Type of monument: Monumental art structure
Date of monument: 2020
Status: Object included in the preliminary list
Location: Aktobe, at the intersection of Beibitshilik Avenue and Maresyev Street.
Historical background:
The Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site is associated with one of the most tragic chapters in the history of twentieth-century Kazakhstan. During the Soviet period, a special test site was established in Kazakhstan for nuclear weapons testing. Beginning in 1949, aerial, surface and underground nuclear explosions were carried out there. These tests caused severe damage to human health, the environment and the fate of several generations.
From 1949 to 1991, many citizens of Kazakhstan served at the Semipalatinsk test site, including residents of Aktobe Region. According to open sources, more than 11,000 people from Aktobe performed military and service duties in the territory of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site. Many of them later suffered from the effects of radiation exposure.
This memorial sign was erected as a tribute to their fate, as a reminder of the human cost of nuclear testing and as a call to value peaceful life.
Description of the monument:
The memorial sign is made of black granite and designed in the shape of a yurt. The image of the yurt symbolises the national worldview of the Kazakh people, respect for the native land and the aspiration for peace.
On the right side of the monument there is a five-pointed star and the years “1949–1991”. These dates recall the tragic period in the history of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site. On the left side, the inscription reads: “СЕМЕЙ ЯДРОЛЫҚ СЫНАҚ ПОЛИГОНЫНДА ЗАРДАП ШЕККЕН АҚТӨБЕЛІК АРДАГЕРЛЕРГЕ ҚҰРМЕТ ПЕН ТАҒЗЫМ”.
The total height of the monument, including its base, is 3.87 metres. The base measures 3.9 by 5.1 metres and is 0.30 metres high. The pedestal measures 0.47 by 0.30 metres and is 0.80 metres high.
The design and architectural solution of the monument were carried out by Baktygerey Zhapar. The construction was funded by the Paryz Public Foundation.
Opening of the monument:
The memorial sign dedicated to Aktobe veterans affected by the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site was solemnly opened on 17 November 2020 in the city of Aktobe.
The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of regional and city authorities, public organisations, veterans who had participated in the Semipalatinsk nuclear tests, their relatives and city residents. During the ceremony, it was emphasised that the monument would become a place of remembrance, a meeting place for veterans and an important space for passing historical lessons on to younger generations.
Cultural and historical significance:
This memorial sign is not only a symbol of respect for Aktobe veterans affected by nuclear tests, but also an important memorial object expressing the ideas of peace, humanism and historical responsibility.
The yurt-shaped composition connects national identity with the historical fate of the people. The black granite conveys the gravity of the tragic period, while the solid and restrained artistic solution emphasises memory, sorrow and the resilience of those who experienced the consequences of nuclear testing.
The monument reminds residents and visitors of Aktobe of the consequences of nuclear tests, the value of peaceful life and humanity’s responsibility to future generations. It encourages young people to remember the lessons of the past, understand the dangers of war and nuclear weapons, and respect the culture of peace.
Why is this monument important?
This monument shows the connection of Aktobe Region with the history of the Semipalatinsk test site. The fates of thousands of Aktobe residents who served in the test zone prove that nuclear testing was a shared tragedy for all of Kazakhstan, not only for one region.
The memorial sign commemorates the courage, endurance and sense of duty of citizens who served in an area of radiation risk. It also recalls the importance of Kazakhstan’s historic decision to renounce nuclear weapons and support a policy of peace.
What should visitors notice?
First, pay attention to the yurt shape of the monument. It is a symbol of home, unity, ancestral land and peaceful life.
The black granite gives the monument a solemn and memorial character. The five-pointed star and the years “1949–1991” directly indicate the difficult period in the history of the Semipalatinsk test site.
The words “құрмет пен тағзым” express the main idea of the monument: it is a place of respect for the victims, gratitude to the veterans and reflection on the price of peace.
Did you know?
After the first nuclear explosion in 1949, the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site became one of the main nuclear testing grounds of the Soviet Union.
From 1949 to 1991, more than 11,000 people from Aktobe served at the Semipalatinsk test site.
On 29 August 1991, the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site was closed. Later, this date gained special international significance as a day against nuclear testing.
The monument in Aktobe is dedicated to preserving the memory of citizens who participated in nuclear tests and suffered from their consequences.
View on map:
2GIS:
https://2gis.kz/kk/aktobe/geo/70030076325783347
Google Maps:
https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=50.315522,57.137754
Audio guide text:
You are standing near the memorial sign dedicated to Aktobe veterans affected by the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.
This monument was installed in 2020 at the intersection of Beibitshilik Avenue and Maresyev Street in Aktobe. It is dedicated to residents of Aktobe who served at the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site and suffered from the consequences of radiation tests.
The Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site is one of the most tragic places in the history of Kazakhstan. Since 1949, nuclear explosions were carried out there, affecting human health, nature and the fate of entire generations. More than 11,000 people from Aktobe served in the test zone.
The monument is made of black granite and shaped like a yurt. The yurt symbolises native land, home, peaceful life and national unity. The dates “1949–1991” recall the tragic period in the history of the Semipalatinsk test site.
This place is not only a space of remembrance. It reminds present and future generations of the value of peace, the danger of nuclear weapons and the importance of human life.
Read more:
- Kazinform. A monument to those affected by the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site was installed in Aktobe.
https://kaz.inform.kz/news/aktobede-semey-yadrolyk-synak-poligonynan-zardap-shekkenderge-eskertkish-koyyldy_a3719820/ - Aqtobe Newspaper. A monument was erected to veterans affected by nuclear testing.
https://aqtobegazeti.kz/?p=94624 - Khabar. A monument to people affected by the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site was installed in Aktobe.
https://khabar.kz/kk/news/kogam/129464-aktobede-semej-yadrolyk-synak-poligonynda-zardap-shekken-zhandarga-eskertkish-ornatyldy - 2GIS. Monument to Aktobe veterans affected by the Semipalatinsk nuclear tests.
https://2gis.kz/kk/aktobe/geo/70030076325783347 - Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Material dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the closure of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site.
https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-athens/press/article/details/60616?lang=en - CTBTO. International Day against Nuclear Tests, 29 August.
https://www.ctbto.org/news-and-events/news/international-day-against-nuclear-tests-29-august