Welcome to Ashgabat, the capital and largest city of Turkmenistan, set between the Karakum Desert and the Köpetdag mountains, about 50 kilometres from the Iranian border. The city was founded in 1881 on the site of an Ahal Teke tribal village, and in 1924, when it was called Poltoratsk, it became capital of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic. Much of it was destroyed by the earthquake of 1948. It was later rebuilt as a White City, with monumental buildings sheathed in costly white marble, while the Karakum Canal carries water from the Amu Darya right through it. Let us look around.
Independence Monument
Before you stands the Independence Monument, whose design was inspired by traditional Turkmen tents and the headgear worn by Turkmen girls. Its numbers all tell a story. Independence Day falls on 27 September, so the 91-metre concrete tower is crowned by a gilded steel structure 27 metres high, and the green grounds around it hold 27 heroic statues of Turkmen leaders, centred on a golden statue of Saparmurat Niyazov. Inside, exhibition halls display works of art on the country's history, and an observation terrace offers views over the city.
Neutrality Monument
Look up at the Neutrality Monument, a three-legged arch that locals nicknamed The Tripod. It was built in 1998 on the orders of President Saparmurat Niyazov to celebrate Turkmenistan's official neutrality, and it stood 75 metres tall in the centre of the city. On top was a gold-plated statue of Niyazov, 12 metres high, which rotated to always face the sun. Inclined lifts inside the legs carry visitors up to a panoramic platform. In 2010 the whole monument was dismantled and reassembled in the southern suburbs.
Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque
About 7 kilometres west of the capital, in the village of Gypjak, rises the Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque, built in the hometown of President Saparmurat Niyazov. It opened on 22 October 2004 together with a mausoleum that Niyazov had prepared for himself, and he was buried there two years later. The mosque can hold up to 10,000 worshippers. It is also controversial: texts from both the Quran and Niyazov's own book, the Ruhnama, are carved into its walls, which many Muslims regard as unacceptable.
Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque
Here is the Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque, a prominent landmark with four minarets and a central dome. Opened in 1998, it is named after Ertuğrul, the father of Osman the First, founder of the Ottoman Empire. Its white marble exterior is reminiscent of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, and inside you will find lavish decoration and fine stained glass windows. Up to 5,000 worshippers can pray here at once. Several accidental deaths during construction gave rise to a belief that the mosque is cursed.
Nisa
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsJust 18 kilometres west of the city centre lie the ruins of Nisa, an ancient settlement of the Parthians, described by some as the first seat of the Arsacid Empire. Tradition says it was founded by Arsaces the First. Nisa was a major trading hub, later renamed the fortress of Mithradates, and the region was famous for the beauty, agility and strength of its horses. An earthquake destroyed it completely in the 1st decade BC. Excavations have revealed shrines, mausoleums, Hellenistic art and many ivory drinking horns. The fortress became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2007.
Turkmen Carpet Museum
Step into the Turkmen Carpet Museum, opened on 24 October 1994, which holds the largest collection of Turkmen carpets of any museum, including more than 1,000 from the 18th and 19th centuries. The museum is known for its enormous Teke carpets. One, weighing a tonne, was made by some 40 people in 1941 as a curtain for the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. Another, made in 2001 for ten years of independence, measures 301 square metres and is recognised as the largest hand-woven carpet in the world. Look closely too: some carpets are two-sided, with a different design on each side.
Lomakuume
