Scientific project ‘The role of merchants in the transformation of the socio-cultural space of Kazakhstan in the second half of XIX-beginning of XX centuries’

Implementation period: October 2022. – 2024.

Head Candidate of Historical Sciences, Academic Professor Mukataeva L.K.

The purpose of the scientific project is a comprehensive analysis of the versatile activities of merchants in Kazakhstan in the second half of the XIX – early XX centuries, directions and forms of its participation in the economic, socio-political and cultural life of the country, ways and meanings of its socio-cultural self-realisation.

Objectives: to give a conceptual analysis of the theoretical-methodological and historiographical base of the issue; to characterise the composition, status, the main activities of the merchants of Kazakhstan, including the Kazakh merchants; to reveal the patronage activities of the merchants and their role in the development of culture, art, education, science, etc. Based on the application of virtual reconstruction technology to develop recommendations for the preservation of historical and cultural heritage objects on the peculiarities of branding cultural spaces.

The results of the Project contribute to the development of historical consciousness as an important factor in the world outlook and values of a citizen in the context of globalisation. Addressing historical themes, cultural heritage ensures the strengthening of the national code and preservation of identity.

Expected Outcomes:

In accordance with the aim and objectives of the project, the following results will be obtained:

— theoretical, methodological and historiographical aspects of the topic will be analysed and systematised, the evolution of the development of the merchant class during the formation of capitalist relations in Kazakhstan will be traced;

— the article characterises the composition, status, main activities of the merchants of Kazakhstan, studies the activities of the merchants in general and by the example of its most prominent representatives, separately considers the activities of Kazakh merchants and the peculiarities of the formation and development of Kazakh merchants;

— It will describe the patronage activities of merchants and their role in the development of culture, art, education, science, etc. Based on the application of virtual reconstruction technology, 3D models of historical buildings will be created and recommendations for the preservation of historical and cultural heritage objects will be developed;

— social media – coverage of the research results through mass media, social networks and specialised websites (official website of JSC ‘M.S. Narikbayev KAZGUU University’).

3D — model:

Residential house of merchant Gabdulvaliev

It was built in 1909 by architect Zenkov by order of merchant Iskhak Gabdulvaliev. In Verny, the Gabdulvaliev family owned houses and warehouses located on Uchilishchnaya, Sergiopolskaya, Gostinodvorskaya, Taranchinskaya and other streets. One of these buildings was the Trading House ‘I. Gabdulvaliev and Sons’.

After the revolution, the residential building was nationalised, and with the transfer of the capital of the Kazakh SSR from Kyzyl-Orda to Alma-Ata, the building housed the People’s Commissariat of Finance.

The monument of architecture of the beginning of XX century of the city of Verny was built in the style of ‘Art Nouveau’. It is a two-storey building, rectangular in plan. The main axes are revealed by the arrangement of domes and parapet walls. The facades have a clear horizontal and vertical division. The rectangular shaped windows are surrounded by profiled plaster platbands with shelves. The profiled cornice, parapet walls of curvilinear outlines and parapet posts topped with spheres are saturated with wooden, carved plant ornamentation.

November 10, 2010. a new State List of Historical and Cultural Monuments of Local Significance of Almaty was approved, simultaneously with which all previous decisions in this regard were recognised as null and void. In this Resolution the status of a monument of local importance was preserved for the dwelling house of merchant Gabdulvaliev. The boundaries of the protection zones were approved in 2014.

This was once the workshop of a shoe factory. Today, the historic house of the Gabdulvaliev merchants houses a catering establishment. The building is located at 38, Tulebayeva Street, Almaty.

At the beginning of the twentieth century.

The modern look of the building