TURKMENBASHI SPIRITUAL MOSQUE

Inaugurated in February 2005, this huge mosque was built next to the President's native village. Its 91 m high minarets are supposed to recall the independence of 1991. The mosque has a dome of 50 m in diameter and 55 m high. This is a more official mosque: on the entrance portal, verses of the Koran alternate with quotes from the Ruhnama! The prayer room remains hopelessly empty even at the time of prayer. The place serves as a meeting place for the Council of Wise Men once a year, and is animated a little during religious festivals. The rest of the time, the military who monitor the place are more numerous than the faithful.