Espiranza's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Independence Monument of Turkmenistan

Sumptous memorial to a controversial independence.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Giant Ruhnama

A huge monument to a bizarre book written by Turkmenistan’s longstanding dictator.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Arch of Neutrality

A dictator's gold statue once rotated to face the sun on a 75-meter high marble tower.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

The Walk of Health

This harsh mountain path was built as a strange attempt to improve the health of Turkmen citizens.
Koytendag, Turkmenistan

Kyrk Gyz Cave

A cave covered with bizarre stalactites of cloth.
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

Turkmenbashi's Land of Fairy Tales

An eccentric dictator's take on a Turkmen version of Disneyland.
Merv, Turkmenistan

Ancient Merv

This famed Silk Road oasis was one of the largest cities in the world before it was destroyed by a Mongol horde.
Turkmenistan

The Gates of Hell

A fiery crater has been burning in the Karakum Desert since 1971.
Doha, Qatar

Souq Waqif

Qatar's oldest market can trace its origins back more than a century.
Doha, Qatar

Pearl Monument

This fountain pays homage to Qatar's history of pearling, the primary industry before oil.
Doha, Qatar

'Untitled (Lamp/Bear)'

This 23-foot-tall bear stands amid the hustle and bustle of Hamad International Airport.
Liwa, United Arab Emirates

Moreeb Dune

One of the largest sand dunes in the world is nicknamed the "Scary Mountain" due to its steep slope and sharp incline.
Mezairaa, United Arab Emirates

Singing Sand Dunes of Liwa

Over the dunes of the Empty Quarter, the mysterious music of the desert.
Qeshm, Iran

Namakdan Salt Cave

One of the world's largest salt caves is filled with fragile salt sculptures, salt rivers, and huge salt megadomes.
Madinat Zayed, United Arab Emirates

Million Street

Every December, this stretch of dusty desert road transforms into a catwalk for a camel beauty pageant.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Hamad in the Sand

Billionaire's mark on the earth.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Capital Gate

No building in the world leans as far as the so-called “Leaning Tower of Abu Dhabi.”
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Whitewashed mosque contains the world's largest carpet.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Ferrari World

This enormous sports car themed amusement park is home to the world’s fastest roller coaster.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The World Islands

This artificial archipelago was supposed to resemble a map of the world.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai Gold Souk

On any given day this sprawling market houses literally tons of government-regulated gold, gems, and precious metals.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Queen Elizabeth 2

This living legend of maritime history is enjoying a second life.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The Dubai Frame

The world's largest frame offers spectacular views of the city's past and present.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Burj Al Arab

A preposterously luxurious hotel with gold-plated iPads, Rolls Royce chauffeurs, and a staff that trains by watching "Downton Abbey."