried out on the republican significance historic monument “Abilay Khan’s house”, built in 1829 and taken under state protection by the decree of the Council of Ministers of the Kazakh SSR No. 38 dated 26 January 1982. The work was based on the interest expressed by the public council on issues of preserving historical and cultural heritage and, together with the regional leadership, a decision was made on the initial creation of historic monuments.

The museum was opened on 21 August 2008 with the participation of the President of Kazakhstan N.A. Nazarbayev. The core of the exhibition is the life and activities of Abilay Khan, a state and societal figure of Kazakhstan in the 18th century.

The total area and structure of the building is 1 288.5 m². The total land area is 1.58 ha.

In front of the White House there is a bronze “Abylai Khan on a Horse” monument. The author is sculptor Qazybek Satybaldin. The building itself currently consists of two floors. Its official name is “Abylai Khan Residence”. According to Gulnar Andarbekqyzy, who heads the historically significant, sacred building, Abylai’s White House consists of four halls. The first floor houses the complex administration, the second floor contains the historical halls. The first historical hall covers Abylai’s life from childhood to his accession to the throne, i.e., 1710–1771. The second is dedicated to the ten years of his reign, i.e., 1771–1781. The third hall is the Throne Hall, the fourth is a hall of collages, paintings and books devoted to Abylai’s history. Among them, the most striking for visitors is Abylai’s resting room, which recalls that the building was originally made of wood. Several artifacts are placed in the room. Tableware, blankets, a table, flawless woven carpets, bronze cauldrons, clothing, chests are displayed, depicting the interior view of the house. There is also a faithful oak wood from the 18th century, with its hinges made of silver. One of the antique items, a kettle, is especially eye‑catching. It is made entirely of wood without any metal, its exterior carved with bone, which is astonishing. Both sides are raised; the high bed was used to regulate the circulation of heroes lying on it. The bed is covered with a blanket, and beside it are lamp‑like chandeliers brought from the United Arab Emirates. The eye‑catching ethnographic artifacts in the room continue in the Throne Hall.