Gypjak

Gypjak

Gypjak was previously a village, which was annexed to the Turkmen capital Ashgabat in 2013. The area is known for being the birthplace of the first President of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov. During his presidency, he had the Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque, often referred to as the Kipchak Mosque, built and had a tomb built here for his family. Niyazov was laid to rest in his tomb on 24 December 2006. The Ruhy Mosque is the largest mosque in Central Asia, with a capacity of 10 000 people. A characteristic feature of Ashgabat is that all the buildings in the city are made of white marble and decorated with gold, and the Gypjak Mosque is no different. In contrast to many famous mosques in this part of the world, this mosque is only used on special events, so visitors can admire this architectural masterpiece without worrying about disturbing worship. Each and every centimeter of this mosque is spectacular. On the outside, it is made entirely of white marble, with a huge domed roof covered in gold and minarets decorated with gold. On the inside, a pathway of lush brown carpets and golden chandeliers leads to the mosque's defining feature: the central dome, which is intricately tiled in gold and blue mosaic.