Islamic Travel Newswire: The idea  for the  construction of Kazakhstan's unique   60,000 square meter  Palace of  Independence came from  the head of the state.

 The building has large halls, galleries, museums and cinemas. The first major event was  the hosting of the  SCO ( Shanghai Cooperation Organization) meeting.  Hundreds of people from China , Russia and other member-states of SCO were impressed by the palace's large halls and interiors.

Foreign journalists described the palace as  a real pearl that appeared in Kazakhstan within the space of a year.

Said Sebati Aktuk, the Turkish  manager of the  project  said: "The peculiarity of the construction is an interior of metal and glass.  It attracts attention at once. Each of the halls is unique.  There is a  large chandelier in the President's hall  with  440 000 crystal stones. We built this building qualitatively and during a short period of time. There is no other such palace in the world".

Kanat Tokesbai, deputy director of  the Palace of Independence said it was equipped for conferences and had facilities for interpreters. Exposition halls are on the  upper floors. The gallery will have pictures of not only Kazakh but also foreign painters. There are several museums in the palace: an ethnographic museum and a historical museum. One of the halls can accommodate 4,000 people.