Walk of Health explained

Walk of Health
Established:2 January 2000
Began:1999
Completed:mid-2000
Length Km:36
Location:Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Use:Hiking
Highest M:1293
Lowest M:228
Surface:Concrete
Maintainer:Government of Turkmenistan

The Walk of Health (Turkmen: Saglyk ýoly|lit|health trail)[1] is a 36km (22miles)[2] long concrete walkway that runs alongside the Kopet Dag mountain range in south Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, near the Iran–Turkmenistan border.[3] The first of the path was constructed in 1999 by dictator Saparmurat Niyazov, with the intent of encouraging citizens to be healthy. It officially opened on 2 January 2000. Until Niyazov's death, he required his ministers to walk the walkway once every year.[4]

History

The first of the Walk of Health was constructed in 1999 by dictator Saparmurat Niyazov. It officially opened on 2 January 2000.[5] Niyazov made his ministers walk the walkway whilst he travelled by helicopter to meet them at the end of the walkway.[4] [6] He feared that his own heart condition would render him unable to walk the entire length.[5] The walkway was expanded an additional in mid-2000, after which Niyazov announced he would require his ministers to walk the walkway once every year.[7] On 30 August 2004, over 10,000 people walked the walkway, including members of the government.[8] In July 2012, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov expressed dissatisfaction with the state of the walkway. He said that the government would look for private investors to maintain it.[9]

Route

The concrete walkway is split into two sections: Leader's Trail, which is,[5] and Serdar Trail, which is .[10] The beginning of the Walk of Health is marked by an archway in Serdar Health Park. From their starting points, Leader's Trail runs northwest, terminating at the Kopetdag Highway south of Nisa, while Serdar Trail runs generally southeast, terminating at the Government Tribune complex on Gokdepe Highway south of Ashgabat. As there are no trees in the mountain range to provide shade, the walkway is difficult to walk in its entirety. It is accompanied by metal fences on either side of the path, as well as street lamps so that it can be illuminated at night. Numerous statues and sculptures line the walkway, with pavilions every kilometer for resting. The highest point of the walkway reaches 1293m (4,242feet), which is marked by a flagpole displaying the flag of Turkmenistan.[11] [12]

Gallery

References

Footnotes

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Esenow, Annageldi. Saparmurat Türkmenbaşynyň beýik döwri arhitekturasy. Architecture of Saparmurat Turkmenbashi the Great epoch. Ruh. Turkmen. 2003. 501. 2022-03-25. 2022-04-09. https://web.archive.org/web/20220409233015/https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Architecture_of_Saparmurat_Turkmenbashi/hPbVAAAAMAAJ. live.
  2. News: 20 June 2005 . 13-ю годовщину избрания президента в Туркменистане ознаменовали массовым восхождением в горы . Russian . 13th anniversary of the election of the Turkmenistan President was marked by a mass climb in the mountains . Turkmenistan.ru . 25 March 2022 . 25 March 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220325021443/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/articles/16976.html . live .
  3. Book: Lonely Planet Blue List: The Best in Travel 2007. Lonely Planet Publications. 2006. 197. 9781741047356. 25 March 2022. 9 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220409233012/https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Lonely_Planet_Blue_List/oQASAQAAIAAJ. live.
  4. News: Morton. Ella. Golden Statues and Mother Bread: The Bizarre Legacy of Turkmenistan's Former Dictator. Slate. 6 February 2014. 25 March 2022. 25 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220325021413/https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/02/saparmurat-niyazov-former-president-of-turkmenistan-has-left-quite-the-legacy-in-ashgabat.html. live.
  5. News: Туркменбаши поведет 'тропой здоровья'. Turkmenbashi will lead the 'path of health'. Turkmenistan.ru. 11 March 2000. Russian. 25 March 2022. 25 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220325021414/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/node/13353. live.
  6. News: Walker. Shaun. A horse, a horse … Turkmenistan president honours himself with statue. 25 May 2015. The Guardian. 25 March 2022. 11 June 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150611022253/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/may/25/horse-turkmenistan-president-statute-berdymukhamedov. live.
  7. News: Сапармурат ниязов решил превратить ашхабад в город-парк. Saparmurat Niyazov decided to turn Ashgabat into a park city. Turkmenistan.ru. 17 April 2001. Russian. 27 March 2022. 27 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220327162648/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/node/12938. live.
  8. News: Более 10 тысяч туркменистанцев прошли по "тропе здоровья" в горах копетдага. More than 10,000 Turkmenistanis walked the "health trail" in the Kopetdag mountains. Turkmenistan.ru. 30 August 2004. Russian. 27 March 2022. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103531/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/articles/37592.html. live.
  9. News: Президент Туркменистана предложил передать Тропу здоровья частным предпринимателям. The President of Turkmenistan proposed to transfer the Health Path to private entrepreneurs. Turkmenistan.ru. 12 July 2012. Russian. 25 March 2022. 4 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304103531/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/articles/37592.html. live.
  10. Book: Lonely Planet Central Asia. 4. July 2007. Lonely Planet Publications. 441.
  11. Book: Luckow, Beate. 2019. Reiseführer Turkmenistan: Durch die Wüste Karakum nach Ashgabat, Nisa, Merw und Konya Urgench. German. . 115. 9783897944152. 25 March 2022. 9 April 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220409233015/https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Turkmenistan/tw2BDwAAQBAJ. live.
  12. News: Туркменистанцы совершили массовое восхождение по Тропе здоровья. Turkmen citizens made a mass ascent along the Path of Health. Turkmenistan.ru. 30 December 2010. Russian. 25 March 2022. 25 March 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220325021444/http://www.turkmenistan.ru/ru/articles/35540.html. live.

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