Nur-Sultan (Astana) Kazakhstan 1998 After the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the consequent independence of Kazakhstan, the city's original form was restored in the modified form Akmola.[2] On 6 July 1994, the Supreme Council of Kazakhstan adopted the decree "On the transfer of the capital of Kazakhstan".[3] After the capital of Kazakhstan was moved to Akmola on 10 December 1997, the city was consequently renamed Astana in 1998.[4] On 10 June 1998, Astana was presented as the capital internationally.[5] On 16 July 1999, Astana was awarded the medal and title of the City of Peace by UNESCO.[3] On 19 March 2019, Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev resigned, and on 23 March the city was renamed Nur-Sultan.[6] Christiania Norway 1624 After a fire devastated medieval Oslo in 1624, King Christian IV ordered the city to be rebuilt further west, closer to the fortress, and renamed Christiania.