altai-es.ukg.kz Ust-Kamenogorsk is the capital of the Eastern Kazakhstan region.

The population of Ust-Kamenogorsk is about 350 thousand people. The city was established in 1720 according to the order of the Russian zar Peter the 1st, who sent the military expedition headed by major Ivan Vasilievich Liharev in order to base the fortress for the protection of the Russian Empire's boundaries. Later, this fortress lost it's military importance and became the trade center, where also many expeditions for research and colonization of Altai were organized.

The Soviet Order was proclaimed in 1918, but it was finally affirmed in 1919.
In 1968 Ust-Kamenogorsk received the status of a town. Ust-Kamenogorsk, no doubt, is the most interesting city for tourists in the Eastern Kazakhstan Region due to it's capital status, which defined the concentration of historical events on this territory.
The memorials of Ust-Kamenogorsk.

There are 33 memorials in Ust-Kamenogorsk protected by the State. Among them 4 memorials of monumental art, 11 historical memorials, 16 memorials of architecture and 2 archeological memorials.

Unfortunately, almost nothing remained from the most interesting historical memorial called Fortress of Ust-Kamenogorsk, with the exception of a few fragments of mounds with the moats which are 600 meters long, and the building of the former Troizkai Church which is the only building left.

What did the city looked like at the end of XIX century and beginning of XXth?
At that time Ust-Kamenogorsk was just a little provincial town with few streets formed by constructions made of wood.

 A.N.Sedelnikov was outstanding explorer of Eastern Kazakhstan Region who characterized the city in 1903: "At present Ust-Kamenogorsk, despite it's status as the second largest city in Semipalatinsk's province reminds people a big village. There aren't any big shops, a booming trade, and, generally it doesn't seem like a town at all.
Gradually, with the development of gold mines, local industry and trade, in the city the stone construction was started.