About the place
When I first saw Ashgabat's new city, I was left speechless. The sight was almost beyond description—a showpiece metropolis with hundreds of massive, ornate buildings, memorials, monuments, gardens, and public spaces, all built almost entirely of white marble. In fact, Ashgabat holds the Guinness World Record for having the most marble buildings of any city. Billions of dollars were invested to showcase the greatness and capabilities of the Turkmen people. Yet strangely, ordinary Turkmen are rarely seen in this newly constructed part of the city. The buildings and boulevards stand eerily empty. Only occasionally does a cleaner or landscaping worker appear in this surreal scene, their solitary presence emphasizing the vast dimensions of what feels like a ghost town. The overall effect is that of an immense art installation.
Below is a list of some of the most exciting places in this strange city, which might be interesting for you.
Join us on a trip to Turkmenistan with a small group of up to 7 people
First on our list is the Independence Memorial. This impressive monument features a 91-meter concrete tower topped by a 27-meter structure and surrounded by a 10-meter terrace. These dimensions cleverly represent the date of Turkmenistan's independence—27.10.1991.
In front of the Memorial, honor guards stand at attention in nearly 40-degree heat. A policeman periodically attends to the young guards, wiping the sweat from their faces. When I attempted to climb the wide stairs, the policeman gestured that I should use the smaller, secondary path to the Memorial instead of the main entrance. Besides the service staff, we were completely alone in this vast space.
The centerpiece monument is of Saparmurat Niyazov, standing in Independence Park—a sprawling space that encompasses about 140 hectares, nearly half of the capital's total park area.
Another remarkable monument is the Book of the Soul, or Ruhnama, authored by Saparmurat Niyazov. This memorial takes the form of a book whose cover automatically opens daily at 8 pm to play an audio recording of the text. The book combines spiritual and moral guidance with autobiographical elements and a stylized history of Turkmenistan. Niyazov declared (in March 2006) that any student who read the book three times would gain direct entry to Paradise—claiming he had personally negotiated this with God. Remarkably, even after Niyazov's death, the book maintains its prominence, with the current president still endorsing its study in schools. It has been translated into numerous languages, including some quite rare ones.
The Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex, also known as the People's Memory Complex, sits in a prime location with stunning views of the Kopet Dag mountains in the background. The complex features three external exhibits: one commemorating the Gokdepe Battle, another called Ruhy Tagzym dedicated to victims of the 1948 earthquake, and a third honoring those who fell in World War II.
Join us on a trip to Turkmenistan with a small group of up to 7 people
Next, we spotted a wedding in front of a large building—the "House of Happiness" (Bagt köşgi), a famous venue for celebratory rituals. Marriage is sacred in these parts, reflected in this enormous, distinctively designed building that stands in solitary grandeur. The complex offers newlyweds access to 36 shops, 2 cafes, a 22-room hotel, a library, car rental services, and a 300-space underground parking lot—everything one might need for their special day. We saw just one wedding couple there, surrounded by bustling photographers, which only heightened the sense of manufactured happiness and prosperity.
Next, we came upon the teardrop-shaped Yyldyz Hotel (Ýyldyz), a striking 24-story luxury building. The structure rises 107 meters into the sky and contains 155 rooms. Its construction required 7,000 tons of metal and 14,000 square meters of glass. Though surrounded by impressive amenities—a four-lane boulevard, air-conditioned bus stops with TVs, and expansive parks—the area felt deserted. The grand boulevard in front of the hotel stood eerily vacant.
The Neutrality Memorial, constructed in 1998, was originally located in the city center but was later relocated to the outskirts, where visitors can see it today. The monument is crowned with a golden statue of Saparmurat Niyazov and earned its local nickname "Tripod" from the three massive platforms that form its base.
Join us on a trip to Turkmenistan with a small group of up to 7 people
I actually liked the vast parks and gardens. It was relaxing to watch the garden workers taking care of the thousands of newly planted trees and shrubs in contrast to the barren landscape.
Join us on a trip to Turkmenistan with a small group of up to 7 people
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