Brian McMorrow | profile | all galleries >> Asia >> Turkmenistan >> Ashgabat >> Kipchak Grand Mosque - Türkmenbaşyň Ruhy Metjidi | tree view | thumbnails | slideshow |
The Kipchak Grand Mosque, on a flat open plain west of Ashgabat |
The Kipchak Grand Mosque is also known as the Türkmenbaşyň Ruhy Metjidi |
The mosque was built on the site where President Niyazov's mother was killed during the devastating earthquake of 1948 |
The Kipchak Grand Mosque was completed in 2001 |
Workers on the roof polishing the dome of the Kipchak Grand Mosque |
...not real gold apparently... |
The four minarets are each 91m tall - Turkmenistan achieved independence in 1991 |
Square in front of the Turkmenbashy Ruhy Metjidi |
Kipchak Grand Mosque |
Fountains in front of the Turkmenbashy Ruhy Metjidi |
Fountains in front of the Turkmenbashy Ruhy Metjidi |
Approaching the Türkmenbashi Ruhy Metjidi |
Octagonal dome and minaret |
Turkmenbashy Ruhy Metjidi - Allanyň Öŭi Her Bir Türkmen Bendesine Açykdyr |
Ruhnama Mukaddes Kitapdyr - Gurhan Allanyň Kitaby |
Rathern than Koranic inscriptions, quotes from the Ruhnama |
Gallery surrounding the 8-sided mosque |
Inscription at the Kipchak Grand Mosque |
Gate and minaret, Kipchak Grand Mosque |
All over the inside and outside of the mosque are quotes from President Niyazov's book, the Ruhnama, rather than the Koran |
Entrance to the Prayer Hall |
Unfortunately no photos inside |
Detail of the door |
Arcade around the main prayer hall, Kipchak Grand Mosque |
Kipchak Grand Mosque |
Another door to the 8-sided prayer hall |
Detail of the door to the Kipchak Grand Mosque |
One of the four 91m minarets |
"The Ruhnama is a Holy Book. The Koran is Allah's Book" |
Quotes from the Ruhnama - surely sacrilege |
Marble-clad minaret with quotes from the Ruhnama |
The Mausoleum of Türkmenbashy through one of the archways of the Grand Mosque |
The guards annoying prevented me, the only visitor, from circling around to the other side of the mosque for better lighting |
The Mausoleum of Türkmenbashy |
President Niyzov is buried next to Kipchak Mosque with his mother and brothers who were killed in the 1948 earthquake |
Türkmenbashy died in December 2006 |
Surprisingly, Türkmenbashy didn't have himself encased in glass in the style of his role model Kim Il Sung |
See Inside the Mausoleum |
Wedding party on the move |
Car decorated for a Turkmen wedding |
Golden statue of President Niyazov |
Turkmenbashy statue in a park near the Kipchak Mosque |
In the tradition of wedding parties all over the former USSR, newlyweds travel around the city for photos at the monuments |
Amazing thickly veiled Turkmen bridal dress |
Turkmenistan wedding party |
A second bride and groom arrive for photos |
Turkmenistan wedding photo |
President Niyazov aka Türkmenbashy, the Leader of all Türkmen |
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