Lebap Region

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Daya Khatyn Caravansaray
Kerki - Astanbaba
Koytendag (Dinosaur Plateau)
Repetek

The Daya-Khatyn Caravanserai was built in the second half of the Xth century.The architecture of this building, thanks to the style and construction details, represents an extraordinary example of the architectural art belonging to the Norten School of Khorasan of the Golden Age. Among settlements from Amul to Khoresm there are the ruins of the rabat with its caravan-serai Daya-khatyn which is situated 170 km to the north of Charjou. In X c settlement Dargan was the significant feudal town destroyed by the army of Chengiz-khan. But at the end of XIII-in the middle of XIV the town still existed here. The Rabat Daya-khatyn represents (112x125) ruins of raw bricks (28x28x5,5 cm). Round and rectangular walled towers fortified once rabat. Quadrate in plan caravan-serai (the length of it's side 53 m) stands at the center of Rabat. The arches, vaults and cupola of caravan-serai were made of burned bricks. Preserved construction of brick vaults, console sails are of big interest. There were found relief fragments of texts with names of caliphs Abu-Bekir, Omar and Ali. Caravan-serai is a typical monument of architecture.

Kerki - Astanbaba

The Mausoleum of Astan-Baba is unique structure in its type, built in the area of the Medieval Zemm, north-west from Kerki. It has been rebuilt many times in the course of the centures.
Kerki is an administrative centre forming part of Lebap velayat. It's a town with a population of 20.000. The city differs from others with its' XIX c architecture. Kerki is rich in archaeological monuments.
The first and most impressive monument is a comparatively older fortress named Sultaniyazbiy-kalasy (40 km of the Charjou-Kerki highway). It is also known as Seiydi fortress, named so in honour of Seyitnazar Seyidi, a classical Turkmen writer. Another monument of Kerki is the Alamberdar mausoleum dating back to the XI c. It is situated 12 kilometres to the northwest of the present day location of the town of Kerki. This is the largest preserved monument among the early buildings of north Khorasan (in present day Iran). Inside of the Alamberdar mausoleum there are architectural ornaments crafted from 15 types of figured brick. There is only one room adorned with a cenotaph, which often is mistaken as a gravestone but excavations have revealed that no one is buried there. Alamberdar, or Alamberdar-tutchy is translated from Turkmen as "standard-bearer". No person is connected with the monument, however, from the written origins in Kerki there was killed Abu-Ibrahim Ismail Muntazir, the last ruler of the Samanid state. In Turkmenistan there is not a few of sanctuaries, where even today it's possible to see ziyarat-a ritual of worshipping to one or other saint, which is performed by pilgrims. The Astana-baba mausoleum of Kerki is one of the respected saints. The mausoleum was subjected to multiple reconstructions during a range of centuries. Its oldest parts -"the mosque" and probably, its entry peshtak refer to 12 c, and its last capital restoration was carried out in 1918-1920 under the aegis of Bukhara Emir. The Astana-baba cult has formed several centuries ago and not at all on the empty place. The name points out pre-Islam, pagan origin, then transforming in the image of a Moslem saint. Now, both a settlement and a unique 4-dome in shape architectural ensemble bears this name.

Koytendag Nature Reserve (Dinosaur Plateau)

The Koytendag State Nature Reserve was organized 11/07/1986, and is situated on the west slope of the Koytendag Mountains, representing spur of Gissars range of great mountain system Pamiro-Alay. The territory of the Reserve is 27,139 ha. The main aim of the Reserve creation is the protection of the unique nature of the Koytendag mountain range, and its bordering territories and the development of the sensible ecosystems and in particular the protection of Capra falconeri(a very rare species of wild goat included into the Red Data Book of CITES).
The climate of the reserve and its bordering territories is very peculiar. Average annual precipitations makes up 402 mm decreasing at the foothills and increase up to 700-800 mm on the top of the mountains . In spring shower rains in the mountaineaous canyons sometimes result in mud floods and land slides.
The name of the Koytendag (or Kugitang in English) mountains characterises the specifics of its relief. Its name came from the Persian "kuhi" and Turkic "teng" and means "almost impassable mountains". The mountain terrain is cut with numerous valleys and deep canyons, the longest of which is Hodjachilgazbaba with a length of 28 km. The steep walls of Daraya canyon can reach up to 600 m. The upper slopes of the mountains plateau is covered by forest consisting of walnut, maple, juniper (archa) and wild grape. The whole year round a stream of cold clear water flows under the shady trees. The Umbar Dere canyon with its verticalhillsides and with an amazing waterfall of 27 m, absolutely strikes one's imagination.
Koytendag region is located close to the border with Uzbekistan in the east of Turkmenistan. In this area one can see the Koytendag - Tau mountains with the peak Aira Baba - the highest point in Turkmenistan - 3,137m above the sea level, a grandiose canyon "Umbar Dere" with 28m waterfalls, the plateau of Dinosaurs with 438 footprints of Dinosaurs, a unique - hydrogen sulphate water spring "Kainar Baba", canyon "Kyrk gyz", carst caves. Not only the Koytendag flora, but also its fauna is unique: on the foothills of the Koytendag mountains one can see a spiral homed goat, a rare Buldiara species of a mountainous ram.
The reserve is located on the bounder of Uzbekistan and covering the extreme south - eastern portion of our country. The main areas are the Koytendag - Tau mountain ridge, a grandiose canyon "Umbar Dere" with striking 28m waterfall, the world - wide famous plateau of Dinosaurs (with 438 footprints), a unique sulfur - hydrogen spring "Kainar Baba", canyon "Kyrk gyz", carst caves. Here one can clearly see a panorama of the Aira - Baba peak, the highest peak in Turkmenistan, which is 3137 m above sea level. Not only the Koytendag flora, but also its fauna is unique: only here, on the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains can you see a spiral horned goat, a rare Bukhara subspecies of a mountainous ram.
The Caves
Ninety million years ago when modern deserts territory of Central Asia was soaked by plantiful rains and big ocean splashed near young mountains, the water begins to dissolve rocks and to search shelter in new caves. After that the caves had been drived by clay and kept for a long time from Neogene till Middle Quaternary. The mountains had risen together with the caves full of clay, then the clay was washed away and the karst system was born once one.
First mention about caves we find in "Diodorus Siculus Library" about 2000 years ago. The discovery of smugglers mumy with goods in cave tolds that caves had been used by smugglers as a shelter in XVIII-XIX centuries. The name of the main caves of the ridge Cupp-Coutan can been translated from Turkmen as sheep-fold that witnesses about caves' utilization in human history. New discovery of caves was made by the Ashkhabad's geologist Yalkapov in 1956. Yalkapov found several of caves and made first maps of caves. However the fame of the caves was connected with the beginning of industrial extraction of marble onyx and following public activity for caves protection. The fame of caves in scientistic circles was due to the works of Maltsev, who periodically published scientific and popular articles about researches and protection of caves. The best maps of caves and a list of caves minerals were also made by Maltsev. During last years there was a hope to organize in the cave something to show the tourists. But it's impossible because this ridge isn't often visited by tourists. That's why this project willn't been worthwhile. Now most of the Russian cavers consider that Koytendag Caves are the most beatiful and interesting. American reader will have better understanding of speleothems types Kougitang Caves by analogy to Lechuguilla Cave in American Carlsbad Caverns Park. There are many different legends about Kougitangtow caves.
An absolute wonder of these beautiful sports is the so-called Karlyuk caves. A Cafe - hall of small and low grottos with stalactites and stalagmites, columns in the shape of big candles, minarets, webs and needles is a real fantastic view. Another attraction is the Gulshirin cave. The cave entrance is very narrow, only 0,5 m high. A really wonderful hall "Fairy Tale" with its gypsum curtain and stucco moulding of ceiling, decorated with aragonite "roses" and other "flowers" of unbelievable beauty impress. Every cave has its own collection of mineral unusual forms and it's very difficult to describe them. Its worth to visit them. In the region the carst forming process is developing, and as the result there is a lot of various caves, mines, and traveling paths. The first one is the Kap - Kutan cave. The amazing first hall of the cave is known as the Farther Christmas and Snow Maiden. These two huge sized fairy figures are among unusual in shape stalactites of calcite and gypsum.The The cave entrance i s very narrow, only 0,5 m high. And at last a really wonderful hall 'Fairy Tale'. The walls of this wonder are of gypsum curtain, there is stucco molding of ceiling aragonite 'roses' and other 'flowers' of unbelievable beauty. In Koytendag every cave has a real mineral variety of unusual forms. It's difficult to express our impression of wonderful things of such nature.

Repetek

The Karakum Desert occupies the area of about 35 million ha, or more than 80% of the whole territory of Turkmenistan. According to its geological and natural conditions, the Karakum can be divided into three large parts: Northern or Zaunguz, Central or Lowland, and South-Eastern Karakum. The latter incorporates the Repetek State Biosphere Reserve where 20 species of mammals and 23 species of birds live. The total flora of higher plants growing here includes 269 species belonging to 206 genera and 84 families. Of 132 species of aboriginal plants in the Repetek nature reserve 42 species (31.8%) are endemic for the Karakum and Kyzylkum deserts.
The Repetek Nature Reserve, located about 540 km from Ashgahabt, Repetek Reserve is one of the most beautiful places in the Karakum desert. It is located in the Eastern Kara Kum about 70 km to the south west from the city of Turkmenabat (Chardjou) the centre of the Lebap region. The reserve was founded in 1927 on the basis of a scientific station from 1912. The main current activity of the reserve is preservation and study of unique flora and fauna of the 34,600 ha area it covers. In February 1979 the Repetek Reserve gained status of an International Biosphere Reserve.
The Repetek Reserve has a typical climate of the continental subtropical deserts. The region has big thermal resources. Annual amount of the solar radiation is 40 kkal/cm2. Average temperature of the air is +16 C.The hottest month is July with monthly average temperature +31 C and a maximum temperature +50 C. Precipitation is 113,6 mm per year. In spring,just for a short period of time the desert is covered by a colorful carpet of vegetation. Flora in the Reserve accounts about 120 different kinds of aboriginal flower plants, 8 kinds of soil mushrooms, 4 kinds of glues, 4 kinds of lichens, 18 kinds of soil alga and sonic kinds of epidemic plants.
The animal world of the Reserve is also rich. Here live 26 species of mammals. Among them different species of rodents, such as sanderling and jerboa and others. Here one can meet hares, porcupines, the so called blinders, hedgehogs, foxes, desert cats, caracals, Gazella subgutturosa(Latin name). There are 198 species of birds. Among them desert sparrow, pheasant. In the Reserve live 22 species of reptiles: middle Asian tortoise, desert crocodile (grey varan), 4 species of alsophylax (Latin name), 4 species of lizards and 9 species of snakes.
In the Reserve there is a big collection of herbarium - about 100 specimens of the plants, growing on the territory of the Reserve, about 1000 specimens of the plants, growing in the other regions of Turkmenistan, as well as in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. About 400 sheets of herbarium, representing the plants, growing in the deserts in the south of the USA. This herbarium collection is a gift of the National Museum of Herbarium of the USA.

In the Reserve there is a Nature Museum, displaying 13 kinds of stuffed animals, 62 species of stuffed birds and 21 species of reptiles.
From the ancient times Repetek was on the way of the Great Silk Route. In the IX-X c.c. this place was known under the name of AI-Aksha, later called Djubba-Khammad, in the XIX c as Rubshatah, then Rafatak and these days as Repetek. The word Repetek is translated from the Arabic language " the confined place with insipid water".
The Repetek Biosphere Reserve - Turkmenistan
On a World map of natural zones Turkmenistan almost wholly situated in an arid area with moderate and subtropical climate. However the Kara-Kum desert differs from the subtropical deserts of the Northern Africa by plenty of precipitation. Therefore here the vegetable world is rich.

One of the beautiful places in the Kara-Kum desert is the Repetek Reserve. It is located in the Eastern Kara-Kum and about 70 km to the south-west from the city of Chardjou- the main center of the Lebap region. Here there is a big variety of sandy reliefs and natural monuments. The picturesque and unique nature, curative climate attract here thousands of tourists, students, pupils, scientists and simply amateurs of nature.
The Repetek Reserve was founded in 1927 on the basis of the scientific station, exsisting here since 1912. The main activity of the Repetek Reserve is preservation and study of flour and fauna of the arid zone. The total area of the reserve is 34600 hectares. The staff of the reserve always give big attention to the gardening of the reserve, railway stations and halts, water wells on the pastures. On the 19th of February, 1979, the UNESKO gave to the Repetek Reserve a status of the International Biosphere reserve. In 80th years in Reserve the UNESKO conducted courses ,,Protection the environment,, for the experts form the developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The Repetek Reserve has a typical climate of the continental subtropical deserts. The region has big thermal resources. Annual amount of the solar radiation is 40kkal/cm2.Average annual temperature of the air is + 16. The hottest month is July with monthly average temperature + 31 and maximum temperature + 50 C, which is the highest for CIS. Cold period lasts about 200 days. Precipitation is 113,6 mm per year. Just for a short period of time In spring the desert is covered by a colourful carpet of vegetation.
Flour in the Reserve accounts about 120 different kinds of aboriginal flower plants, 8 kinds of soil mushrooms, 4 kinds of glues, 4 kinds of lichens, 18 kinds of soil alga and some kinds of endemic plants.