Project Description
Capital of Turkmenistan - Ashgabat city was founded in 1881 year. The city is in 25 km. north of the border with Iran, Kopet Dag in predgoryyah. According to official statistics 2013 year, it is home to about 1 million. person.
The name Ashgabat comes from the Persian word "eshg", which means love and "abad", which translates to village, comfortable. And this is true! To date, Ashgabat - it is not just the capital of Turkmenistan, but also the largest industrial, scientific and cultural center of the country.
The city concentrated a huge amount of government agencies and offices, as well as interesting monuments and attractions. So, city several times entered the Guinness Book of Records. Firstly, as the city with the largest number of buildings, decorated white-marble. Really, such buildings in Ashgabat - 543, and the total area of the marble cover up the city 4,5 million. square meters! Secondly, the city installed the world's tallest flagpole (133 m). Thirdly, here is the largest Ferris wheel. Fourth, here it built the largest fountain complex "Ashgabat Fountain", wherein the total area of fountains 15 ha! AND, finally, the largest architectural image of a star ("Star Oguzkhan" on the Turkmen TV tower) also entered the Guinness Book of Records.
Very interesting place to visit in Ashgabat is a monument to the book "Ruhnama", written by himself Turkmenbashi - the first president of Turkmenistan. The book is considered sacred for the Turkmen, and it describes the biography of the first President, the country's history, as well as the basic precepts and moral principles by which to live residents of Turkmenistan. At certain times of the book opens, and using multimedia technology monument, visitors can see clearly with important historical moments of formation and development of Turkmenistan.
In the halls of the new, built after the adoption of independence, National Museum presents the most valuable archaeological finds, evidence of the ancient history of Turkmenistan. The museum – dozens of man-made monuments of traditional crafts and folk art of the XVII – XIX centuries. Weaving, embroidery, ceramics, carpet weaving, articles jewelers – this is not a complete list of items in the museum's collection. The exhibition features more 2500 exhibits.
Capital Carpet Museum is considered to be the only one of its kind in the world. Here you can find hundreds of the best samples of carpets of all time, the oldest of which dates to the XVII century. There is also the biggest carpet in the world, whose area is almost 400 m, and weight – more than a ton.
No less interesting is the exposition of the National Museum of History and Ethnography with a luxurious collection of ancient artifacts, collected from all over the territory of Turkmenistan, including those found in the excavations of Old Nisa.
Among the main attractions of the city include the Monument of Neutrality (1998 city, height 95 m – the tallest building in Turkmenistan) with golden statue of Turkmenbashi on top, Presidential palace, the building of the Mejlis, complex of the Academy of Sciences, Academic Drama Theater. Mollanepesa, Monument Bairam Khan, Lenin Square, mansion Mekan, Conservatory, Orthodox church of Alexander Nevsky (XIX в.), Ertogrulgazy mosque with four minarets and a huge dome.
The main center of tourist attraction is the huge Sunday market "Tolkuchka", which is famous for its variety of goods and bright Turkmen traditions. Which stretches for several kilometers along the desert outskirts of the city, Bazaar attracts attention, Firstly, the ability to purchase traditional Turkmen carpets, that dumped here for sale from across the country.
Well, of course, not to mention one of the main attractions of the city-Independence Monument. This monument - column height 118 m, on top of which there is a crescent moon with five stars. This column is set on a semicircular field, symbolizing the tent. Five Stars – It is a symbol of unity of the five largest Turkmen tribes, living in Turkmenistan since ancient times. Not far from the tower stands a gilded monument to Saparmurat Niyazov. The image of this monument is printed on all the banknotes Turkmenistan.
Near Ashgabat the ruins ancient Parthian state's capital – Nïsı, attracts tourists, and archaeologists and historians from around the world.
The sights of Ashgabat can be attributed to "Path of Health", which is located in the surrounding area. It concreted footpaths, length 36 kilometers and a width 5 m, which runs along the slopes of the Kopetdag ridge. The covenant of the first president of Ashkhabad every resident should take place every day on this path in order to maintain their health and tone. All along the track installed lampposts and sources of drinking water. This place is very popular among tourists, and the locals.
