Foto: The Golden statue of Turkmenbashi (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Turkmenistan - Through the large white marble buildings, the wide boulevards, and the expansive parks, the streetscape looks very similar throughout. From the bus, I see the 2x4-lane wide boulevard. White apartment complexes line both sides. In the median lie several fountains. Along the road stand elegant lampposts. The entire street scene gives a fairy-tale impression. I find it a cross between Disneyland and Dubai. I get off at the 10th Anniversary Independence Park. Turkmenistan became independent in 1991. Prominently in the park stands the statue of the first president of independent Turkmenistan, Turkmenbashi. Turkmenbashi used the country’s gas and oil revenues to build the new Ashgabat. Behind Turkmenbashi is the monument honoring the ten-year anniversary of Turkmenistan. Across the street lies the Turkmenistan World of Fairy Tales — an amusement park in the middle of Ashgabat. However, the park is often closed. As I drive further through the city, Maksat tells me about the buildings. Architecturally, one building is even more beautiful than the next. Almost all buildings are predominantly constructed with white marble. On the other side of the city, I visit the Mausoleum of Turkmenbashi. The mausoleum and adjacent mosque lie about ten kilometers outside the city. From a distance, I see the 91-meter-high minarets of the Turkmenbashi mosque. The height of the minarets apparently refers to the year of independence. I arrive at the mausoleum. It is a sterile building. I admire the soldiers standing guard in the blazing sun at the door. One soldier occasionally wipes his forehead. I walk up the wide stairs. Inside, Turkmenbashi lies directly under the large dome. Around him rest his family members. Many relatives perished during the devastating Ashgabat earthquake of 1948. The entire city was wiped out then. The mosque next to the mausoleum is equally impressive. When I stand exactly under the high dome, I truly grasp the mosque’s vastness. The mosque is also entirely dedicated to Turkmenbashi — but that goes for everything here. Back in the city center, I visit the Arch of Neutrality. This monument, topped by a large golden statue of Turkmenbashi, used to stand in the city center. As some young people explained to me yesterday, the statue has been moved to a park on the edge of the center. The statue remains impressive. Unfortunately, the relocation is not yet fully completed. The statue is not yet accessible to visitors. Also, the statue of Turkmenbashi no longer rotates with the sun as it used to.
Sunday market of Ashgabat
Turkmenistan - On Sundays, the traditional Sunday market is held. In the past, this took place in the sand dunes at the edge of the city—a colorful scene of blankets spread out on the sand. Two years ago, the market was moved to new market halls, naturally built from ...
The ancient trading city of Merv
Turkmenistan - It is barely six o’clock in the morning when I am already on the bus. Bachtiar is our guide today. He has taken over from Maksat. He is a cheerful man. Unfortunately, he speaks German, which is not my preferred language. Today, I am on my way to Uzbekistan. ...
The ever-burning gas crater of Derweze
Turkmenistan - We quickly set off towards the gas crater. The road, by Turkmen standards, is good—a wide asphalt road without lane markings. Every now and then, the asphalt is cracked or has large potholes. We’re becoming quite skilled at avoiding the holes. As ...
Yangykala canyon
Turkmenistan - The road to Balkanabat is a good one. Work is underway to widen the road, though why is unclear, as there is hardly any traffic. Both directions can easily use one side of the road during construction. Even when both directions are open, cars drive on ...