Karaganda

Karaganda is unlikely to make it onto any list of must-visit places in Kazakhstan, but if you want to learn about the development of the country's coal industry or delve into the somber pages of Soviet history during the period of political repression, then welcome. 

Additionally, Karaganda is the birthplace of world boxing star Gennady Golovkin, and it also hosts the largest Catholic cathedral in Central Asia.

Coal

The city's history is closely intertwined with coal mining. It began in the 19th century, and the first buildings (coal mines, hospitals, workers' houses) and the railway for industrial needs were built by the British. However, after the revolution, they had to leave, and full-scale coal mining began by the Soviets in 1930.

Karaganda's mines became an ideal place for Stalin's labor camps, where political prisoners and anyone deemed "suspicious" who might aid Nazi Germany were sent from all over the USSR. You can learn more about Karaganda's coal history by descending into the Mine Museum. Entry is only possible by prior arrangement and with a group of at least 10 people, but you will get to ride down 15 meters and briefly experience the life of miners.

Karlag

One of the largest corrective labor camps of the USSR was located in the village of Dolinka, 45 km from Karaganda. It is estimated that over 1 million people passed through its hellish mills. The conditions under which people worked were inhumane. Many died from exhaustion, and many were executed on the spot for any offense.

Today, the Museum of Political Repression Memory operates in one of the preserved buildings of the camp in Dolinka, reminding visitors of the bloody events that took place there. The museum vividly displays the living conditions of the prisoners. Visitors can see male and female cells, solitary confinement, an interrogation room, and a morgue.

The easiest way to reach the museum is by taxi. The one-way trip costs about 7,000 tenge (16 dollars).

Cathedral of Our Lady of Fatima

By Nikolai Bulykin - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

The largest Catholic cathedral in Central Asia, built in the image of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. It was opened in 2012 and consecrated by Cardinal Angelo Sodano. It also houses the largest organ in Kazakhstan.

The idea to build such a monumental structure in Karaganda came from Bishop Jan Paweł Lenga, the first Catholic bishop of Kazakhstan. The Karaganda diocese requested land for the construction from the Kazakh authorities, and the request was granted.

Gennady Golovkin

^{A 2016 stamp sheet dedicated to Golovkin issued by Kazakhstan}

This titled athlete needs no introduction; he is known on both sides of the ocean. GGG was born in one of the largest residential areas of Karaganda - Maikuduk. In 2017, a fitness and health complex named after G. Golovkin was built here. For those interested in visiting, there is a small hall of fame dedicated to the athlete, displaying his personal belongings: boxing gloves, sneakers, shorts, medals, and certificates. Afterwards, you can take a stroll through Maikuduk itself, one of the city's most criminal districts in the '90s, and imagine how the idol of millions lived and grew up there.

What else to see in Karaganda?

By Grin1372Go - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

If you've covered the main attractions and have time left, you can learn about the region's environmental problems at the Karaganda Ecological Museum. Here, for example, you can see part of a Proton rocket that recently fell from space.

Lovers of Soviet history will appreciate the numerous large-scale frescoes and mosaics well-preserved on the city's streets. Mostly, the bas-reliefs glorify labor, May Day, and the working class.

And three hours from Karaganda is the Karkaraly National Park, a natural attraction of the region.