Turkmenistan Things to Do

Kipchak mosque

by sachara

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Kipchak mosque
by sachara
Kipchak mosque
by sachara
Turkmenbashi in front of the momument...
by sachara
View at Nisa
by sachara
Great hall
by sachara

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Tolkuchka

by lynncreamcheese

when you get there keep you belongings safe, as the word "Толкучка" comes from the word "толчок" and "толкать" Which means to push or to shove. So have a bit of fun and have a push yourself! Everything is cheaper in tolkuchka than in the cities.Go to atamurat Niyazow street.. the corner of kopetdag stadium, and wait for a bus or a mini van that has a sign tolkuchka or Толкучка(in russian) in the buses you might have to stand but in the minivans you will always sit the sandard price is 1 new manat(5,000 old).... it will take you right there get of at the big brick/green metal gate just have a wonder and see where its takes you... but still have in mind where the exit is...also you might have a little bit of trouble on...

Ashgabat, Kipchak mosque

by sachara

In Ashgabat you will find one of the largest mosques in Central Asia. This Kipchak mosque, also called 'Turkmenbashi Ruhy Metjidi', is a rather new mosque, built in 2001 by the president Niyazov. The minarets are 91 meter high. About ten thousand pilgrims can visit the mosque at the same time. Niyazov built this mosque at the place where his mother and tow brothers were killed by the earthquake of 1948.The mosque looks impressive by its scale, white marble and golden cupola's, but in some way it felt like the mosque misses the atmosphere and soul mosques usual have. It's peculiar, this mosque is the first mosque I ever visited which has no Arabic texts from the Koran. What is written inside the mosque is in the Turkmen language. They told me these are texts from the Ruhnama, the important Turkmen book written by president Niyazov. In this book he wrote his version of Turkmen history,...

Ashgabat, Earthquake Memorial and Museum

by sachara

In the citycentre of Ashgabat is the Earthquake Memorial and Museum. This monument is dedicated to the victims of the earthquake of 1948. The Earthquake museum under the impressive sculpture contains touching displays of the terrible tragedy of 1948. There are pictures of pre-1948 earthquakes, the burying of the 110.000 bodies, information about the efforts to clean up the area during 5 years and the rebuilding of the city.The impressive bombastic bronze sculpture of the bull and globe is designed by sculptor B. Annarumadov. It is based on an ancient myth. The depicted child is said to be the baby Niyazov.

Ashgabat, Turkmenbashi's 'city of love'

by sachara

Ashgabat, meaning the 'city of love' is the capital of Turkmenistan. This booming city with huge marble buildings (picture 4), enormous monuments, parade grounds, extended parklands (picture 3) and fountains (picture 5) is the showcase of Turkmenbashi, the former president Niyazov. The landmark of the citycentre is the high Arch of Neutrality (picture 1). At top of the arch is the 12 meter high gold polished statue of Turkmenbashi, meaning the leader of the Turkmens. This statue turnes every day 360 degrees so that Turkmenbashhi always faces the sun. The arch is raised as a symbol for a free and independent Turkmenistan, celebrating the Turkmen people endorsement of Turkmenbashi's policy of neutrality in 1998.And believe me at top of this arch is not the only place in town where you will find a golden statue of Turkmenbashi. In the huge green area of Berzengi south of the citycentre in...

Nissa, capital of the Parthian empire

by sachara

Once Nissa was one of the earliest and most important cities of the Parthian Empire, one of the oldest civilizations in the world. From Nissa the Parthian kings started their conquests and turned small Parthia into a huge empire that stretched from the Indus to the Euphrate.The archaeological site includes the remains of Old and New Nissa. Old Nissa was an important center of the Parthian state, which existed from the third century BC up to the third century AD. It rivaled with Rome for supremacy in the Near East. Old Nissa was turned into a fortress. The walls of the fortress were about 8-9 meter thick with 43 rectangular towers. The main buildings of Old Nissa are grouped in a northern and a central or southern part. In the northern part are the treasury, a vine storage, workshops and other buildings. In the southern part you can find the remains of the Square Hal with fired brick...

Konye Urgench, UNESCO world heritage site

by sachara

Konye Urgench (Old Urgench) was the capital of the Khorezm region, part of the Achaemenid Empire. Ancient Konye Urgench was considered as one of the major cities of the East. The city developed, thanks to its location on the trade routes from the south to the north and from the west to the east. No one knows exactly when Konye-Urgench was founded. During recent excavations traces of an ancient settlement were discovered with ceramics of the 6th century AD. In 712, Khorezm was overthrown by the Arabs and got its name Urgench . The scientists who studied the topography of Urgench considered that the territory was 1000 hectares from the 10th to 14th century AD. Legends tell that the town Konye Urgench was destroyed and re-built seven times. Several outstanding architectural monuments mainly from the 11th to 16th centuries have been preserved like the II Arslan Mausoleum (picture 4), the...

Konye Urgench, Turebek Khanum complex

by sachara

The Turebek Khanum Mausoleum (picture 1), named after the wife of the Urgench governor Kutlug Timur is considered to be the most beautiful building in Central Asia. The Turebek Khanum complex dates back to the end of the 12th century, beginning of the 13th century. Some archaeologists don't consider it to be a mausoleum, but a throne hall. You enter the building by a high portal of 25 meter (picture 2). After passing the nicily carved doors (picture 3), you enter the big hall. Here you see a marvellous blue cupola, unique in early Islamic architecture (picture 4). Underside the dome are 365 sections on the mosaic, representing the days of the year. The 24 arches under the dome represent the hours of the day, the 12 bigger arches below represent the months of the year and the 4 big windows finally represent the weeks in the month. So all the geometirc patters in the building form a giant...

Annau Archeology site

by Ekahau

Not very far from beautiful downtown Ashgabat is this very interesting major stop on the Silk Road. The Great Annau Mosque one of the beautiful blue tile mosques is really something because it’s blue mosaic tile depicted Chinese dragons looking east.When I was there the folks from the Univ of Penn had done some wonderful work on the early bonze age An English speaking tour guide who took us around is Ruslan Muradov at (993-12) 35-38-81 or by e-mail rum@online.tm

Historical old Nissa - Parthian Empire

by Ekahau

Yes this is well woth the visit it is the capital of the Parthian Empire the other empire at the time of Rome. Mithradates I (171-138 BC) was the king that made Parthia into a major power and Built Nissa into his capital. He expanded the empire westward into Mesopotamia and eastward into Bactria. Actively promoted Hellenism and titled himself "philhellene" (friend of the Greeks). The VTer can see the Old Nissa’s ruins it is about 10 miles west of Ashgabat. Old Nissa was the capital of the Parthian Empire, one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Like Merv Nissa is mentioned in the Zend – Avesta – the Bible of the Zoroastrianism. Old Nissa is is the real center of the Parthian Empire where it all started the huge empire one of the biggest of the ancient world. Open: Monday Wednesday - ; 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Entry Fee: 5,000 Manats

Ancient Merv

by Ekahau

Merv is one amazing place if you are like this VTer and love history. It was the largest city in the world in the 1200erds. For many centuries, Merv was regarded as one of the richest, most highly cultured centers of the Ancient East. Its greatest period of glory was during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, when it served as the Eastern capital of the Great Seljuks. It is one of the major centers on the Silk Road and goes as far back as at least the the 3rd millennium BCE. Merv is reported to be the origin of Hindu belief in Mount Meru, which Hinduism declares to be the centre of the world.It is first recorded in history in the Avesta, the bible of the Zoroastrian. Merv was part of Alexander the Great's conguest and was even named Alexandria for a time. Antiochus I the son of Apame the Persian princesses and Alexander’s general rebuilt Merv. Lots of coins with Alexander and Antiochus...