Turkmenistan: Ashgabat and the Karuma Desert – Thomas Paul Schirrmacher

Turkmenistan: Ashgabat and the Karuma Desert

Tuesday February 3rd, 2026 / Travel Photo Galleries

: Akhal-Teke horse in Turkmenistan

: Akhal-Teke horse in Turkmenistan

: Ancient archaeological sites in Turkmenistan

: Ashgabat from the air with a view of mountains and desert

: Ashgabat at night

: Ashgabat at night

: Ashgabat at night

: Ashgabat at night

: Ashgabat at night

: Ashgabat at night

: Excavations of the Parthian palace in Old Nisa in Turkmenistan

: The President at the National Museum

: Fire crater “Gates of Hell” in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan near the village of Derwese at night

: Fire crater “Gates of Hell” in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan near the village of Derwese at night with Thomas Schirrmacher

: Flag of Turkmenistan

: Ashgabat Airport – modeled after a falcon

: Ashgabat Airport – modeled after a falcon

: banknote

: Yurt – The roof of my yurt in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan

: Yurt settlement in the Turkmen Karakum Desert at night

: Camels in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan

: Map of the peoples of Central Asia, including the Turkmen – Wikipedia

: Aerial view of the road we drove through the Karakum Desert

: Market in Ashgabat

: Mausoleum of the founder of the state, Saparmurat Turkmenbashy, outside Ashgabat – interior

: Mausoleum of the founder of the state, Saparmurat Turkmenbashy, outside Ashgabat

: Old men with white beards are honored in Turkmenistan with a white fur hat

: New settlements in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan

: Parthian Empire – The director of excavations at the Parthian palace “Old Nisa” explains the latest findings to me

: Parthian Empire – Ivory drinking vessels “Rython” of the Parthians, 2nd century BC, in the National Museum of Turkmenistan

: Parthian Empire – Ivory drinking vessels “Rython” of the Parthians, 2nd century BC, in the National Museum of Turkmenistan

: Parthian Empire – Overall view of the excavation of the Parthian palace “Old Nisa”

: Parthian Empire – Reconstruction of the Parthian palace “Old Nisa” excavated so far – most of it has not yet been excavated

: Parthian Empire – Reconstruction of the Parthian palace “Old Nisa”

: Parthian Empire – Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque built outside Ashgabat in 2004 – from the Parthian excavation site “Old Nisa” in the Karuma Desert

: Mud crater in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan, 11 km south of the village of Derwese

: Mud crater in the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan, 35 km south of the village of Derwese

: Chocolate from Turkmenistan

: Rare water source in the Karuma Desert in Turkmenistan

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque built outside Ashgabat in 2004 – texts by the founder of the state instead of the Koran

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque outside Ashgabat, built in 2004 – aerial view at night

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque outside Ashgabat, built in 2004 – aerial view

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque outside Ashgabat, built in 2004 – at night

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque outside Ashgabat, built in 2004 – at night

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque outside Ashgabat, built in 2004

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque outside Ashgabat, built in 2004 – interior

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque built outside Ashgabat in 2004 – interior with pentagonal carpet

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque outside Ashgabat, built in 2004 – dome

: Türkmenbaşy Ruhy Mosque outside Ashgabat, built in 2004 – Selfie Thomas Schirrmacher with dome

: Typical Turkmen restaurant in the Karakum Desert

: Typical Turkmen restaurant in the Karakum Desert

: Karakum Desert and Kopet Dag Mountains in Turkmenistan from the air