Dashoguz

17.11.2001

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Dashoguz is an administrative center of Dashoguz velayat, the most northern among 5 velayats of Turkmenistan. It’s the land of Ancient Khorezm, which many years ago was one of the greatest states of the Central Asia — the state of Khorezm shahs. Everything rouses interest, even the name of the city. Where is it from? There are two hypotheses, each of which is a ground for discussion. One of them tells that last century at the same place where Dashoguz is situated now, but little to the southwest, the local people found a small underground water source. The local khan built a dam around it, and then he built his house and began to live with his family there. People started to use that source, put their houses close to it, and then a very active life began. Very soon that village became a crossing joint on the Great Silk Roud, an important source of fresh water supply for traveler and merchants. The source was imposed with stones… So the name «Dashkhouz» (verbal translation is «the stone water reservoir») came.

According to the second version, a long time ago Oguzes lived in Gurgench (Kunye-Urgench). Discord and internal wars made one of the race groups separate to avoid the wars and a lot of victims. Those people left Gurgench to settle at the place of present Dashoguz, giving name to new settlement as Dashoguz, which means «far Oguz» (at this case «dash» means far). In future people called it Dashoguz. Both versions are equally interesting, but historians have not said their last words about it.

At the beginning of XX century Dashoguz was a small settlement as a part of Khiva Khanate… Narrow curved streets with one storied clay houses stood very close to each other — that was a view of this city even not so long ago. Only in 1927, on the south side of Shawat chanel the active building of new Dashoguz began. It was promoted by building of «Grazhdan-stroy» office, which nowadays is called «Dashoguzvelayatgurlushik». From that time, a water line, electricity and sewage system appeared in the city. First of all, post-office, telegraph, hospital and bathhouse were built. One of the very large-scale of city an oil-mill plan was built in 1941, and in 1956 brick-yard, cinema «Dostluk», a secondary school, chemist’s shop were commissioned. In 60-70 in Dashoguz the four-storied buildings street appeared. The city began to be wide and rose up. Thanking to the new large-panel house building plant there was capacity to built 5-9 storied living houses. Dashoguz got a face of a modem city. Although the quality of those living houses were not so excellent, thousands of people were very happy to move to the new flats.

During the last five years, rows of buildings made this city more beautiful. On the eve of 1997, a new large comfortable railway station in East style was opened. The President Saparmurat Turkmenbashy’s presence gave to this event more importance. His name is connected with all the huge constructions of our country. The new station is good for 500 places (the old one was for 50) and was made upon international standard. Now it’s the main transportation junction, which connects Turkmenistan with Russia, Uzbekistan and other countries. More often and often you can see many storied buildings (one of them, 12-storeyed building «Dashoguznebitgurlushik») which makes this city more interesting and important, changes it scale.

Everybody who comes to Dashoguz pays attention to an unusual sculptor composition «Dinosaur» at the center of the city. Every time I am asked what does it mean, who is its author.

Often I think about how to help people understand their connection with nature, and how to take care of it. It’s known that if people intervene with natural processes wrongly, ruining the original harmony, it takes vengeance for itself. Many years ago prehistoric creatures, dinosaurs lived and disappeared forever later from the face of the land. This monument reminds people about the duty to take care and value surroundings. I exchanged those ideas with sculptor Alik Abdullaev, and he together with architect Aman Agyshev and with experienced builders made this original composition, which connects the present century with ancient ones.

In our days, as never before, the interest to the people history, to culture heritage cropped up. In Turkmenistan, thanks to President Niyazov, the tourist industry develops dynamically. Dashoguz velayat, with its history and architectural monuments, attracts the attention of many tourists. For accommodations, they need modern hotels and campsites, so the Turkish company «Ekpar» built to built a four-story hotel.

Dashoguz with its 140 thousand people becomes more and more beautiful with fountains, green trees, and modern architecture. A lot is done, but more has to be done so we are ready to work with all our force.

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