AshgabatCapital
Turkmenistan · Country profile
Ashgabat is the white-marble capital of Turkmenistan, a vast, carefully ordered city of the edge of the desert whose wide empty avenues, golden fountains and unbroken ranks of ivory-coloured buildings give it one of the most distinctive skylines of the modern world. It is the seat of the president and of the national cult of the late leader, and the city is best known for its monumental sights, its circular foyers, its parks of the heroes and its dazzling official buildings, many of them listed in the record books. The old market of the Tolkuchka, the remarkable national carpet museum and the mosque of the capital hold the authentic face beneath the marble, while the Kopet Dag mountains and the desert beyond frame the city. Strange, orderly, gleaming and unforgettable, it is a capital unlike any other on the continent.
About Ashgabat
Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan. The city's documented population is around 1,030,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the Turkmenistan Manat (TMT) and Turkmen is spoken; the dialling code is +993.
The White-Marble Capital High above the Desert Edge
Ashgabat is a surreal, spotless capital of gleaming white marble where the official pomp of the state meets a warmly hospitable, curiously quiet street life. The classic days are built on the monumental avenue, the record-breaking fountains and towers, the carpet and the jewellery museums and the vast weekend market on the edge of the city. Every stop of the capital is controlled by a guide and a government permit, and nights are quiet and early. It is a destination for the curious traveller rather than the beach-goer, and its blend of the absurd official architecture, the artisan crafts and the desert edge of the town makes it one of the rarest city stops of Central Asia.
The Permit Tours, the Scorching Summers and the Golden Autumn
The climate is extreme, with scorching summers and cold, windy winters, so the autumn and the spring are the kindest visiting months. The manat is the currency, the Turkmen the language, with the Russian widely spoken. All the tours of the city operate through licensed agencies, and the guide, the permit and the fixed itinerary are compulsory for the foreign visitor. The sightseeing circuit moves between the marble avenues, the museums, the mosque and the bazaar, and a taxi from the market or a government driver covers the distances of the wide-spread town. The dress code of the official buildings is modest and the photography follows the strict local rules.
The Monument Avenues, the Great Carpet and the Sunday Bazaar
The national museum of the carpet, one of the most remarkable collections of weaving on the planet, and the museum of the fine arts hold the treasures of the craft, while the great monument heads of the central avenues and the golden statue of the square of the president carry the patriotic architecture. The Tolkuchka bazaar on the edge of the city, most alive on the Sunday, is the great authentic market of the capital, and the mosque of the capital, one of the largest of the region, opens wide its marble halls. A day trip to the yurt camps of the Karakum desert and the ruins of the ancient Nisa completes the picture beyond the gleaming avenues.
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- Country
- Turkmenistan
- Population
- 1,030,000
- Capital
- Ashgabat
- Region
- Asia
- Currency
- Turkmenistan Manat (TMT)
- Languages
- Turkmen
- Calling code
- +993
- Country code
- TM
Frequently asked questions
Is Ashgabat the capital of Turkmenistan?
Yes — Ashgabat is the capital of Turkmenistan.
What currency do I need in Ashgabat?
The local currency is the Turkmenistan Manat (TMT). Languages spoken in Turkmenistan include Turkmen.
What is the dialling code for Turkmenistan?
The international dialling code for Turkmenistan is +993.
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