Ertugrul Gazi Mosque

The Ertugrul Gazi mosque in central Ashgabat was completed in 1998 as a gift from Turkey and follows the plan of the Sultan Ahmed mosque in Istanbul closely, with a central dome, cascading half domes and four minarets, though at reduced scale. It is named for the father of the first Ottoman sultan. The interior is tiled and carpeted in the Ottoman manner rather than in local style, which makes it an outlier in the city.

What you actually see

• The Ottoman plan - the cascading domes and four minarets modelled on Istanbul.
• The tiled interior - decoration in Ottoman rather than Central Asian style.
• The 1998 completion - the building's construction as a gift from Turkey.
• The central position - the mosque's place in the middle of Ashgabat.

When to go

April to May and September to October avoid the heat. Visitors should avoid prayer times. Modest dress is required and enforced.

Honest expectations

Visiting outside prayer times is expected and access can be refused. Photography is sometimes restricted. It is a copy of a building elsewhere, which some find hollow.

Nearby

Ashgabat's centre surrounds it, and the Carpet Museum is nearby.