It’s arguably the world’s most spectacular airport, costing US$3 billion and shaped like a soaring eagle, yet the stark reality of this architectural marvel is that hardly anyone is ever going to use it.
Ashgabat International Airport, in the former Soviet nation of Turkmenistan, was officially opened on Saturday but claims it can process 1,600 passengers every hour seems to be overkill with the country having welcomed just 105,000 tourists in all of 2015. In other words, the airport has the facilities to process the entire year’s visitors in less than three days!
This is largely due to strict visa requirements which, among other restrictions, requires anyone staying longer than five days to go on a state-run tour with official guides.
Ironically, Turkmenistan is in fact one of the world’s most fascinating nations. Ashgabat, the capital city, is full of incredibly bizarre architecture thanks to the influence of its eccentric former dictator Saparmurat Niyazov, while the ancient cities of Konye-Urgench and Merv – located along the Silk Road, are UNESCO World Heritage listed.
