While Turkmen productions flourish, the Russian Theatre is dying a slow death. No longer supported by the government, the once-proud Pushkin Russian Drama Theatre saw its original theatre demolished and was moved into a smaller facility near Gunesh Park. Performances are held at 19:00 on Saturday and Sunday. Ballet and opera are not performed in Ashgabat, thanks to a presidential decree banning both.
Pushkin Russian Drama Theatre
Ashgabat
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
5.02 MILES
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1.88 MILES
The statue of Lenin, in a small park off Azadi köçesi, is a charmingly incongruous assembly of a tiny Lenin on an enormous and very Central Asian plinth…
0.46 MILES
This Soviet-era circus building, which resembles a flying saucer, has been 'Turkmenised' with a coating of white marble. It's definitely worth a look if…
Nearby Ashgabat attractions
0.46 MILES
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0.75 MILES
The angular, futuristic Iranian mosque, illuminated with green neon, is on Görogly köçesi on the western outskirts of the city.
1.4 MILES
The modern mosque of Khezrety Omar, off Atamurat Niyazov köçesi, is worth visiting for its wonderfully garish painted ceilings.
1.68 MILES
The Museum of Fine Arts is located in an impressive building with a big rotunda, two tiers and lots of gold. The collection contains some great Soviet…
1.88 MILES
The statue of Lenin, in a small park off Azadi köçesi, is a charmingly incongruous assembly of a tiny Lenin on an enormous and very Central Asian plinth…
6. Former Archive of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan
1.89 MILES
Across the road from the Statue of Lenin this austere concrete building was once the Archive of the Communist Party of Turkmenistan.
2.04 MILES
At the centre of Ashgabat is the enormous Independence Square, on which sits the golden-domed Palace of Turkmenbashi (the place of work of the former…