Turkmenistan: Ashgabat – Exploring The City of White Marble & Monuments

Ashgabat feels almost surreal with all its white marble and gold. In fact, The city is renowned for its extensive use of white marble in buildings, with over 80% of structures clad in this material, earning it a Guinness World Record for the highest density of marble-clad buildings – over 600 structures covered in approximately 5 million cubic meters of marble. Absolutely all marble is imported from Italy and Turkey – Turkmenistan’s gas revenue money at work!. White boulevards with snow-white futuristic buildings cross the plan-layout of the capital city. There are also white and gold monument, many bizarre and strange looking spires and towers, lots of government buildings (Presti dial palaces and various ministries (Turkmenistan even has ministries of carpet and horses) – again white and gold, and plenty of presidential portraits, national symbols, and flags. The marble obsession began under President Saparmurat Niyazov and continued under Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, reflecting Turkmenistan’s desire to project wealth and grandeur, fueled by its natural gas revenues. Oh, and only white and silver cars are allowed to drive in Ashgabat!