Ashgabat – A white marble wonderland with a backdrop of mountains.

Ashgabat has recently caught the fancy of tourists. The city is dotted with tall marble buildings, marble statues and other monuments made entirely of white marble. In fact, Ashgabat made it to the Guinness book of world records back in 2013 for having the highest concentration of marble buildings in the world. The first marble marvel that you should see is the Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center. The marble building has a Ferris wheel enclosed in a glass and white steel-casing atop the building which looks spectacular.

The Monument Arch of Neutrality is another architectural marvel. The tower is 75 meters high containing a panoramic viewing deck which gives sweeping views of the city. The Wedding Palace is a civil registry building unlike any in the world. There is an eight-pointed star atop the eleven-story building which encapsulates a ball which is symbolic of the earth with an image of Turkmenistan. The interior design of the palace reflects a very Turkmen style of architecture. The museums in Ashgabat are interesting and give an accurate glimpse of the country’s history. The Ashgabat National Museum of History has over 5,00,000 exhibits where tourists can spend hours looking at ancient art, painting, drawings, sculptures and more. The Museum of Fine Arts has over 6000 works in its collection including paintings, sculptures and graphic works by international artists. The  National Carpet Museum is an unusual museum which has a rich collection of Turkmen carpets dating from medieval times to present day. Ashgabat is also known for its beautiful mosques. The  Ertugrul Gazi Mosque is a prominent building with four minarets, a dome and beautiful interiors.

If tourists are looking to shop then they should head to the famous Bazaars of Ashgabat. The Altyn Asyr bazaar is the largest market of Turkmenistan. Located on the outskirts of Ashgabat, the marketplace has over 2000 shops selling handicraft, jewellery, animals but especially carpets and rugs. Another Bazaar worth a visit is the Russian Bazaar which is frequented by locals. This covered marketplaces houses shops and food stalls and you can observe and interact with the local men and women of the city. If you are looking for a western style mall, then visit Berkarar Mall. It is a  large shopping center with shops and restaurants where you can find international labels. After a long day of sightseeing, tourists can relax at the Independence Park. The park is full of spectacular structures, statues and gardens. Another place which offers panoramic views of the city and its surrounding mountains is the Ashgabat Cable Car. It is a 4 km cableway between Ashgabat and the foothills of the Kopetdag.  

Getting around in Ashgabat is easy as it has a fairly good bus system. Even the bus stops are made of white marble.

Ashgabat is truly a traveller’s delight and offers plenty right from stunning architecture to beautiful handicrafts. Dook Travels has researched and built itineraries which will take travellers to the best sights of Ashgabat, making their stay fun and comfortable.