Gypjak Mosque

The mosque at Gypjak, a village west of Ashgabat, was completed in 2004 on a very large scale, with a gilded central dome, four minarets each of ninety one metres and white marble facing throughout, standing in open ground with the Kopetdag behind. A separate domed mausoleum next to it holds the grave of the country's first president, who was born in the village. The site is kept in immaculate condition. The prayer hall is said to hold several thousand people, which is far more than the village around it could ever supply.

What you actually see

• The gold dome - the gilded central dome above the prayer hall.
• The four minarets - towers of ninety one metres at the corners.
• The mausoleum - the separate domed building beside the mosque.
• The Kopetdag backdrop - the mountain range rising behind the site.

When to go

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

Honest expectations

Photography is restricted and guards enforce it. The scale is monumental rather than intimate and some find it cold. There is nothing else at the village.

Nearby

Ashgabat is east, and Nisa is between them.