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Turkmenistan
By far the most mysterious and unexplored of Central Asia’s 'stans, Turkmenistan became famous for the truly bizarre dictatorship of Saparmyrat Niyazov, who ruled as ‘Turkmenbashi’ (‘leader of the Turkmen’) until his death in 2006. Niyazov covered this little-known desert republic with grandiose monuments and golden statues of himself. Although many of these statues have since been dismantled, plenty of visitors still think of Turkmenistan as a sort of totalitarian theme park. But the least-visited of Central Asia’s countries is far more than this – it's an ancient land of great spirituality, tradition and natural beauty.
The ancient cities of Merv and Konye-Urgench inspire visions of caravans plodding along the ancient Silk Road, while the haunting beauty of the Karakum desert and other quirky natural phenomena are equally mesmerising. The full Turkmen experience is ultimately about mingling with the warm and fascinating people themselves, whose hospitality is the stuff of legend.
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Turkmenistan.
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Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
The best remaining testimony to Seljuq power at Merv is the 38m-high Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, located in what was the centre of Sultan Kala. The building was restored with Turkish aid and rises dramatically in the open plain. Sanjar, grandson of Alp-Arslan, died in 1157, reputedly of a broken heart when, after escaping from captivity in Khiva, he came home to find that his beloved Merv had been pillaged by Turkic nomads. The mausoleum is a simple cube with a barrel-mounted dome on top. Originally it had a magnificent turquoise-tiled outer dome, said to be visible from a day’s ride away, but that is long gone. Interior decoration is sparse, though restoration has brought back the blue-and-red frieze in the upper gallery. Inside is Sanjar’s simple stone ‘tomb’ although, fearing grave robbers, he was actually buried elsewhere in an unknown location. The name of the architect, Mohammed Ibn Aziz of Serakhs, is etched into the upper part of the east wall. According to lore, the sultan had his architect executed to prevent him from designing a building to rival this one.
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Turabeg Khanym Complex
Turabeg Khanym Complex, opposite the Konye-Urgench ticket office, is still the subject of some debate. Locals and some scholars consider this a mausoleum, though no one is too sure who is buried here. Some archaeologists contend that it was a throne room built in the 12th century (it appears to have a heating system, which would not have been used in a mausoleum). Whatever its function, this is one of Central Asia’s most perfect buildings. Its geometric patterns are in effect a giant calendar signifying humanity’s insignificance in the march of time. There are 365 sections on the sparkling mosaic underside of the dome, representing the days of the year; 24 pointed arches immediately beneath the dome representing the hours of the day; 12 bigger arches below representing the months the year; and four big windows representing the weeks of the month. The cupola is unusual in early Islamic architecture and has its equal only in Shiraz, Iran.
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National Museum
Looking like a lost palace in the urban desert, the National Museum occupies a striking position in front of the Kopet Dag. It’s actually a collection of three pricey museums – the History Museum, the Nature & Ethnographic Museum and the Presidential Museum. The History Museum is the only one that approaches value for money. Inside the History Museum, the lavish Ancient History Hall includes Neolithic tools from western Turkmenistan and relics from the Bronze Age Margiana civilisation, including beautiful amulets, seals, cups and cult paraphernalia. There is also a model of the walled settlement uncovered at Gonur. The Antiquity Hall houses amazing rhytons – horn-shaped vessels of intricately carved ivory used for Zoroastrian rituals and official occasions. The Presidential Museum might appeal to those intrigued by personality cults, with its huge photos of the president.
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Mary Regional Museum
This museum is housed in a sparkling white-marble palace across the river from the centre of town. The enormous premises is home to a collection of taxidermy, temporary exhibits and a gallery of Turkmen art, but the real reason to visit is the superb archaeological collection on the upper floor, full of discoveries from Margush (Gonur) and Merv, as well as impressively detailed models of both sites. Other highlights include a late third millennium BC tabernacle from Gonur, and lots of impressively preserved porcelain, coins, weapons, jewellery and amphorae. There’s also an extensive ethnography section, including a large collection of Turkmen jewellery, carpets, stuffed animals, a fully decorated yurt and pottery from the time of the Mongol occupation. Call ahead to book an English-language guide as English labelling, while consistent, lacks detail.
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Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex
Unveiled in 2014, this vast complex features three memorials honouring those that died in the 1948 earthquake, soldiers who perished in WWII and those killed in other Turkmen battles. The Earthquake Memorial features a bombastic bronze rendering of a bull and child (said to be the baby Niyazov). There is also a museum (entrance US$10) featuring two exhibits: one covering the earthquake and the other focusing on war. The earthquake hall is perhaps Ashgabat's most touching museum and the display includes once-banned photos of pre-1948 earthquakes as well as information about the five-year clean-up effort, the burying of 110,000 bodies and the building of a new city. It's west of the city, near the Hotel Ýyldyz.
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Gutlug Timur Minaret
Across the road from the Turabeg Khanym Complex, a path through a modern cemetery and the 19th-century Sayid Ahmed Mausoleum leads to this minaret, built in the 1320s. It’s the only surviving part of Old Urgench’s main mosque. Decorated with bands of brick and a few turquoise tiles, its 59m-tall minaret is not as tall as it once was, and leans noticeably. It’s interesting to note that there is no entrance to the minaret – it was linked to the adjacent mosque by a bridge 7m above the ground. Since that mosque was destroyed, the only way into the minaret is by ladder. There are 144 steps to the top, although you can’t climb it now.
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Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum
Instantly recognisable by its conical turquoise dome, the Sultan Tekesh Mausoleum is one of Konye Urgench's most beautiful monuments. Tekesh was the 12th-century Khorezmshah who made Khorezm great with conquests as far south as Khorasan (present-day northern Iran and northern Afghanistan). It is believed that he built this mausoleum for himself, along with a big medressa and library (which did not survive) on the same spot. However, some scholars theorise that the building had earlier existed as a Zoroastrian temple. After his death in 1200, Tekesh was apparently buried here, although there is no tomb. There are excavations of several early Islamic graves near the entrance to the building.
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Independence Square
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 president), the Ministry of Fairness, the Ministry of Defence and Ruhyyet Palace, all of which were built by the French corporation Bouygues Construction, one-time court builder to Niyazov. Unfortunately, you can't enter or even get close to any of these buildings, and travellers report that if you walk in this area, government officials will quickly move you along.
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Arch of Neutrality
Once the centrepiece of Niyazov's Ashgabat, the Arch of Neutrality was erected to celebrate the Turkmen people's unsurprisingly unanimous endorsement of Turkmenbashi's policy of neutrality in 1998. Above the arch itself is the real gem, a 12m-high polished-gold statue of Niyazov, which revolved to follow the sun throughout the day. Now in exile, overlooking his beloved city, Niyazov no longer rotates, but his comedic posture makes it clear why the monument was nicknamed 'batman' by locals. A sporadically functioning lift (2M) takes you to the top of the monument, where you'll find a small museum (1M).
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