On the bank of canal Shavat which is a branch of the river Amu Darya, Dashoguz city which date of foundation was laid in 1681, stretches. Before it was named Dashkhovuz and in European manner as Taskhauz, but anyway, this year the historical centre of Dashoguz region celebrates its 340th anniversary.
The city name was formed of two words Turkic dash that is translated as “stone” and Arabian khowd “pool”, stone pool. This epic name reflects history of occurrence of the settlement. Dashoguz grew in the Turkmen territory of ancient Khoresm, building up and extending round a fortress and a caravan-shed with a big stone well.
However contemporaries connect word-formation Dash Oghuz with Oghuz tribes, occupying these lands. In the Middle Ages there was two lines of Oghuz Turcomans Ich Oghuz (Internal Oghuz) and Dash Oghuz (External Oghuz).
Hundreds of kilometres far from Dashoguz there is the city of Kunyaurgench which once was the capital of the Khoresm state.Archaeological excavations, works on study and preservation of historical monuments, have been conducted in the territory of ancient area since 1929.
In 2005 a historical and cultural heritage of the reserved zone of the country: ancient mausoleums, minarets and fortresses were included in the List of the UNESCO World Heritage.
In the modern history of Dashoguz there was one more not ordinary event.In city boundaries, in 1998 from the sky the meteorite with a weight of almost one ton fell.
A heavenly body the Kunyaurgench meteorite delivered to the capital of Turkmenistan for detailed study.Today the surprising artefact is stored in the State museum of the state culture centre of the country.
Continuing a virtual travel on the northeast of Turkmenistan, it is necessary to note that the caravan-serai familiar to travellers still since the Great Silk Road turned into a big city with population of more than 200 thousand people.
In Dashoguz the sanatorium and five-star hotel of international class, modern business centre, and also the central library equipped with the latest technologies function.The city is also famous for its mosque which houses simultaneously 3000 prayers.
From ancient times Dashoguz has been popular with as the native land of outstanding musicians of the epic genre bagshy. One of our contemporaries, the bright representative of national school of dastan singers honoured bagshy of Turkmenistan Kerven Yovbasarov.
In 2016 Dashoguz, having become a cultural capital of the countries of Commonwealth, received a number of foreign visitors who personally estimated the force and might of national singing in its territory.
In the summer of 2020 in Dashoguz a big the festival of the Turkmen culture which brought in annals of the city one more memorable event, was held.
The Dashoguz land blossoms and develops, its inhabitants honour the memory of ancestors and are proud of their centuries-old history. Here grow 10 various species of rice and the sweetest Turkmen melons, and walking on the bank of canal Shavat, it is possible to meet thickets of eastern delicacy of elaeagnus.
Selbi CHARYEVA