The Castle Where the Fairy Tale to Live
Topic: Turkmen Culture
March 31, 2005. Every child likes fairy tales, believes in all amazing transformations and wonders happened to the heroes, who take children into the journey and do great deeds in the name of the good and beauty, love and friendship. The main idea of the project for construction of the new building of the Turkmen State Puppet-Show Theatre is to built the fabulous castle of exciting adventures and mysteries where the heroes of various fairy tales will live inviting the children in the world of fantasy and creation.

The castle designed in the oriented style will be constructed in the big district in the southern part of Ashgabat. The 35-metre tower crowned with a spire will be erected in the centre of the architectural ensemble. Two other towers with spires will adjoin the complex from both sides. The sculptural figures of the puppets placed in the base of the side towers will meet the guests. A white-marble semicircular colonnade as if embracing the facade will add solemnity to the building.

The ancient traditions of national architecture as well as modern tendencies in architecture were taken into consideration while developing the project. The unique architectural complex will become an architectural pearl of Ashgabat and one of the most beautiful buildings in Central Asia.

The up-to-date stage equipment will allow holding mass actions, children’s creation contests and film festivals. An auditorium designed for 350 seats with the stage of 180 square metres equipped with the lifting and expanding devices and an auditorium for 200 seats with the 126-squaremetre stage with a revolving mini stage are to be built. A puppet museum and cafe are to be on the ground floor of the theatre. The total area of the theatre complex makes up 7,600 square metres and the total area of the adjacent territory 25,000 square metres.

The new theatre is to be opened in October.

By Tamara Glazunova

Source: Turkmenistan: the Golden Age