Uralsk's Rotunda: A 160-Year-Old Relic of a Lost Backmarket Era

The Rotunda on Stolypin Boulevard has stood as a cultural landmark in Uralsk for over 160 years. Once the heart of a grand backmarket, it now remains the last surviving structure from an era when the area thrived as the city's social and artistic centre. Today, it continues to inspire creativity, hosting events like those organised by the Rotonda music and poetry club.

The backmarket's origins trace back to 1858–1859, when Arkady Stolypin designed it on the site of demolished 18th-century fortifications. Stretching across nearly three hectares, it featured ornamental pavilions, a summer cinema, and a two-story venue for the Noble Officers' Assembly. At its centre stood the Rotunda, erected in 1860, which became the focal point of the city's cultural life.

A bust of Tsesarevich Grand Duke Nicholas Alexandrovich was placed inside the rotunda in 1867, reinforcing its status as a symbol of the region. Over time, the backmarket shrank to a small square, losing most of its original structures. Only the Rotunda survived, now a protected state landmark.

In 2012, poet Galina Samoilova founded the Rotonda music and poetry club, reviving the space for readings and performances. She later wrote a tribute to the Rotunda, celebrating its historical and artistic significance. While Uralsk now has a dozen rotundas, none have been built since Kazakhstan's independence in 1991—all date back to the Russian imperial period. The original Rotunda, however, remains the most iconic.

The Rotunda endures as a link between Uralsk's past and present. Once part of a sprawling backmarket, it now stands alone, preserved as a landmark. Its continued role in cultural events ensures that the legacy of Stolypin Boulevard lives on in the city's creative life.