Ashgabat is the capital and the largest city of Turkmenistan in Central Asia, situated between the Karakum Desert and the Kopet Dag mountain range. It is one of the most beautiful and unusual cities on Earth. Ashgabat is primarily a government and administrative centre. The business centre of Ashgabat is on the Archabil highway. The airport with its remarkable architecture is within the city.
Every building is entirely clad in white marble and it is stunning. In 2013, the city was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s highest concentration of white marble buildings.
Vehicles must have an “Ashgabat” license plate to enter the city. All roads into the city have parking areas 5 km outside where authorized vehicles meet them to enter the city proper. Only vehicles painted white are allowed inside the city boundaries.
Streets are wide multi-lane affairs with virtually no traffic. Despite this, traffic does not move easily as detours are constant whenever important government officials move around the city. Most traffic roundabouts have magnificent monuments in the centres.
The city is relatively empty because of all the restrictions. Normal citizens are minimally visible.
History. Ashgabat is a relatively young city, having been founded in 1881 as a fortification and named after the nearby settlement of Askhabad. Askhabad was ceded to the Russian Empire then and developed it as it was close to the border of British-influenced Persia. In 1908, the first Bahá’í House of Worship was built in Askhabat. It was badly damaged in the 1948 earthquake and finally demolished in 1963. The community of the Bahá’í Faith in Turkmenistan was largely based in Ashgabat.
Soviet rule was established in Ashgabat in December 1917. However, in July 1918, a coalition of Mensheviks, Social Revolutionaries, and Tsarist former officers of the Imperial Russian Army revolted against the Bolshevik rule emanating from Tashkent and established the Ashkhabad Executive Committee. After receiving some support (but even more promises) from General Malleson, the British withdrew in April 1919 and the Tashkent Soviet resumed control. From this period onward, the city experienced rapid growth and industrialization, although severely disrupted by a major earthquake on October 6, 1948. An estimated 7.3 on the Richter scale, the earthquake killed 110–176,000 (⅔ of the city’s population).
In 2013, the city was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s highest concentration of white marble buildings.
Demographics. Turkmen 85%, Russians 7.7% followed by Armenians (1.5%), Turks (1.1%), Uzbeks (1.1%), and Azeris (1%).
Architecture. The first Baha’i Temple in the world was built here in 1908. In 1948, it was seriously damaged by the earthquake and demolished in 1963.
After 1991, some high-rise residential buildings could be built with relatively good protection against earthquakes. Many of the buildings are made of white marble. Turkmenistan Tower, at 211 meters, is the tallest building in the country.
Ashgabat is primarily a government and administrative centre. Construction of several ministries and departments, teaching and research and cultural centres is complete.
Economy – cotton textiles, metalworking, a major stop on the Trans-Caspian railway, government employment and embassies.
Shopping. Altyn Asyr Bazaar in Choganly for traditional fabrics and hand-woven carpets, the modern Berkarar mall and Paýtagt and Aşgabat shopping centers.
Transportation
Air. Ashgabat International Airport. Turkmenistan Airlines to all of Turkmenistan and some destinations in Asia and Europe. Ashgabat is served by Belavia, Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines, S7 Airlines, flydubai, China Southern Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways.
Rail. Trans-Caspian Railway (Turkmenbashi–Balkanabat–Bereket–Ashgabat–Mary–Türkmenabat) and from Ashgabat to the north, the Trans-Karakum Railway.
Bus. Two intercity bus stations – Teke Bazaar and the old airport. International Passenger Bus Terminal.
Public transport. 60 bus lines and 700 buses
Ashgabat Cable Car connects the city with the foothills of the Kopetdag.
Ashgabat Monorail in the Olympic Village.
In 2018, black cars were banned by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov’s conviction that black cars bring bad luck.
Climate. The Kopet-Dag mountain range is 25 kilometres to the south, the Kara-Kum desert has a cold desert climate to the north. Average July is 23.8 °C. and the average January high is 8.6 °C, and the average lowe is −0.4 °C. Snow is infrequent. Annual precipitation is 201 mm (7.91 in); March and April wettest and summer drought from late June to September, is virtually absolute.
NOTABLE BUILDINGS
Museums. Turkmen Fine Arts Museum and Turkmen Carpet Museum.
Ashgabat National Museum of History.
Ashgabat Flagpole is the fourth tallest free-standing flagpole at 436 ft (133 m) tall.
TUR
Arch of Neutrality. 75 m (250 ft) tall tripod crowned by a golden statue of late president Saparmurat Niyazov (Turkmenbashi, or leader of all Turkmen) that was 15 m high statue and rotated to always face the sun but was removed in 2010.
Monument to the Constitution. 185 m (607 ft), the second tallest building
Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center has the world’s tallest Ferris wheel 
Ashgabat Fountain has the greatest number of fountain pools in a public place
Star of Oguzkhan is a decorative octagonal star, the world’s largest architectural image of a star.
Oguzkhan Presidential Palace is the official presidential headquarters.
Ruhyýet Palace for official state events, forums, meetings, inaugurations.
Wedding Palace is a civil registry building.
SQUARES
10 Years of Turkmenistan Independence
Magtymguly Square
Eternal Flame
Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex remembrance of those killed in the Battle of Geok Tepe in 1881, during World War II, and the 1948 Ashgabat earthquake.
MONUMENTS in ROUNDABOUTS
Normal Streets in Ashgabat
OTHER BUILDINGS
Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque
Theatres: Main Drama Theatre, Mollanepes Turkmen Drama Theater, Alp Arslan Turkmen National Theatre of Youth, Turkmen State Puppet Theater, Pushkin State Russian Drama Theatre, Turkmen State Circus, Watan Theatre
Parks and squares: Botanical Garden, Güneş, Turkmen-Turkish friendship, Independence. The oldest city park was founded in 1887 and is colloquially called First Park. Inspiration Alley, an art-park, The World of Turkmenbashi amusement park.
Cinemas. Aşgabat Cinema the first 3-D, Watan, Turkmenistan theaters, Berkarar Mall.
Mosques: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque, Ärtogrul Gazy Mosque (resembles the Blue Mosque in Istanbul), Hezreti Omar Mosque in Parahat-7 microdistrict
Churches: Saint Alexander Nevsky Church (founded in 1882), Church of Saint Nicholas the Miracle-Worker, House of Prayer of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, Chapel of the Transfiguration.