| Fly to Ashgabat with a discount air travel on CheapOair! A modern city in the heart of the Kara-Kum desert, Ashgabat is a melting pot of cultures from Russia, Turkey and Central Asia and is affectionately called the "City of Love". Originally founded as the garrison and headquarters for the Trans-Caspian Railroad, Ashgabat is filled with historical landmarks. The most prominent among them are the remains of the Parthian Fortress at Nisa, the 19th century fortress of Geok-Depe, the ruins of the mausoleum of philosopher Abu-Said Mayhene and the site of Merv. Merv, which was a stop on the ancient Silk Road to the Far East, is the largest ancient site discovered so far in Turkmenistan.
Known worldwide for luxurious carpets, Ashgabat offers large open markets like Tolkuchka Bazaar, where visitors can shop for carpets along with clothes, jewelry, pots, pans and even camels. Many also enjoy the Turkmen Carpet Museum, which displays the largest carpet in the world: a 2 000-sq-ft/190-sq-m Tekke Bukhara, as well as Turkmen History Museum, Museum of Fine Arts and the old fortress site of Skobelev Square.
The locals of Ashgabat are passionate about food and drink and travelers and locals alike enjoy strips of beef, lamb, and camel cooked over hardwood charcoal, vodkas and spend evenings in the bustling bars, cafes and nightclubs of one of the most vibrant nightlife scenes of central Asia.
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