Kazakhstan: Kokshetau
Another northern Kazakh town, Kokshetau, is a small provincial center in the north of the country, a sleepy town with Soviet-ear architecture. Several nice squares and monuments and a lot of green parks that are bright gold this time of year. The town was founded in 1824 as part of the Russian Empire and named after the nearby Mount Kokshe. It is a gateway to several famous nature resorts to the north and east.