Editing Ashgabat (section)

==Main sights==
[[File:Ahal Velayat Hippodrome - Flickr - Kerri-Jo (89).jpg|thumb|right|Horse racing at the [[International Equestrian Sports Complex]]]]
Ashgabat was home to the [[Arch of Neutrality]], a 75&nbsp;m (250&nbsp;ft) tall tripod crowned by a golden statue of late president [[Saparmurat Niyazov]] (also known as ''Turkmenbashy'', or head Turkmen). The 15&nbsp;m (50&nbsp;ft) high statue, which rotated in order to always face the sun during daylight hours, was removed on August 26, 2010, after Niyazov's successor, current President Berdimuhamedov, made clear earlier in the year that the statue was to be taken out of Ashgabat's Independence Square.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://centralasianewswire.com/Turkmenistan/Niyazovrsquos-influence-in-Turkmenistan-falls-with-golden-statuenbsp/viewstory.aspx?id=1522 |title=Niyazov's influence in Turkmenistan falls with golden statue |publisher=Centralasianewswire.com |access-date=2013-11-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716210548/http://centralasianewswire.com/Turkmenistan/Niyazovrsquos-influence-in-Turkmenistan-falls-with-golden-statuenbsp/viewstory.aspx?id=1522 |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |url-status=dead  }}</ref> In 2011 a [[Monument to the Constitution]] was built, its total height of 185&nbsp;m (607&nbsp;ft) makes it the second tallest structure in Turkmenistan.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.polimeks.com/eng/UstyapiAnayasaAniti.aspx|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029200249/http://www.polimeks.com/eng/UstyapiAnayasaAniti.aspx|url-status=dead|title=The Monument Of The Constitution|archivedate=October 29, 2013}}</ref>

[[Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center]] was recognised by ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' as the world's tallest Ferris wheel in an enclosed space.<ref name="guinness">{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2012/5/turkmenistan-builds-largest-indoor-ferris-wheel-42157/|title=Turkmenistan builds largest indoor Ferris wheel|date=May 24, 2012|access-date=August 2, 2017}}</ref> The [[Ashgabat Flagpole]] is the fifth tallest free–standing [[flagpole]] in the world, standing at {{Convert|436|ft|m|0|abbr=on}} tall. [[Fountain (Ashgabat)|The Ashgabat Fountain]] has the world's greatest number of fountain pools in a public place.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/5000/most-fountain-pools-in-a-public-place|title=Most fountain pools in a public place|date=June 2008 |access-date=August 2, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ashgabat.gov.tm/images/books/guinness.pdf |title=Ashgabat in Guinness book |access-date=December 6, 2013 |archive-date=September 4, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904061153/http://ashgabat.gov.tm/images/books/guinness.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ashgabat also features [[Turkmenistan Tower]] which is the tallest tower in Turkmenistan, the decorative octagonal [[Rub el Hizb|Star of Oguzkhan]] is recognized as the world's largest architectural image of the star and entered in the ''Guinness World Records''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2011/11/largest-architectural-star-record-set-in-turkmenistan/|title=Largest architectural star record set in Turkmenistan|date=November 14, 2011|access-date=August 2, 2017}}</ref>

===Palaces===
*[[Oguzhan Presidential Palace]], the official presidential headquarters.
*[[Ruhyýet Palace]], a place for official state events, forums, meetings, inaugurations.
*[[Wedding Palace (Ashgabat)|Wedding Palace]], a civil registry building.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://polimeks.com/eng/UstyapiEvlendirmeNikahTorenleri.aspx|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923011749/http://www.polimeks.com/eng/UstyapiEvlendirmeNikahTorenleri.aspx|url-status=dead|title=Weddenig palace|archivedate=September 23, 2013}}</ref>

===Parks and squares===
Ashgabat has many parks and open spaces, mainly established in the early years of the Independence and well maintained and expanded thereafter. The most important of these parks are: the Botanical Garden, Güneş, Turkmen-Turkish friendship, Independence. The oldest city park, [[Ashgabat (park)|Ashgabat]], was founded in 1887 and is colloquially known as First Park.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/en/articles/17718.html|title=Monument-symbol of city and amusement park inaugurated in Ashgabat – Turkmenistan.ru|website=www.turkmenistan.ru|access-date=August 2, 2017|archive-date=August 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170803005639/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/en/articles/17718.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the center of Ashgabat is the [[Inspiration Alley]], an art-park complex which is a favorite place for many locals. The amusement park [[World of Turkmenbashi Tales]] is a local equivalent to [[Disneyland]]. Squares: 10 Years of Turkmenistan Independence, Magtymguly, Eternal Flame, Zelili, Chyrchyk, [[Independence Square, Ashgabat|Garashsyzlyk]], March 8, Gerogly, Dolphin, 15 years of Independence, Ruhyýet, 10 ýyl Abadançylyk, Ylham and Tashkent.

The [[Ashgabat Botanical Garden]] was founded on 1 October 1929, and is the oldest botanical garden in [[Central Asia]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=7815 |title=Ашхабадскому ботсаду – 85 лет |access-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-date=June 11, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170611013301/http://turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=7815 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://infoabad.com/priroda-i-yekologija-turkmenistana/ashhabadskii-botanicheskii-sad-stareishii-v-regione.html |title=Ашхабадский ботанический сад старейший в регионе |access-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227071830/http://infoabad.com/priroda-i-yekologija-turkmenistana/ashhabadskii-botanicheskii-sad-stareishii-v-regione.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sng.today/ashkhabad/10813-v-ashhabade-nachali-rekonstruirovat-botanicheskij-sad.html|title=В Ашхабаде начали реконструировать Ботанический сад » "СНГ СЕГОДНЯ" - последние новости стран СНГ читайте на SNG.TODAY|website="СНГ СЕГОДНЯ" - последние новости стран СНГ читайте на SNG.TODAY}}</ref> It covers a territory of approximately 18 hectares, and contains a live exhibition of more than 500 different species of plants coming from various parts of the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=17413 |title=Ашхабадский ботанический сад: день вчерашний и завтрашний |access-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219151010/http://turkmenistan.gov.tm/?id=17413 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://turkmenportal.com/blog/20842/botanicheskii-sad-v-ashhabade-budet-rekonstruirovan|title=Ботанический сад в Ашхабаде будет реконструирован &#124; Технологии}}</ref>

==== Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex ====
[[File:Eternal glory monument.jpg|thumb|[[Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex]]]]
[[Halk Hakydasy Memorial Complex]] was opened in 2014 in remembrance of those killed in the [[Battle of Geok Tepe]] in 1881, during [[World War II]], and to commemorate of the victims of the [[1948 Ashgabat earthquake]]. It is located in the southwestern part of the city on Bekreve street.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.akorda.kz/ru/page/page_218581_poseshchenie-memorialnogo-kompleksa-|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141211095522/http://www.akorda.kz/ru/page/page_218581_poseshchenie-memorialnogo-kompleksa-|url-status=dead|title=Посещение Мемориального комплекса "Народная память"|archivedate=December 11, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/articles/40140.html|title=Президент Туркменистана принял участие в открытии мемориального комплекса и траурных мероприятиях Дня памяти – Интернет-газета Turkmenistan.Ru|website=www.turkmenistan.ru|access-date=August 2, 2017}}</ref>

==== Magtymguly Pyragy Cultural and Park Complex ====

In 2024, monuments dedicated to 24 foreign writers and poets were erected in the [[Magtymguly Pyragy]] Cultural and Park Complex in Ashgabat.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://turkmenportal.com/blog/78194/v-ashhabade-otkrylas-novaya-alleya-s-pamyatnikami-24-vydayushchimsya-pisatelyam-i-poetam|title=В Ашхабаде открылась новая Аллея с памятниками 24 выдающимся писателям и поэтам &#124; Общество}}</ref> These statues honor renowned figures such as [[Sayat-Nova]], [[Yanka Kupala]], [[Du Fu]], [[Honoré de Balzac]], [[Shota Rustaveli]], [[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe]], [[Sándor Petőfi]], [[Rabindranath Tagore]], [[Hafez Shirazi]], [[Dante Alighieri]], [[Yasunari Kawabata]], [[Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly]], [[Chingiz Aitmatov]], [[Raja Ali Haji]], [[Adam Mickiewicz]], [[Mihai Eminescu]], [[Fyodor Dostoevsky]], [[Juan Ramón Jiménez|Juan Jiménez]], {{ill|Sayido Nasafiy|uz}}, [[Yunus Emre]], [[Hryhorii Skovoroda]], [[William Shakespeare]], [[Langston Hughes]] and [[Alisher Navoi]]. Each sculpture captures the essence and unique spirit of the artist's work.

===Mosques===
[[File:Inside the Azadi Mosque (5731113260).jpg|thumb|Interior of Artogrul Gazy Mosque]]
Major mosques in Ashgabat include:
* [[Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque]]
* [[Ertuğrul Gazi Mosque|Ärtogrul Gazy Mosque]], a gift from Turkey, was inaugurated in 1998 and resembles the [[Sultan Ahmed Mosque|Blue Mosque]] in [[Istanbul]].
* Hezreti Osman Mosque in the 8th microdistrict
* [[Hezreti Omar Mosque]] in the Parahat 7 microdistrict<ref>{{cite web|url=https://turkmenportal.com/tm/blog/15947/parahat--7-yashayysh-toplumynda-hezreti-omar-metjidinin-achylysh-dabarasyndan-fotoreportazh|title="Parahat – 7" ýaşaýyş toplumynda "Hezreti Omar" metjidiniň açylyş dabarasyndan fotoreportaž|date=September 30, 2018|language=tk|publisher=Turkmenportal.com}}</ref>
* Azadi Mosque on Zarpçi street
* Martyrs ({{langx|tk|Şehitler}}) Mosque on Görogly street
* Shia Mosque near the Iranian Embassy

There are also several mosques in former towns and villages annexed by Ashgabat and thus now neighborhoods within the city limits.

===Churches===
Ashgabat has five operating Christian churches. Four are [[Russian Orthodox Church|Russian Orthodox]] churches:<ref name=roc>{{cite web|url=http://pravoslavie.tm/prikhody|title=Православие в Туркменистане, Приходы|language=ru|date=May 7, 2013|access-date=July 26, 2020|archive-date=June 16, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616010432/http://www.pravoslavie.tm/prikhody|url-status=dead}}</ref>

* Saint [[Alexander Nevsky]] Church, founded in 1882 as parish church of the Russian military garrison, consecrated in 1900, located in the 30th Microdistrict ({{langx|ru|Храм святого благоверного великого князя Александра Невского}})
* Temple of Saint Nicholas the Miracle-Worker, located inside the Khitrovka Cemetery ({{langx|ru|храм святителя и Чудотворца Николая}})
* Temple of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, located near the Ruhnama School ({{langx|ru|храм Воскресения Христова}})
* Temple of the Holy Equals to Apostles Cyril and Methodius, located in Büzmeýin ({{langx|ru|Храм святых равноапостольных Кирилла и Мефодия}})

The [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic]] [[Chapel of the Transfiguration, Ashgabat|Chapel of the Transfiguration]] operates on the grounds of the [[Apostolic nunciature]].

Other Christian denominations exist but as of 2019 only two were registered with the government and thus able to operate legally. The U.S. Department of State reported that Turkmen authorities "scrutinize or obstruct religious
groups attempting to purchase or lease buildings or land for religious purposes".<ref name=religfreedom>{{cite web|url=https://www.state.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/TURKMENISTAN-2019-INTERNATIONAL-RELIGIOUS-FREEDOM-REPORT.pdf|title=TURKMENISTAN 2019 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT|date=May 2020|author=U.S. Department of State|publisher=U.S. Department of State}}</ref>