The name of the city is Ashgabat. Ashgabat: city of the dead

Ashgabat(Turkm. Aşgabat) - the capital, the largest administrative, political, industrial, scientific and cultural center of the state. Ashgabat is a separate administrative-territorial unit of Turkmenistan - a city with the rights of a velayat (region).

On May 25, 2013, the city was included in the Guinness Book of Records for the fifth time as the most white marble city in the world (543 new buildings lined with white marble). Earlier, this edition included such sights of the Turkmen capital as the world's highest flagpole (133 meters), the largest fountain complex (27 synchronized fountains), the largest closed Ferris wheel, and the largest architectural image of a star - the eight-pointed star Oguz- Khan on the TV tower.

According to the official data of the State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics, as of January 1, 2012, 12.7% of the population of Turkmenistan lived in Ashgabat. According to the 1995 census, the population of the city was 604.7 thousand people, and according to the official estimate for 2001 - 712 thousand people. As of July 1, 2002, the official population estimate was 743 thousand people, in the middle of 2003 the population of Ashgabat was officially estimated at 790 thousand people (13% of the country's population), and on November 18, 2005, it was officially announced that the 900 thousandth milestone was reached (13 .4% of the country's population).

historical names

Palace complex "Oguzhan" in Ashgabat.

The name of the city comes from the Persian words عشق (eshq"love and آباد (abad"populated place", "city").

Since the conquest of Turkmenistan by the Russian Empire, the city, officially transferred to Russia under the Akhal Treaty with Persia on September 21, 1881, was called Ashkhabad. This name was retained until 1919.

On July 17, 1919, the city was renamed Poltoratsk in honor of the revolutionary figure and chairman of the Economic Council of the Turkestan Republic P. G. Poltoratsky.

After Turkmenistan declared its independence on October 27, 1991, a number of settlements in the country were renamed. In particular, the city of Ashgabat, according to the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of Turkmenistan No. 686-XII dated April 17, 1992, officially became known as Ashgabat, since it is this form that most of all corresponds to the original Turkmen name.

In the official mass media of Russia, the name Ashgabat is used, recognized as official on the basis of the Decree of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation dated August 17, 1995 No. 1495 "On the spelling of the names of the states - the former republics of the USSR and their capitals."

Bitarap Turkmenistan Avenue in Ashgabat

Currently, in the legislative acts of Turkmenistan (in their texts in Russian), in the official mass media of Turkmenistan, on the official websites of the capital of Turkmenistan, the city is called Ashgabat.

Opinions were published in the Turkmen press that the name of the city dates back to the dynasty of the Parthian kings Arshakids (Ashkanids), and the foundation of the city should be attributed to the III century BC. e. However, in reality, the city itself was founded only in the 19th century as a fortress, and in the 3rd century BC. e. it was not he who arose, but Nisa, located 18 km from it, which was indeed the capital of the Parthian kingdom, but not the only one.

Geography

Ashgabat is located in the south of Turkmenistan, 25 kilometers north of the border with the Turan lowland.

The city is located in the Akhal-Teke oasis on the Kopetdag foothill plain. The Kopetdag Mountains approach the city from the south, and the Karakum desert from the north. Height above sea level is 214-240 meters.

In 1962, the Karakum Canal was brought to the city.

Timezone

Ashgabat is located in the time zone designated by the international standard as UTC+5. The offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is +5:00.

Climate

The climate of Ashgabat is subtropical inland, with mild, but for such a latitude, relatively cold winters and exceptionally hot summers. Ashgabat is one of the hottest cities in the world, temperatures above +45 °C are possible in summer. Precipitation is 199 mm per year, with almost no precipitation in summer. Winter is short, but with strong intrusions of arctic air from the north, frosts sometimes occur below -10 °C. Permanent snow cover is formed only in severe winters. In winter, the temperature is very variable.

• The average annual temperature is +17.1 C°.
• The average annual wind speed is 2.5 m/s.
• The average annual air humidity is 55%.

Story

Ashgabat railway station (1901)

Brick street in Ashgabat (1913)

City Ashkhabad was founded in 1881 on the site of the Turkmen settlement-fortress of the same name as a border military fortification and the administrative center of the Transcaspian region of the Russian Empire, was controlled by the military administration. The city consisted of earthen houses surrounded by orchards. The streets were planned to be straight and for the most part with one-story buildings, since after several earthquakes it was decided not to build multi-story buildings if they were adobe. The population of the city in 1901 was 36.5 thousand people, of which 11.2 thousand were Persians, 10.7 thousand were Russians, 14.6 thousand were Armenians and other nationalities. The Turkmens lived outside the city in their camps.

From 1881 to 1918 the city was the administrative center of the Transcaspian region of the Russian Empire, from 1918 to 1925 - the administrative center of the Turkmen region of the Turkestan ASSR.

In February 1925, Ashgabat (at that time called Poltoratsk in honor of the Bolshevik Pavel Poltoratsky) received the official status of the capital of the Turkmen SSR.

On October 6, 1948, one of the most destructive earthquakes in history occurred in Ashgabat. The strength in the epicentral region was 9-10 points, the magnitude of the earthquake was M = 7.3. 90-98% of all buildings were destroyed. According to various estimates, from 1/2 to 2/3 of the city's population died (that is, from 60 to 110 thousand people, since information about the number of inhabitants is inaccurate). Currently, it is believed that the earthquake claimed the lives of 176 thousand people.

In 1962, the Karakum Canal was brought to Ashgabat, which made it possible to solve the problem of chronic water shortages in the city.

In July 2003, the names of all streets in Ashgabat were replaced with serial numbers, except for nine main highways, some of which were named after Saparmurat Turkmenbashi, his father, mother, and also the poet Makhtumkuli, revered in the country. The Central Palace Square is marked with the number 2000 (a figure, according to the state newspaper Neutral Turkmenistan, symbolizing a new era in the history of the Turkmen people, the beginning of the "golden age"). The remaining streets received larger or smaller four-digit numerical names.

On September 10-14, 2008, an armed uprising of militants took place in Ashgabat, which went down in history as the "Ashgabat rebellion". To suppress the rebels who settled in the Khitrovka district of the capital, the authorities used heavy armored vehicles. According to eyewitnesses, explosions and firefights from automatic weapons were heard in the north of the capital during the weekend. According to official information, the militants were linked to drug trafficking. However, according to some independent sources, the opponents of the military were radical oppositionists. President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov admitted that intelligence officers were killed as a result of the fighting.

Administrative-territorial division

According to the information of Turkmenstat on the administrative-territorial division of Turkmenistan by regions, as of January 5, 2018, the city of Ashgabat was divided into four etraps:

• Berkararlyk (former Azatlyk, Soviet) - 7,500 ha;
• Kopetdag (former Proletarian) - 15,053 ha;
• Bagtyyarlyksky (formerly named after President Niyazov, Leninsky) - 25,846 hectares;
• Buzmeinsky - 43,361 hectares.

Population

According to the official data of the State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics as of January 1, 2012, 12.7% of the population of Turkmenistan lived in Ashgabat. At the same time, estimates of the country's population are not officially published, the population census was conducted on December 15-26, 2012, preliminary results should have been published as early as July-August 2013, but the census results (as of January 2018) were never published. A new census of the population of Turkmenistan is scheduled for December 17-27, 2022.

According to the previous census of 1995, the population of the city was 604.7 thousand people, and according to the official estimate for 2001 - 712 thousand people. As of July 1, 2002, the official population estimate was 743 thousand people, in the middle of 2003 the population of Ashgabat was officially estimated at 790 thousand people (13% of the country's population), and on November 18, 2005, it was officially announced that the 900 thousandth milestone was reached (13 .4% of the country's population).

Cyclists and pedestrians

The urban layout is very friendly to pedestrians and cyclists. There are a large number of walking paths, while bicycle paths are just beginning to appear.

Libraries

• State Library of Turkmenistan - founded in 1895.
• Magtymguly Central Library.
• Turkmen State Children's Library named after B. Amanov - founded in 1935.
• Turkmen State Scientific Medical Library - founded in 1940.
• Central Scientific Library of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan - founded in 1941.

Education

Ashgabat is one of the most important educational centers of Turkmenistan; a significant number of educational facilities are concentrated in the city. As of the academic year 2013/14, 26.7 thousand students studied in 19 universities of the capital, 114.7 thousand students studied in 139 schools.

• Turkmen State University named after Magtymguly
• International Turkmen-Turkish University
• Turkmen State Medical University
• Turkmen Agricultural University named after S. A. Niyazov
• State Academy of Arts of Turkmenistan
• Turkmen Institute of National Economy
• Turkmen State Institute of Culture
• Turkmen State Institute of Transport and Communications
• National Institute of Sports and Tourism of Turkmenistan of the State Committee for Tourism and Sports of Turkmenistan
• Turkmen National Institute of World Languages ​​named after Azadi
• Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan
• Turkmen State Institute of Economics and Management
• Turkmen State Financial Institute
• Turkmen National Conservatory
• Military Academy of Turkmenistan named after. Saparmurad Turkmenbashi
• Military Institute. Saparmurad Turkmenbashi Ministry of Defense of Turkmenistan
• Police Academy of Turkmenistan named after. Army General S. A. Niyazov
• Institute of Border Guards of the State Border Service of Turkmenistan
• Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Civil Engineering
• International University for the Humanities and Development
• International University of Oil and Gas

The science

In 1951, the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan was founded in Ashgabat. In 2014, a large Technology Center of the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan was put into operation in the Bikrov region.

Sport

Both amateur and professional sports are highly developed in Ashgabat. The city has 5 stadiums with more than 1000 seats, sports halls, sports palaces, indoor facilities with artificial ice, and swimming pools. Among them: the Olympic Stadium, the Ashgabat Stadium, the National Olympic Ice Palace, the Winter Sports Complex, the Olympic Water Sports Complex, the Kopetdag Stadium.

On December 19, 2010, the city of Ashgabat was chosen as the venue for the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, becoming the first city to receive the right to host these games. Since 2010, the Olympic Village, a multifunctional sports complex, which will include more than 30 facilities, including a Paralympic complex and a rehabilitation center, has been under construction in the south of Ashgabat.

Professional sports clubs based in the city:

• Football: FC "Altyn Asyr", FC "Ashgabat", FC MTTU, SC "Khazyna" - play in the Championship of Turkmenistan. The famous football club FC Kopetdag, founded in 1947, plays in the First League of Turkmenistan.
• Hockey: HC "Burgut" is one of the strongest clubs in Turkmenistan; HC Alp Arslan, youth HC Bagtyyarlyk, youth HC Galkan, HC Shir, HC Oguzhan also train in Ashgabat.

Ashgabat hosts the largest international equestrian center in Turkmenistan. It is located in the Ruhabat etrap of the city on Kopetdag Avenue next to the National Museum of Wildlife of Turkmenistan. The total area of ​​the complex is 90 hectares. The hippodrome allows for both horse racing and running.

healthcare

A modern paid national healthcare system has been created in Turkmenistan. The number of family doctors in 2013 amounted to 490 people, nurses - 3.8 thousand people. The number of hospital beds amounted to 3.6 thousand units. There are large medical institutions:

• The International Traumatology Center was built in 2011 and is the largest trauma center in the country.
• The Cancer Center is a clinical medical and preventive institution where care is provided to patients with benign and malignant neoplasms, established in 2009.
• Central Hospital named after Saparmurat Turkmenbashi - designed for 120 patients, built in 2001 in the village of Bikrova.
• Dental center.
• Pharmaceutical enterprise for the production of infusion solutions.

Directorate of International Medical Centers

As part of the national healthcare system, a modern medical town has been created in Ashgabat - the Directorate of International Medical Centers. It consists of:

• The International Center for the Treatment of Eye Diseases is one of the largest eye centers in the city, located in the south of the capital.
• International Medical Center
• International Center for Internal Medicine
• International Diagnostic Center
• International Center for Maternal and Child Health "Ene Myahri"
• International Head and Neck Center

Office of Centers for Infectious Diseases

On September 1, 2010, six new clinics were opened in the northern part of the Turkmen capital, united by the Office of the Centers for Infectious Diseases of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan. The complex includes:

• Central Dermatovenerological Hospital;
• Tuberculosis Treatment and Prevention Center;
• Treatment and Prevention Center for Infectious Diseases;
• Center for AIDS Prevention;
• Centralized laboratory;
• Blood center.

Culture and art

monuments

Monument to Alexander Pushkin

Theaters

• Main Drama Theater named after Saparmurat Turkmenbashi the Great
• Mollanepes Student Theater
• Magtymguly National Music and Drama Theater
• Turkmen National Youth Theater named after Alp Arslan
• Turkmen State Puppet Theater
• State Russian Drama Theater named after A. S. Pushkin
• Turkmen State Circus

Cinemas

There are several cinemas in Ashgabat. In 2011, the first 3D cinema in Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, was built. The cinemas "Vatan" and "Turkmenistan" were reconstructed.

Museums

• The State Museum of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan is the largest state museum established in the early 1990s. Branches:
  • Museum "Garashsyzlyk"
  • Museum "Galkynysh"
  • Museum "Bitaraplyk"
• Museum of Fine Arts of Turkmenistan named after. Saparmurat Turkmenbashi the Great is an art museum founded in 1927. One of the largest in Central Asia.
• Turkmen Carpet Museum - founded in 1993. The museum contains several hundred of the best examples of carpets, the oldest of which dates back to the 17th century. There is also the world's second largest handmade carpet - "The Golden Age of the Great Saparmurat Turkmenbashi", whose area is almost 301 m², and weighs more than a ton.
• The National Museum of Wildlife of Turkmenistan is a state zoological park in the suburbs of Ashgabat. The newest in Turkmenistan. Opened in 2010. The total area of ​​the zoo is 40 hectares.

Parks and squares

The oldest park in the city is "Ashgabat", founded in 1887. In the very center of the city there is the "Inspiration" square - an art and park complex, which is a favorite vacation spot for citizens. The amusement park "World of fairy tales" is a local version of Disneyland. There are parks in the city: "Gunesh", "Independence", "Turkmen-Turkish friendship", squares: "10 years of independence of Turkmenistan", named after. Makhtumkuli, Arkadag Park, Zelili, Chyrchyk, Trade Union, Oath, Eastern Boulevard, VDNKh, March 8, Shayoly, Gyorogly, Dolphin, 15 years of independence”, “Rukhyet”.

Attractions

• Cultural and entertainment center "Alem"- a cultural and entertainment center located on the Archabil Highway, 95 meters high. The enclosed Ferris wheel installed inside the center is the largest in the world today.

Monument of Independence of Turkmenistan.

• Memorial Complex " Halk hakydasy» - a memorial complex in honor of honoring those who died in the Geoktepe battle, the war of 1941-1945, as well as commemorating the victims of the Ashgabat earthquake in 1948. The monument is located in the southwestern part of Ashgabat.
• Monument to the holy book "Rukhnama"- a giant monument in the form of Saparmurat Niyazov's book, erected in Independence Park.
• Hotel "Oguzkent" - a luxury hotel of the group of hotels " Sofitel».
• Near Ashgabat is the historical and cultural reserve "Nisa" - settlements of the III century BC. e. - 3rd century AD e.
• The main flag of Turkmenistan is the fourth highest flagpole in the world.
• Fountain complex "Oguzhan and sons" at the entrance to the international airport of Ashgabat, included in the Guinness Book of Records as uniting the largest number of fountains in a public place. The architectural and sculptural ensemble, which was opened in June 2008, depicts the legendary ancestor of the Turkic peoples Oguz Khan and his six sons: Gun Khan (“Lord of the Sun”), Ai Khan (“Lord of the Moon”), Yildyz Khan ( "Lord of the Star"), Gek Khan ("Lord of the Sky"), Dag Khan ("Lord of the Mountains") and Dengiz Khan ("Lord of the Sea"). According to the Guinness Book of Records, this complex includes 27 synchronized, illuminated and fully programmable fountains with a total area of ​​​​about 15 hectares.
• Palace complex "Oguzhan"(Turkm. “Oguzhan” Köşgi) is the residence of the President of Turkmenistan. It was built in May 2011 instead of an old, small palace located nearby.

Mosques

• The Ertogrulgazy Mosque (turkm. Ertugrul Gazi metjidi) is a Turkish-style mosque built as a gift from the Turkish government.
• Mosque in the Kyoshi area
• Mosque in 8 microdistrict
• Iranian mosque

Churches

• Church of the Holy Right-Believing Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky- Russian Orthodox Cathedral.
• Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker
• Prayer House of the Resurrection of Christ

Mass media

TV tower in Ashgabat.

On one of the ridges of the "Kopetdag" mountain system of Ashgabat, there is the Television and Radio Broadcasting Center "Turkmenistan", which is the tallest architectural structure in the city. The height of the TV tower is 211 meters. The eight-pointed star of Oguz Khan, which adorns it, is recognized as the world's largest architectural image of a star and is included in the Guinness Book of Records. Illuminated at night with a powerful backlight, the tower is visible from almost anywhere in the city. An observation deck is located on the 30th floor of the TV tower. The city broadcasts seven television channels. All Turkmen channels broadcast from Ashgabat. The city has its own TV channel - "Ashgabat". The following radio stations also broadcast in Ashgabat: the first channel of the Turkmen radio "Vatan" (its LW frequency of 279 kHz is also received in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and the southern regions of Russia), the second channel of the Turkmen radio "Char tarapdan ”, the third channel of the Turkmen radio Miras, the fourth channel of the Turkmen radio Ovaz.

They all broadcast on VHF, LW, MW, FM bands (analog broadcasting) and digital DAB band (multiplexes 6B and 10B).

Famous people of Ashgabat

International relationships

twin cities

• , China

Partner cities

Diplomatic and consular missions

Embassy of Russia in Ashgabat.

Embassies of 30 internationally recognized states are located in Ashgabat. 28 out of 30 diplomatic missions are embassies, one is a nunciature and one is an economic cooperation bureau, as well as representations of fifteen international organizations

International organizations

Ashgabat has:

• Representative offices of the United Nations, UNICEF, Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
• United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy
• OSCE Center
• European Union Contact Office
• Representation of the Agency under the Government of Turkey TIKA
• Representation of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• Representative office of the Asian Development Bank

Notes

1. Turkmen leader replaces two vice-premiers in 2016 | Chronicle of Turkmenistan
2. A capital looking to the future. // turkmenistan.gov.tm (November 09, 2013)
3. Two city etraps have been renamed in Ashgabat. Archived from the original on November 10, 2013. // news.asgabat.net (May 31, 2013)
4. Postal codes (POÇTA INDEKSLERI). "Türkmenpoçta" Poçta aragatnaşygy döwlet kompaniýasynyň Archived from the original on September 13, 2013. // turkmenpost.gov.tm
5. White marble Ashgabat is in the Guinness Book of Records. // turkmenistan.gov.tm
6. Ashgabat entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most white marble city. // ria.ru (May 25, 2013)
7. Ashgabat is recognized as the most white marble city in the world // bbc.co.uk (May 25, 2013)
8. Prospects for Ashgabat: new urban environment and transport infrastructure. // turkmenistan.gov.tm (November 28, 2013)
9. State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics. Administrative-territorial division of Turkmenistan by regions as of January 1, 2014. stat.gov.tm. Archived from the original on November 12, 2014.
10. Book: "Ashgabat - in the Guinness Book of Records". Photo gallery. © Türkmen döwlet neşirýat gullugy, 2013. // ashgabat.gov.tm
11. State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics. Socio-economic situation of the city of Ashgabat and velayats in 2011. stat.gov.tm. Retrieved May 23, 2012. Archived from the original on March 21, 2013.
12. Turkmenistan. administrative units. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. // geohive.com
13. Over the year, the population of Turkmenistan increased by 5%. // turkmenistan.ru (July 30, 2002)
14. The 900,000th resident was born in the capital of Turkmenistan last night. // turkmenistan.ru (November 18, 2005)
15. Encyclopedia "Around the World". Ashgabat city. // vokrugsveta.ru (version 20:25, September 17, 2010)
16. Encyclopedia of the TSSR. Publishing house "The main edition of the Turkmen Soviet Encyclopedia", Ashgabat, 1984
17. Ashgabat // Great Soviet Encyclopedia: [in 30 volumes] / ch. ed. A. M. Prokhorov. - 3rd ed. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969-1978.
18. Decree of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation of August 17, 1995 No. 1495 "On the spelling of the names of the states - the former republics of the USSR and their capitals." // bestpravo.com
19. Ovez Gundogdiev. How old is Ashgabat? A well-known Turkmen scientist does not agree with the generally accepted opinion that the history of the city began in 1881. // turkmenistan.ru (November 11, 2004)
20. Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books. Big encyclopedic dictionary. Agriculture. Karakum Canal named after V.I. Lenin. // cnshb.ru
21. V. G. Yan. "The blue distances of Asia: travel notes". // Lights on barrows: Tales, stories, M .: Soviet writer, 1985. - S. 597-677.
22. A. A. Nikonov - "Ashgabat earthquake: problems and solutions half a century after the disaster." Archived from the original on May 20, 2001. // scgis.ru
23. The President of Turkmenistan took part in the mourning ceremony on the occasion of the National Day of Remembrance. tdh.gov.tm. Turkmen State News Agency (October 6, 2009).
24. Turkmenbashi turned Ashgabat into a history textbook, kommersant.ru (March 20, 2001).
25. Turkmen violence "drug related", BBC News (14 September 2008).
26. President of Turkmenistan: Military killed in clashes, Gazeta.ru (September 16, 2008).
27. State Committee of Turkmenistan on Statistics. Stages of the 2012 population and housing census of Turkmenistan. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. //stat.gov.tm
28. Complete census of population and housing stock to be held in Turkmenistan in 2022
29. USA. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The World Factbook. Central Asia. Turkmenistan. // cia.gov (page last updated on May 30, 2014)
30. United States Census Bureau. International Data Base. Mid-year Population by Single Year Age Groups - Custom Region - Turkmenistan. Archived from the original on January 4, 2015. // census.gov
31. In the capital of Turkmenistan, they were allowed to register non-residents. // lenta.ru (September 18, 2012)
32. according to TSB
33. "Modern Explanatory Dictionary". Publishing house "Great Soviet Encyclopedia", 1997
34. Cognitive magazine "School of Life". Author: Ivan Paziy. “What didn’t we know about the 1948 earthquake in Ashgabat?” // shkolazhizni.ru (October 5, 2008)
35. Two architectural landmarks of Ashgabat were awarded at the international competition. // turkmenistan.ru/ru (September 29, 2012)
36. Ashgabat is a white marble garden city and the capital of Neutral Turkmenistan. // fishki.net (May 26, 2011)
37. The future of the white marble capital. Before the eyes of contemporaries, Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan, is turning into a major urban center. // turkmenistan.gov.tm (December 5, 2012)
38. Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. // ashgabathotels.ru
39. Ashgabat. Parks, squares and entertainment centers. ashgabat.gov.tm.
40. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the opening of the largest shopping and entertainment center
41. Ashgabat Shopping Mall (2007) Archived October 5, 2013. // polimeks.com
42. The new birth of the mall
43. The new Altyn Asyr market will become a symbol of Turkmenistan's well-being. // turkmenistan.ru (February 12, 2011)
44. Khyakimlik officials went hunting. // chrono-tm.org (April 29, 2013)
45. "Made in Turkmenistan". // turkmenistan.ru (March 17, 2005)
46. TMCELL starts connecting subscribers to the LTE network // tmcell.tm (September 17, 2013)
47. Narrow-gauge railways of Akhal velayat and Ashgabat city
48. The President of Turkmenistan took part in the opening of three facilities dedicated to the 15th anniversary of the country's independence (October 18, 2006)
49. The metro in Turkmenistan will probably be built by St. Petersburg companies, : Komsomolskaya Pravda.
50. Information and analytical portal «PR.kg» / News / Central Asia / June 17 / St. Petersburg will help Ashgabat to build a metro
51. National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus.: COUNCIL OF THE REPUBLIC:. Mikhail Pavlov called for strengthening cooperation between Minsk and Ashgabat (unavailable link)
52. The President of Turkmenistan inspected the construction of road transport and social facilities in Ashgabat
53. A monorail road is being built in the Olympic Village (March 12, 2014)
54. Ashgabat railway station to be reconstructed by 2009
55. Transport and communications (May 12, 2013).
56. Turkmenistan: golden age (September 4, 2014)
57. The largest airport in Central Asia will be built in Ashgabat. trend.az (January 30, 2013).
58. The passenger terminal of the new International Airport was opened in Ashgabat (March 27, 2014).
59. The small terminal will serve air passengers
60. The national airline of Turkmenistan will open a number of new flights
61. Berdimuhamedov ordered to put all Turkmen on bicycles
62. Turkmens will switch to bicycles on September 1.
63. Socio-economic situation of the city of Ashgabat and velayats in 2011. Archived from the original on March 21, 2013.
64. President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the opening of the Technology Center // turkmenistan.gov.tm (June 12, 2014)
65. In 2017, Turkmenistan will host the V Asian Indoor Games. // turkmenistan.ru (December 20, 2010)
66. "Heavenly" horses are our pride and glory. Festive celebrations at the International Equestrian Complex. // .turkmenistan.gov.tm (April 29, 2012)
67. Electronic newspaper "Turkmenistan: golden age". In the name of the health and well-being of the people of Turkmenistan. // turkmenistan.gov.tm (July 21, 2012)
68. Two new medical centers have been opened in Ashgabat. // turkmenistan.ru (October 24, 2001)
69. Electronic newspaper "Turkmenistan: golden age". Celebrations on the occasion of the opening and laying of the foundation of new healthcare facilities. // turkmenistan.gov.tm (July 19, 2013)
70. The first in the region Center for the Treatment of Eye Diseases was opened in Turkmenistan. // turkmenistan.ru (July 22, 2011)
71. Six new medical institutions opened in Ashgabat. // turkmenistan.ru (September 1, 2010)
72. Ashgabat residents got the opportunity to watch 3D movies
73. Museums
74. Turkmen Carpet Museum (unavailable link)
75. Ashgabat's oldest park to be reconstructed
76. The “Temple of Happiness” has opened in Turkmenistan - this is the name of the first Wedding Palace in the country
77. Park of culture and recreation "Arkadag" opened in the capital of Turkmenistan
78. The President of Turkmenistan took part in the opening of the memorial complex and the mourning events of the Day of Remembrance
79. Amangeldy Nurmuradov. The world record for fountains has been set in Turkmenistan. RIA Novosti (August 30, 2010). Retrieved August 30, 2010. Archived from the original on August 22, 2011.
80. The new residence of the President of Turkmenistan was the Oguzhan Palace Complex. // turkmenistan.ru (May 19, 2011)
81. Parishes. List of parishes of the Patriarchal Deanery in Turkmenistan. // pravoslavie.tm
82. Turkmenistan again got into the Guinness Book of Records. // vesti.ru (October 31, 2011)
83. Turkmen megalomania again got into the Guinness Book of Records. // trud.ru (October 31, 2011)
84. The sixth channel will appear on Turkmen television. // turkmenistan.ru (February 21, 2011)
85. Official site. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan. Diplomatic missions of foreign states and international organizations accredited in Turkmenistan. // mfa.gov.tm
86. UN News Centre. The Security Council discussed the activities of the Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia. // un.org (July 15, 2011)
87. OSCE Center in Ashgabat // osce.org

Links

• Official site
• Information portal of the city of Ashgabat
• Askhabad // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
• Askhabad // Great Soviet Encyclopedia: in 66 volumes (65 volumes and 1 additional) / ch. ed. O. Yu. Schmidt. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1926-1947.
• - article from the Great Soviet Encyclopedia.
• "City of Serdar" - Around the World
• A. A. Nikonov "Ashgabat earthquake: problems and solutions half a century after the disaster." Vestnik OGGGGN RAS, No. 2(4), 1998 (special issue)
• Ashgabat, educational film
• Ashgabat city tourism
• Book: "Ashgabat - in the Guinness Book of Records". Photo gallery. © Türkmen döwlet neşirýat gullugy, 2013. // ashgabat.gov.tm

The name of the city comes from the Persian - populated, comfortable.

From the moment of its foundation in 1881 until 1919, the city was called Ashkhabad, in 1919-1927 - Poltoratsk in honor of the revolutionary figure P. G. Poltoratsky, since 1927 - Ashgabat.

After the declaration of independence by Turkmenistan on October 27, 1991, a number of names of settlements were renamed. In this regard, in the Russian-language media of Turkmenistan, including electronic ones, the city was called Ashgabat, since it is this form that most of all corresponds to the original Turkmen name.

Currently, in the legislative acts of Turkmenistan (in their texts in Russian), in the official media, on the official websites, the capital of Turkmenistan is called Ashgabat.

Population

Turkmens make up more than 3/4 of the population (77%). Russians, Uzbeks, Azerbaijanis, Turks, Armenians, Persians, Ukrainians, Kazakhs, Tatars also live in the city, in total more than 100 nationalities.
Story
The city of Askhabad was founded on the site of a Turkmen settlement in 1881 as a border military fortification and the administrative center of the Trans-Caspian region, and was controlled by a military administration. It consisted of many clay houses with orchards, located on straight, designed streets. For a long time it was one-story, because after several earthquakes it was forbidden to build higher. The population of the city at the beginning of the century was small, so in 1901 it was 36.5 thousand people, of which 11.2 thousand Persians, 10.7 thousand Russians, 14.6 thousand Armenians, Azerbaijanis and other nationalities. The Turkmens lived outside the city in their camps.
From 1881 to 1918 the city was the administrative center of the Transcaspian region, from 1918 to 1925. the administrative center of the Turkmen region.

In February 1925, Ashgabat (at that time called Poltoratsk in honor of the Bolshevik Poltoratsky) received the official status of the capital of the Turkmen SSR.

On October 6, 1948, a catastrophic earthquake occurred in Ashgabat, which is considered one of the most destructive earthquakes - the force in the epicentral region was 9-10 points, the magnitude of the earthquake was M = 7.3. As a result of the earthquake in Ashgabat, 90-98% of all buildings were destroyed. According to various estimates, from 1/2 to 2/3 of the city's population died (that is, from 60 to 110 thousand people, since information about the number of inhabitants is inaccurate). At present, Turkmenistan believes that the earthquake claimed the lives of 176,000 Turkmens. A large number of victims was associated with the timing of the earthquake and architectural features (a large number of buildings with flat roofs). 4 divisions were transferred to the city to deal with the consequences of the earthquake, carry out search and rescue operations and bury the victims.

In 1962, the Karakum Canal was brought to Ashgabat, which made it possible to solve the problem of a chronic lack of water in the city.

In 2008, there was an armed uprising of militants in Ashgabat, which went down in history as the Ashgabat rebellion. The armed uprising in the city took place on September 10-14, 2008. According to official information, the militants were connected with drug trafficking]. To suppress the rebels who settled in the capital's Khitrovka district, the authorities used heavy armored vehicles. At least nine people died on the part of law enforcement agencies.

Administrative-territorial division

Ashgabat is divided into 5 etraps: Azatlyk, Kopetdag, named after President S. A. Niyazov, Chandybil and Archabil. The Archabil etrap also includes the village of Archabil (formerly Firyuza) without the formation of its own self-government bodies.

Geography

Ashgabat is located in the south of Turkmenistan, 25 km north of the border with Iran on the Turan lowland.

The city is located in the Akhal oasis on the Kopetdag foothill plain. From the south - the Kopetdag mountains, from the north - the Karakum desert. Height above sea level - 214-240 m. In 1962, the Karakum Canal was brought to the city.

The climate of Ashgabat is subtropical inland, with mild, but for such a latitude, relatively cold winters and exceptionally hot summers. Ashgabat is one of the hottest cities in the world, temperatures above +45 °C are possible in summer. Precipitation is 199 mm per year, there is practically no precipitation in summer. Winter is short, but with strong intrusions of arctic air from the north, frosts sometimes occur below -10 °C. Permanent snow cover is formed only in severe winters.
Period of the Russian Empire

During the time of the Russian Empire, Ashgabat was a city with a rectangular network of streets combined with a radial one, it was dominated by adobe houses with flat roofs.
Economy
The economy of Ashgabat is mainly represented by industry, financial institutions and a wide trading network. The total gross domestic product of Ashgabat in 2008, according to some estimates, amounted to about 9 billion US dollars.

5 km north of Ashgabat is the famous oriental bazaar "Jygyllyk" (Tolkuchka). The Ýimpaş Shopping Center (Yimpash) is especially popular.
cellular

There is one mobile operator in the city: Altyn Asyr is a national company that started operating in 2007. Since 2010, there has been a “third generation” (3G) network with support for HSPA technology, at the time of launch, the 3G network covers the central districts of the city of Ashgabat, as well as the International Airport of the capital. Since December 21, 2010, the cellular communication of the Russian mobile operator MTS Turkmenistan has been disconnected for an indefinite period of time.

Transport
Public urban transport is currently represented by trolleybuses and buses. Trolleybus traffic in the city was opened on October 19, 1964. At the beginning of the 20th century, a narrow-gauge steam-powered railway was in operation, connecting the city with the suburb "Firyuza" (39 km northeast of the city center).

In 2008, the construction of a ring highway around Ashgabat began, the purpose of which is to relieve traffic flows in the capital and provide a new, more convenient route for transit transport.
Archabil Highway
Avenue of Neutrality

Ashgabat Metro

In 2008, the upcoming construction of the subway was announced.

Airports

In the north of the city, there is the International Airport named after Saparmurat Turkmenbashi, which connects Ashgabat by air with major cities of the republic, CIS countries and Europe. On the territory of the former old airport there is a bus station, from where bus routes run to cities and regions of the country.

The railway Turkmenbashi (Krasnovodsk) - Mary - Turkmenabad (Chardzhou) passes through the city. In May 2009, the reconstruction of the railway station was completed.

Today, the Turkmen capital amazes with the whiteness of its modern buildings. Ashgabat is included in the Guinness Book of Records as a city with the largest number of buildings decorated with white marble in the world. There are 543 such houses here.

The city organically combines the age-old traditions of the East and modern technologies, giant pompous monuments and green squares, spacious avenues and beautiful fountains. Tourists go to Ashgabat to see the flavor of the oriental bazaars, as well as enjoy the beauty of modern architecture.

The sights of the capital of Turkmenistan include the residence of the president of the country - the Oguzhan palace complex, the Ertogrulgazy mosque and the Cathedral of St. Prince Alexander Nevsky of the 19th century. Famous architectural monuments are the Mekan Palace, as well as the buildings of the Ashgabat Conservatory and the Academic Drama Theater.

Devastating earthquake in the middle of the 20th century

In 1948, Ashgabat suffered a terrible ordeal. In early October, a powerful earthquake occurred here, which had a force of 7.3 points. Its center was located directly under the city, at a depth of 18 km. Tremors occurred at night, when the townspeople were at home and sleeping. As a result of the disaster, over 90% of all buildings were destroyed, and more than 100 thousand people died under the rubble - about 2/3 of the city's residents. After the disaster, the capital of Turkmenistan was practically wiped off the face of the earth.

In addition to Ashgabat itself, nearby villages in neighboring regions of Turkmenistan and on the territory of Iran were badly damaged. Dwelling houses were destroyed, especially mud-brick buildings. The earthquake destroyed industrial production, communications, water supply and sewerage systems, power lines and roads. Cultural values ​​and archives perished under the ruins.

After the terrible earthquake, Ashgabat was restored and rebuilt, so no old architectural monuments have been preserved here. Since 1995, October 6 has been celebrated in Turkmenistan as the Day of Remembrance.

Sights of Ashgabat

In the Guinness Book of Records, Ashgabat is marked not only by a large number of white marble buildings. It has the highest flagpole on the planet - 133 m, and citizens and guests of the capital can ride on the largest closed Ferris wheel on Earth.

And that is not all! In 2008, a huge fountain complex was built in Ashgabat, dedicated to the legendary founder of all Turkic tribes, Oguzkhan, and his six sons. In the complex, on an area of ​​15 hectares, 27 fountains operate synchronously, for the illumination of which solar energy is used. The fountain complex is decorated with statues of epic heroes and stands near the highway that links the airport and city blocks.

One of the unusual sights of Ashgabat is a monument to a book written by Turkmenbashi. The book "Rukhname", which means "spirituality", is especially revered by all the inhabitants of the country. In this work, the first president of Turkmenistan described the history of the state, his biography and outlined the moral and ethical commandments that Turkmens should be guided by.

The monument has the height of a two-story house and is located on the southern outskirts of Ashgabat, in Independence Park. At night, the pages of the book “open” and visitors can watch documentaries about the achievements of Turkmenistan. It is interesting that the Turkmens devoted a separate public holiday to the book written by Turkmenbashi. Every year on September 12, Rukhname Day is solemnly celebrated throughout the country.

Independence Park is spread over an area of ​​140 hectares. This is a beautifully designed green area with neat walking paths, benches and fountains. Located in its center, the Independence Monument is a column rising up to 118 meters. It is decorated with a crescent and five stars, which have become symbols of the unity of the five main Turkmen tribes. At the bottom of the column is a building in the form of a yurt - the Museum of Independence, and opposite the giant monument stands a gold-covered statue of the first president of Turkmenistan.

There are many monuments to national heroes in Independence Park, as well as a large amphitheater where concerts are held. In the north of the park there is a pyramidal building, the first floor of which is occupied by shops, and the second floor is occupied by offices. The modern shopping center rests on the original five-pointed base, and the locals call it "Five-legged".

In Ashgabat, you can see one of the tallest structures in the country - a giant monument of Neutrality, rising 95 meters into the sky. It is located on Bitarap Turkmenistan Avenue, in the south of the city. The huge monument is crowned with a gilded sculpture of the country's first president, which is 12 meters high. Due to the turning mechanism, the sculpture rotates following the movement of the sun, and the city blocks are perfectly visible from the circular observation platforms.

The Museum of Neutrality has been opened inside the unusual monument, three halls of which are dedicated to the life of modern Turkmenistan. The adjacent park is equipped with beautiful cascading fountains, picturesque gazebos and small cafes.

Capital entertainment

Several cinemas and theaters have been opened in Ashgabat, as well as the Turkmen State Puppet Theater and a circus. The city has many equipped walking areas and squares. Ashgabat parks are very popular with local residents and tourists, the oldest of which was laid out in 1887.

In the center of the capital there is a beautiful art and entertainment complex, which is called the "Alley of Inspiration". Trees have been planted along the channel of the artificial river and picturesque flower beds have been created. Here you can see many monuments erected in honor of famous Turkmen writers, thinkers and scientists.

The Ashgabat version of Disneyland is represented by an amusement park, which is located in the center of the capital. It is called "The world of Turkmenbashi's fairy tales". The park was opened in 2006 and cost the state treasury $50 million. Open and closed entertainment zones, decorated in the traditions of national folklore, have been created on 33 hectares. To make it easier for visitors to move around a large area, the Karakum Express runs through the park, designed for 72 passengers.

In the park, you can see miniature images of the main historical and cultural monuments of the country, its natural attractions, as well as animals living in Turkmenistan. The "World of Turkmenbashi's Fairy Tales" has many attractions, an indoor park in the form of a magical mountain, as well as a Ferris wheel stylized as a female Turkmen jewelry "gulyaka". Ethnographic sights of different countries and peoples are exhibited in the "Gallery of the Villages of the Peoples of the World", and the "Paradise River" presents the guests of the park with a large aquarium where Caspian fish live.

Another place in Ashgabat where you can have an interesting time is the giant Alem cultural and entertainment center. The stepped pyramid of the center rises to a height of 95 m and has a large Ferris wheel inside with a diameter of 57 m. An interactive Space Museum welcomes guests in the Alema basement.

Museums of the capital of Turkmenistan

The largest museum in Ashgabat bears the ornate name of the State Museum of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan. It used to be called the "Main National Museum". It was created in 1998 on Archabil Avenue and today is open to visitors from 9.00 to 18.00 on any day except Tuesday.

The three-story museum complex covers an area of ​​15,000 m² and is a vivid example of modern Turkmen architecture, which uses expensive finishing materials, an abundance of decorative elements, openwork metal lattices and stained-glass windows. The territory adjacent to the museum is richly decorated with flower beds, fountains and a colonnade with sculptures of winged horses.

The expositions of the museum are devoted to the history and ethnography of the Turkmen people, as well as to the presidential power in Turkmenistan. Over 165,000 unique exhibits are exhibited in seven thematic galleries. Artifacts found during archaeological excavations in ancient Turkmen cities, rich collections of national clothes, skillfully made weapons, multi-colored carpets and jewelry are kept here. In several halls dedicated to the country's presidents, their personal belongings, the most valuable gifts, rare photographs and documents are exhibited.

Many tourists who come to Ashgabat try to get into the one-of-a-kind Turkmen Carpet Museum. It was created in 1993 to preserve the history and unique traditions of local carpet weaving. The halls of the museum contain a collection of rare handmade carpets, the oldest of which was woven in the 17th century. Here you can also see a carpet made in 2001. It has the status of the largest in the world. The carpet weighs over a ton and has an area of ​​301 m². The smallest carpet put on public display is made as a keychain for carrying keys. The museum collection has more than 2000 items and is constantly updated. Experienced craftsmen in a specially created restoration workshop are engaged in the restoration of old carpet products, which then end up in museum halls.

Of the art museums in Ashgabat, the Museum of Fine Arts stands out in particular. It was established in 1927 and today is considered the largest in Central Asia. A spacious three-story building stands in the city center, next to the government quarter. The paintings presented here are placed in 11 halls. In addition to the works of Turkmen artists, the museum displays paintings and drawings by Asian and European masters. The museum is open from 9.00 to 18.00 except Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday.

In the suburb of Ashgabat Gekdere, on an area of ​​40 hectares, there is a city zoo, which the residents of the Turkmen capital call the “National Museum of Wildlife”. It was built in 2010. On the territory there are enclosures with animals of the African savannas, predators, ungulates and birds, as well as aquariums with fish from the Caspian Sea. The zoo has a lot of greenery, fountains and large artificial ponds.

Excursions around Ashgabat

18 km west of the Turkmen capital, on the outskirts of the ancient village of Bagir, there are the ruins of the ancient city of Nisa, built by King Mithridates I. From the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD, Nisa was the capital of the powerful Parthian kingdom.

Among the ruins of the ancient city, the remains of two fortresses, temples, the royal residence and treasury, as well as the burial places of the Arsacid rulers, have been preserved. Old Nisa has an original architecture that has no analogues in Central Asia. The fortress walls at the base are 9 m thick, and along the perimeter they were reinforced with powerful quadrangular towers.

15 km east of Ashgabat is the village of Kipchak, the birthplace of Turkmenbashi. In 2004, a huge white marble mosque named after the “head of the Turkmens” was built in a small village. It has a height of 55 m, and four minarets rise to 92 m. The area of ​​​​the Muslim temple exceeds 18 thousand m², and 10 thousand believers can simultaneously accommodate 10 thousand believers in a giant prayer hall. The floor of the building is made in the form of an eight-pointed star, is heated and covered with a huge handmade carpet. In terms of size, the Turkmenbashi Ruhy Mosque is considered the largest single-dome Muslim temple in the world. Its construction cost the state treasury $100 million.

A mausoleum with five sarcophagi was built next to the temple. In the center of the burial complex there is a sarcophagus, where the body of the first president of the country, Saparmurad Niyazov, rests, and in the corners, in four sarcophagi, mother, father and two brothers of Turkmenbashi are buried. Opposite the mausoleum is a memorial erected in memory of the Turkmens who died during the devastating earthquake of 1948. The village of Kipchak is often visited by foreign delegations and tourists.

In the vicinity of Ashgabat, on the slopes of the Kopetdag ridge, an unusual Health Path has been laid. It is 36 km long and 5 m wide. The footpath is covered with concrete and equipped with lampposts and sources of drinking water.

Local kitchen

Traveling to Ashgabat is a gourmet's dream. In the Turkmen capital, you can try almost all types of meat. The exception is pork, which is prohibited by the laws of Islam, as well as horse meat - it is not allowed to be used in public catering according to sanitary standards. City restaurants serve lamb and beef dishes. Here you can also taste camel meat, meat of mountain goats and other wild artiodactyls.

The most common dishes in Ashgabat are manti and plov. It is interesting that the restaurants of the national smithy offer not one, but several types of pilaf, including fish pilaf “balykly yanakhly-ash”. Tasty cooked white fish caught in the Caspian Sea is very popular with tourists. Turkmens prefer to cook fragrant kebabs from red fish.

Hearty meat soups are cooked in any restaurant - shurpa, bean soup with noodles and light Ashgabat okroshka. Having been in the capital of Turkmenistan, it is worth trying donuts made from yeast dough and fried in oil - “pishme”, and an omelet in Turkmen “heygenek”.

There are a lot of establishments in Ashgabat where you can taste the main Turkmen drinks - well-brewed green and black tea. Very tasty tea with pieces of meat - "chorba", tea with camel milk and tea drink from camel thorns.

In addition to national cuisine, Iranian, Middle Eastern, Central Asian and Italian cuisines are popular in Ashgabat. And, of course, as in any modern large city, there are chain cafes and restaurants - Bellucci, Baskin Robbins, Fitçi House, SubTime, AST and Pizza House.

Shopping and souvenirs

Not far from the Ashgabat airport, on Saturdays and Sundays, the Altyn Asyr or Golden Age bazaar is open. It was built quite recently on the site of a bustling oriental market, which the townspeople called "The Crush". The market rows stretched over an area of ​​154 hectares and accommodate more than 2,100 shops and shops. This place is interesting because from a bird's eye view it looks like a huge carpet. In the center of the bazaar there is a noticeable landmark - a clock tower visible from afar.

"Altyn Asyr" is a place where you can buy inexpensive souvenirs, handicrafts and works of arts and crafts. The noisy bazaar sells colorful skullcaps, brightly colored robes dressed with lambskins and carpets, which are brought here from different parts of the country. There are many cafes and eateries open here, there is even an own hotel and high-speed Internet access. Altyn Asyr is open until 2 pm, so it is better to go to the market early in the morning. From the city it is convenient to get here by taxi.

Another popular place for shopping is the Gulistan shopping center, which the townspeople call the “Russian Bazaar”. It is located in the center of Ashgabat. Here they buy fresh fruits and vegetables, inexpensive shoes and clothes, as well as a variety of souvenirs. The Gulistan complex is covered in white marble and there are many eateries inside. In addition to Altyn Asyr and Gulistan, there are several other oriental bazaars in Ashgabat - Tekinsky, Lelyazar, Ak-yol, Parahat, Tashauzsky, Jennet and others.

Carpet lovers should look at the liveliest "carpet" area of ​​the Turkmen capital - a store that was created at the Ashgabat Museum of Turkmen Carpets. The range of products on display here is amazing. The shop sells simple felt mats, mats, and elaborately woven handmade carpets.

In the city center, next to the university, there is a shop under the Turkmen Ministry of Culture. It sells many beautifully published books about Ashgabat, postcards, booklets and photo albums with views of the capital. For those interested in painting and graphics, it is better to go to the private art gallery "Muhammed", which is open on Gerogly Avenue, house number 83.

Special offers for hotels

Transport

For tourists, the most convenient type of intracity transport is a taxi. Taxi rides in Ashgabat are not expensive, and there are a lot of checkered cars on the streets. It is only necessary to take into account that it is better to negotiate the fare with the driver in advance.

You can also travel around the Turkmen capital by bus. The fare for them is significantly lower, but the speed with which public transport goes around the city cannot be called high.

A cable car operates from the south of Ashgabat. It connects the city with the foothills of the Kopetdag.

In Ashgabat, an "Olympic Village" with an area of ​​157 hectares was built for the upcoming Asian Indoor Games in 2017. Since 2016, a monorail road has been operating in it, with a length of more than 5.1 km, on which there are eight stations.

How to get there

Regular flights fly to the capital of Turkmenistan from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Frankfurt am Main, Minsk, Kiev, Baku, Dhaka, Alma-Ata, Ankara, Bangkok, Beijing, Birmingham, London, Paris , Brno, Delhi, Amritsar, Umurchi, as well as Turkmen cities - Turkmenbashi, Balkanabat, Mary, Dashoguz and Turkmenabad.

Ashgabat International Airport is located 10 km northwest of the city and looks great. His new terminal looks like a large flying falcon spreading its wings. From the airport to the center of Ashgabat can be reached by taxi. In addition, buses No. 1 and No. 18, as well as private minibuses, run along this route.

The city of Ashgabat is the capital of independent and neutral Turkmenistan, the largest administrative, political, transport, trade, scientific and cultural center of the country.

The name of the city comes from the combination of two words "ashk" - love and "abad" - city. Therefore, the Turkmen capital is often called the "city of love", and also the city of youth, eternal youth - the companion of love.

Ashgabat is located in the south of Turkmenistan, 25 km north of the border with Iran, from which it is separated by the Kopetdag ridge with a foothill plain, on the other hand, the great desert of Karakum adjoins the city almost very close.

These places have been chosen by man since time immemorial. Settlements on the territory of modern Ashgabat date back to the Neolithic era, i.e. VI millennium BC The entire foothill strip of the Kopetdag at that time was a chain of agricultural oases with small settlements. About 2500 years ago, a small fortified town arose on this site.

In 1881, on the site of the settlement of Askhabad with an ancient fortress, a frontier military fortification arose, and Askhabad itself became the administrative center of the Transcaspian region. From 1919 to 1927 the city was called Poltoratsk. With the formation of the Turkmen SSR on October 27, 1924, the city became the capital of the republic, and in 1927 it was given the national name Ashgabat.

For a long time, low-rise construction was carried out here due to the seismicity of the area. In 1948, a catastrophic earthquake with a magnitude of 9-10 in the epicentral region occurred in Ashgabat, one of the largest earthquakes of the 20th century. The city was completely destroyed - wiped off the face of the earth! According to various estimates, from 1/2 to 2/3 of the city's population died that day.

Raised from the ruins, Ashgabat was rebuilt and since then has increased its territory many times over.

The third birth of the capital began with the acquisition of state independence by Turkmenistan. Today, Ashgabat continues large-scale construction of schools and preschool institutions, luxury housing, sports and other social facilities, as well as the reconstruction and commissioning of engineering communications and power lines. When shaping the modern image of the capital, much attention is paid to the improvement and landscaping of the territory.

Now the white marble Ashgabat has become one of the most beautiful and comfortable cities in the world, expanding its borders and growing with new residential areas, industrial and park areas.

The transport system of Ashgabat is represented by road, rail and air transport. The capital has an international airport. Ashgabat is the largest communication center of Turkmenistan. A developed network of television and radio communications, digital satellite communications has been created here.

The capital is a major trading center. In the total volume of retail trade turnover of the country, the share of Ashgabat in 2014 amounted to more than 53 percent.

There are 20 higher educational institutions and about 140 secondary schools in the capital. Ashgabat has large research and design institutes.

The capital of Turkmenistan is a cultural and sports center with 6 theatres, 5 state museums and other centers of culture, large sports facilities, including the Olympic Village, the Olympic Water Sports Complex, the Ice Palace and the Winter Sports Complex, an equestrian sports complex.

The city has a recreational institution - Berzengi hydropathic, many parks and recreation areas, leisure centers.

The most outstanding sights of Ashgabat were included in the Guinness Book of Records. Among them are the Ferris wheel of the cultural and entertainment center "Älem", the star of Oguz Khan of the Center for Television and Radio Broadcasting "Turkmenistan". Prior to this, Ashgabat was noted as the city with the largest number of fountains united in a complex: we are talking about the architectural and sculptural ensemble "Oguz Khan". Ashgabat first appeared on the pages of the Book of Records in 2008 thanks to the highest flagpole at that time.