Whenever people think about a city that is both in Europe and in Asia, Istanbul comes to mind straight away.
However, not many people know that there is another place in the world that shares the same feature.
Atyrau is a city in Kazakhstan and, just like the Turkish capital, spans two continents, Europe and Asia.
The city is located at the mouth of the Ural River on the Caspian Sea and is split by the river, with one side in Europe and the other in Asia.
Interestingly, the city was called Guryev until 1991 and it is still known as that in Russia today.
It was founded in the mid-17th century as a fishing settlement and later was made into a fort by the Ural Cossacks.
Today, Atyrau has evolved into an important hub for Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industries, with a population of around 355,000 people.
The majority are Kazakhs, but the city is also home to Russian, Korean, Tatar and Uzbek communities.
Atyrau has both European and Asian architecture. Landmarks worth mentioning include the Uspensky Cathedral, built in the 19th century with seven golden domes, and the Imangali Mosque, which has blue domes and high minarets.
The mosque can accommodate a whopping 700 worshippers.
However, it can be argued that the place that’s worth visiting the most is the ‘10 Years of Independence’ pedestrian bridge, which connects the European and Asian sides of the city.
The bridge was built to celebrate Kazakhstan’s independence and is the only large foot suspension bridge of its kind in the world.
It allows residents and visitors to easily cross between continents.
When it comes to the economy, Atyrau is driven by oil production, with major oil fields nearby.
An oil pipeline from Atyrau runs to Samara in Russia, connecting to the larger Russian pipeline system, while another pipeline transports oil to the Black Sea.
Along with oil, traditional industries like fishing are still a big part of local life.
For those concerned about temperatures, Atyrau has a semi-arid climate. This means that the city experiences extreme temperatures.
In the summer, temperatures can soar to 42C, while winter temperatures drop to as low as -25C.
