How is Ashgabat translated? Ashgabat is the most closed city in the world. Russian Empire period

is one of the most beautiful cities in Central Asia, five times awarded a place in the famous Guinness Book of Records. The capital amazes with its splendor, rich white marble architecture, and fountain complexes. But the history of Ashgabat knows many other, less joyful events.

From fortress to city

The history of Ashgabat began in 1881, after the expansion of the borders of the Russian Empire. The tsarist troops reached the Ahal-Teke oasis, occupied its territories and the lands on which the village of Askhabad, a small Teke settlement, was located.

First of all, the soldiers built a fortress; this military fortification became the starting point for the appearance of a new settlement on the map of the empire. People began to settle around the fortress, and gradually its military significance faded into the background. The settlement was turning into a busy, fast-growing city before our eyes, as there were two reasons contributing to this: a good geographical location - at the crossroads of economic and trade routes; availability of fresh water and building materials, wood, pebbles, clay.

The increase in population was facilitated by the construction of the railway; many people were ready to travel thousands of kilometers in search of work and money. Those who built the road remained to live in Ashgabat, many traders also came from different countries, and there were religious refugees.

City in the 20th century

At the end of the 19th century, more than 30 thousand people lived in the city; interestingly, indigenous people made up only 1.5%. Based on nationality, the population was divided into the following categories: Persians - about 11 thousand people; Russians – more than 10 thousand people; Armenians and other nationalities – 14.6 thousand people.

The city itself consisted of one-story houses, mostly adobe, surrounded by fruit trees. They were afraid to build multi-story buildings, since earthquakes occurred quite often, leaving behind significant destruction.

The history of Ashgabat is briefly divided into two periods - before and after 1918. Until this year, the settlement was part of the Russian Empire and was the main city of the Trans-Caspian region. The October events of 1917 also had an impact in Ashgabat; a year later, Soviet power was established here; until 1925, the city had the status of a regional center. Since 1925, it has been the capital of Turkmenistan, although at that time the city was called Poltoratsk - after the name of the famous Bolshevik.

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 Kopet Dag ridge with a foothill plain; on the other side, the great Karakum desert is almost adjacent to the city.

These places have been loved 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 foothills of the Kopetdag at that time was a chain of agricultural oases with small settlements. About 2,500 years ago, a small fortress town arose on this site.

In 1881, on the site of the settlement of Askhabad with an ancient fortress, a border military fortification arose, and Askhabad itself became the administrative center of the Trans-Caspian 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 expanded its territory many times over.

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

Nowadays, white marble Ashgabat has turned into 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. There is an international airport in the capital. Ashgabat is the largest communications hub in Turkmenistan. A developed network of television and radio communications and digital satellite communications has been created here.

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

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

The capital of Turkmenistan is a cultural and sports center, where there are 6 theaters, 5 state museums and other centers of culture, large sports facilities, including the Olympic village, Olympic water sports complex, Ice Palace and Winter Sports Complex, equestrian complex.

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

The most outstanding sights of Ashgabat were included in the Guinness Book of Records. Among them is the Ferris wheel of the cultural and entertainment center “Älem”, the star of Oguz Khan of the Turkmenistan Broadcasting Center. Prior to this, Ashgabat was noted as the city with the largest number of fountains combined into 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.

Turkmenistan is one of the most closed republics of the former USSR. Turkmens, unlike their Central Asian neighbors, do not go to Russia to work, and getting here is not easy. After all, it is a visa country. A passport sticker costs a minimum of $35. In general, many have heard about Turkmen gas, but few have been able to see how the former Soviet republic manages the wealth obtained from the sale of hydrocarbons. And there is something to see. On the border of the Karakum desert, without exaggeration, a futuristic white marble city with an oriental flavor has grown, which is often associated with an oasis.

Nowadays, Turkmenistan lives in the Age of power and happiness. In any case, this is what the president declared Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The reign of the first president was called the Golden Age.

Ashgabat is a young city without a historical center. In addition, in the middle of the last century, then the capital of the Soviet republic almost all went underground as a result of a natural disaster. The city was rebuilt.

During the years of independence of Turkmenistan, no less grandiose construction took place in Ashgabat. There are such unusual buildings everywhere. In the photo is the Yildiz Hotel

And this is our hotel "Ashgabat"

In front of the hotel is a gilded statue of the current President of Turkmenistan, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The official name of the monument is “Arkadag binasy” (Arkadag Monument). Arkadag is translated from Turkmen as “patron”, “support”. The head of state is depicted in traditional Turkmen clothing on a prancing Akhal-Teke horse with his right arm raised high.

On a holiday (December 12, the Day of Neutrality was celebrated in Turkmenistan), there are practically no local residents on the streets, but there are many delegations from all over the world. Because of the arrival of politicians, the entire center was blocked

Palace of Wedding or Happiness. The design is based on the eight-pointed star of Oguzkhan (the progenitor of the Turkic tribes). The symbol is very popular in Ashgabat. Inside the globe of Turkmenistan

They are trying to turn the capital into a blooming garden, but, as we see, this is not easy - most often the seedlings do not take root

Amusement park. The Ferris wheel is said to be the largest in the world - it was even included in the Guinness Book. But there are no people here either.

For irrigation, a special watering system developed in Israel is used.

The lantern is decorated with Oguzkhan stars

There is also an eight-pointed star on the Ferris wheel

Sea ​​buckthorn

School named after Pushkin. The only one in Turkmenistan where they teach according to the Russian program

Post sponsor: Blood transfusion to animals - Blood transfusion is carried out in a hospital setting under the supervision of experienced resuscitators and hemotransfusiologists. Our donors are healthy, vaccinated and comprehensively examined.

Naturally, being a big fan of traveling around the post-Soviet territory, I couldn’t miss this chance, took a couple of days of vacation and decided to see on the spot what kind of country it was and how the ordinary working people lived there. Looking ahead, I’ll say right away that this trip just completely blew the threads in my head - I didn’t even expect so many surreal impressions. But first things first.

I’ll warn you right away - I’m not going to make any assessments and I won’t talk about politics. As in the case of Georgia, I will only try to show photographs and tell what I saw there, and the reader will decide for himself what is really happening there. Of course, I didn’t look into the “underside” of the country; there was no opportunity, and what is there is nothing more than a “facade” through the eyes of an outsider. And I immediately apologize for the quality of many of the photos - I didn’t walk much, and took pictures mainly on the move from the car at the highest possible ISO.

In the Turkmenhavayolara plane, a portrait of the current President Gurbanguly Melyakkulimovich Berdimuhamedov hangs at the entrance. Immediately upon takeoff, they announce that we are flying not just with an airline, but with “Turkmen Airlines named after the Great President Saparmurat Turkmenbashi.” Along the way, they provide excellent food with pilaf or kebab, and at this time you are stunned by the sight of the endless desert under your wings.

Upon arrival, locals go in one direction, foreigners in the other. Moreover, all foreigners entering Turkmenistan must pay a fee of $12. By the way, a “tourist” visa costs $140. Customs is leisurely, but quite calm, unlike Uzbekistan and Russia.

They also say that from August 1, external surveillance will be established for all visiting foreigners. To be honest, I never noticed it, especially when we went to the desert 250 kilometers from the capital to look at the hellish burning well of Darvaza. In general, everything was extremely friendly and calm.

The first trip around Ashgabat turned out to be at night. And let me tell you, it blows your mind. This city and this country are a completely crazy mix of Dubai, the desert, the Soviet Union, petrodollars, capitalism and Central Asian flavor. After cold Moscow, offices and flights, what is happening around seems like complete fantasy.

2. The first impression is a city of luminous buildings, fountains and monuments of Turkmenbashi.

4. The same street during the day

5. Turkmenbashi (“father of the Turkmen”) is the official title of the country’s previous president, Saparmurat Niyazov. The main attraction of the city until recently was his golden statue on a huge tripod, which rotated after the sun (or did the sun rotate after it?).

6. Collectively it was called the “Arch of Neutrality.” Turkmenistan is the second state in the world after Switzerland that has declared neutrality as the overriding principle of its foreign policy, and even the central national newspaper is called “Neutral Turkmenistan”. Turkmenbashi always said that he never liked so many of his portraits and statues, and now the new president has begun to gently make this wish come true. Today, the Arch no longer “fits into the city’s development concept,” and the whole matter is being sorted out. I regret that I didn’t have time to watch it. The former tripod is on the right, and on the left is a monument to the terrible earthquake of 1948, which completely destroyed the city.

7. The bull symbolizes the strength of the earth, the people on the ball on the left are victims of the earthquake, and the small child is Turkmenbashi, who was caught in this earthquake as a child and lost his mother and two brothers in it. He was left a complete orphan, since his father had died earlier during the war in the Caucasus in 1943.

8. In addition to the “three-legged”, there is also an “eight-legged” - an equally monumental monument to Independence, which is depicted on all money.

9. And here is the monument to “Rukhnama” - the sacred book written by Turkmenbashi.

10. Every Turkmen studies the Rukhnama from school and must know it by heart. It describes the history of the Turkmens, the biography of the Great President, as well as the basic commandments and moral principles. Now this entire area is under reconstruction and behind a fence, but previously at a certain hour the book was opened, and the pages of the great history of Turkmenistan came to life with the help of modern multimedia technologies. As a digression, here is one of the exhibitions of the National Museum, which is worthy of a separate story. The map shows the countries into whose languages ​​the Ruhnama was translated.

11. Continuing the “night” photos, this is a fountain dedicated to Oguz Khan, the “father” of all Turkmens, according to the same “Rukhnama”.

12. It is claimed that this fountain complex is the largest in the world in terms of area.

13. Around Oguz are his six sons, who became the ancestors of the main clans, which later spread throughout the territory of modern Eurasia (including to the north in the region of the Urals and Volga).

14. An interesting detail on the hand of one of the sons.

15. In fact, the eagle on the Turkmen coat of arms is not two-headed, but five-headed, that is, even wiser than its Russian relative.

16. To be even more precise, this is not a coat of arms, but a presidential symbol, and the heads are the five wilayats (regions) into which Turkmenistan is divided. The coat of arms depicts the Akhal-Teke stallion, which is now replacing portraits of Turkmenbashi on the facades of government institutions.

17. But still there are a lot of monuments, portraits and bas-reliefs of Turkmenbashi - people remember his good deeds and sacredly honor his memory.

18. Police Academy...

19. Olympic complex...

20. Ministry of Health...

21. Drama theater...

22. Just a monument...

23. Even the city of Krasnovodsk is now called Turkmenbashi.

24. Bas-reliefs and monuments are mostly standing, but portraits of the old president are gradually being replaced with a new one.

25. New medical institute (the current president is a doctor by education and previous profession).

27. The previous Turkmenbashi at one time decided that having hospitals throughout the country was an unaffordable luxury, and closed hospitals everywhere except the capital - if people need treatment, they will come to Ashgabat, and at the same time look at all the splendor. Well, transport is also an incentive for development. At the same time, it cannot be said that Turkmenbashi did not care about the health of the nation - he built the so-called “health path” - a 20-kilometer trekking route along the ridges of the Kopetdag, which every Turkmen must regularly pass in order to stay healthy. The road is illuminated even at night. I’ll tell you separately about how we walked along it. There were a lot of innovations under him - for example, all the months of the year were renamed: January became “Turkmenbashi”, some months were named after his mother, father, etc. It was also forbidden to have gold teeth, since it was inappropriate to flaunt your wealth, and, in general, you had to live modestly. A unique shot - the old president looks at the new one.

28. Screens in central squares tell about the achievements of the Turkmen neutral state.

29. They are echoed by patriotic posters

31. Traffic lights and lanterns are also decorated. Moreover, the traffic lights are LED and have a countdown timer.

32. Traffic cops stand at EVERY intersection in the city and drive brand new Mercedes.

33. A lot of people are in uniform. Serving in the army or law enforcement agencies is prestigious. After 10 o'clock there are almost no cars. This is what a suburban highway looks like at this time.

34. Tak - city center

35. And so - the city center during the day.

36. The fences on the sides are a reconstruction or construction site, which in one way or another contains almost the entire city.

37. I was surprised that there weren’t so many people on the streets. For example, Tashkent is much more crowded. Either everyone is working, or they prefer to stay at home in the heat, or they travel by car. Mostly schoolchildren, students, military personnel and middle-aged women walk the streets.

38. One of the three “gates” of the city (it seems to be the western one).

39. In the middle is another golden statue.

40. And here is the “northern” gate. Also with the profile.

41. In general, the volume of construction is simply amazing. The whole city is in new buildings, lined with marble, all of them are beautifully lit.

42. What does all the marble have to do with imported marble? There is none of our own.

43. Ordinary street. All houses are residential.

45. National Library

46. ​​Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry, popularly called the “lighter”.

47. It’s the third one from the right.

48. And in this complex of buildings live the employees of this ministry.

49. Also a complex of residential buildings. Ceilings 4 meters.

50. Local “Leaning Tower of Pisa” (also some kind of ministry).

51. Puppet theater.

53. For the leap that the country has made over the past 15 years thanks to oil, gas and the wise leadership of Turkmenbashi, the 21st century is called the “Golden Age of Turkmenistan”. This “Altyn Yasyr” is now everywhere - on posters, signs, on banknotes. The largest flagpole in the world, on which hangs the world's largest flag (confirmed in the Guinness Book of Records).

54. There is also the world’s largest carpet and the world’s largest mosque dome, which will also be discussed in the following stories. "Soviet" district. Painfully familiar panels.

55. Old neighborhoods with the private sector are completely demolished, and new ones are built - in a single urban planning concept.

56. It is interesting that all students wear school uniforms - schoolgirls wear green, female students blue. A skullcap and pigtails are a must. If there are no braids, then skullcaps with fake ones are sold.

57. A lot of people are busy establishing order and cleanliness - at almost every traffic light someone is cutting, watering or sweeping something. Everything is in order.

58. Because of the pervasive dust, women are wrapped in scarves, for which people call them “ninjas.”

59. I was very pleased that, by law, smoking is completely prohibited on the streets of Ashgabat. If Sobyanin does the same in Moscow, I agree to the installation of a golden monument to him by Zurab Tsereteli with fountains. Something like this.

60. The Turkmens seemed to me to be generally friendly and hospitable people. During the entire trip for two, we only spent $35 for entering the National Museum and filming there - and only because we separated from our escorts for a while and went there on our own. In all other cases, you almost get slapped on the wrist when you try to pay in a restaurant or at a market - you are a guest, and in the East this is one of the most respected species of Homo Sapiens. There is no discrimination or hostility towards Russian-speaking tourists - everyone willingly speaks Russian, everyone is fluent in it. As for the Russian-speaking people living there, I honestly don’t know, there was no opportunity to communicate. They say all sorts of things, including the abolition of dual citizenship, but there were airport employees with Russian names and surnames on their badges. The city is completely safe, there is zero crime, cars are not locked, even executive cars. At night, unlike in Tashkent, you can walk completely calmly. Cars pose a much greater danger - they don’t slow down before crossings, they can easily run you over. But people don’t even bother - everyone goes where they want.

61. In general, the people are friendly and hospitable. No extremism, fanaticism or aggression. The state is secular, there are only about 5 mosques in Ashgabat, the people are not particularly religious, and especially there is no talk of any fundamentalism. Everything is under control, everything is calm.

62. What’s also amazing is that there are absolutely no beggars, vagabonds or other asocial elements in the city. In the same Uzbek cities of the “Silk Road” (Khiva, Bukhara,) or Cambodia, you are attacked by crowds of children and beggars. Here all people are provided with food, gas, gasoline and a roof over their heads. Lenin monument. Naturally, also with fountains.

63. It is interesting that it was built at the dawn of Soviet Power, during the period of Comrade Sukhov’s struggle against the Basmachi.

64. Pushkin is also held in high esteem - there is a street named after him, a theater, a Russian school, and also a monument dating back to Tsarist times.67. The soldiers around the edges are one to one, just like in Treptower Park in Berlin.

70. Oriental flavor

71. Nothing is prohibited, the Internet is also completely accessible. All people can easily travel abroad; they regularly fly to Dubai on vacation and to buy cars and goods. There would be money. There is no tension with food either. Weddings are held for 400-600 people, the tables are crowded. Although we tried to fight off the huge amount of all sorts of Central Asian fillings, we still ate ourselves to our fill every day, vowing to ourselves that in the morning we would become strict vegetarians. When you cut the tomatoes, the smell spreads throughout the room, and the peaches just melt in your mouth. In short, babble. I especially liked the pasties...

74. A real oasis in the middle of the bare desert.

It turned out to be something unreal. Half a city of white marble, many new houses and neighborhoods. Buildings are erected not just as individual buildings, but as entire complexes, streets, into which thousands of families move. Most people get housing for free, or for half the cost with installments for 30 years at 1% per annum. An abundance of parks, which in sandy and desert conditions is a very wasteful enterprise. And the pillars are something incredible! Probably nowhere in the world is there such a cult of pillars as in Ashgabat. Beautiful and bright, high-quality and expensive, laconic and complex with national ornaments - they are all “stuck” literally every two meters. The whole city is constantly being cleaned, like sailors cleaning the deck. We drove through the center in the morning - women were washing the railings with a rag. We returned the same way in the evening - the same railings, but other women had washed them again.

In all this splendor, there is only one thing that confuses us - the absence of people. Green parks are empty, and only a few dozen cars pass per hour on ideal roads...

There is a lifeless zone around Ashgabat. This is like a reminder of what the garden city was built on - from scratch:

3.

They try to grow trees, sparing no water or money for its delivery:

4.

Ashgabat comes close to the mountains behind which Iran begins:

5.

There is no standard building, all houses are different. Identical buildings are present only on certain streets:

6.

Parking cars on the street side in front of houses is prohibited, but most houses have underground garages:

7.

8.

Air conditioning units have been removed from the façade to the roof:

9.

The flag of Turkmenistan flies above every building:

10.

11.

House from the courtyard side. Entrance to the parking lot:

12.

Underground crossing:

13.

On the left is the building of Turkmenhaly - the Ministry of Carpet. It unites 10 carpet-making enterprises, where 10 thousand carpet weavers work. In 2001, the largest hand-woven carpet in the world was woven here, and in 2003 it was included in the Guinness Book of Records: 300 square meters:

14.

Yildiz ("Star" in Turkmen) is a modern five-star hotel that opened this year. In the next post I will show it inside:

15.

The original registry office was built on the hill opposite the hotel. It is a small country for newlyweds. There is everything: a cultural and methodological center, a school of family traditions, shops, rental offices, a photo and beauty salon, banquet halls, a hotel and 6 halls for ceremonial registration. True, during the two times that I drove up to the registry office, I never saw anyone getting married. Maybe it's not the season:

16.

A block near the closed Ferris wheel. Closed not in the sense of operating mode, but in the sense of design features:

17.

Although the buildings are made of glass and concrete, traditional motifs can be discerned in them:

18.

Many are behind the fence and under police protection:

19.

Government Quarter. In the center is “Chupa Chups” with a golden Turkmenbashi. No photography allowed:

20.

Road to the presidential palace. If I'm not mistaken, it's an old palace with green "domes":

21.

With gold - the new Oguzkhan palace complex:

22.

23.

24.

Golden monuments of Turkmenbashi are not very common:

25.

26.

27.

I will show the main monument (in the distance, on a huge pedestal) separately:

28.

Road to the monument:

29.

Here he is. Previously, the golden sculpture of Turkmenbashi rotated throughout the day, following the sun. Now the monument has been moved from the center, and it is being built motionless. There is an opinion on Lurka that in fact, this sun rotated after Turkmenbashi, and now it is spinning by itself by inertia.

There is an elevator on the left leg, you can go up:

30.

31.

The monument offers beautiful views of the city:

32.

A park. There are no people at all:

33.

Eternal flame:

34.

Ferris wheel:

35.

I don’t know what you can see through it, with such and such concrete walls:

36.

37.

38.

Five-star hotel Star Yildiz:

39.

Monument to the Constitution of Turkmenistan. Inside the complex there is a museum, a conference hall, a meeting room, a library and a souvenir shop:

40.

But it’s all closed and you can’t get inside without a special invitation:

41.

The Olympic cauldron is being built. I saw Olympic symbols, although I have never seen any official mention of any sporting events in Turkmenistan:

42.

Iran is just beyond the mountains, we will get there soon, but there are two more posts about Ashgabat ahead. Stay Tuned!

43.

= The Caspian is a sea of ​​friendship. Contents =

Around the Caspian Sea. Western Kazakhstan. Aktau	Start. Western Kazakhstan	Border of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan
Kara-Bogaz-Gol and Avaza Resort	Turkmenbashi city	Balkanabad, market and road to Ashgabat
Gas stations in Dagestan and Chechnya	Freedom of the media in Turkmenistan	Fantastic Ashgabat
Fantastic Ashgabat. White City	Ashgabat. Life	Road from Turkmenistan to Iran
Trophy sport in Iran