Dashoguz

Dashoguz, also known in the past as Tashauz or Dashkhovuz, is a city located in the northeastern part of Turkmenistan. It serves as the administrative center of the Dashoguz Velayat (region) and has a population of approximately 275,278 people as of 2012.

Historically, the city’s name, Tashauz or Dashkhovuz, is derived from two words: the Turkic «dash» or «tash,» meaning «stone,» and the Arabic «hawz,» meaning «basin.» The name «Stone Basin» reflects the origin of the settlement, which grew around a fortress and a caravanserai with a large stone well in the Turkmen part of the Khorezm region.

According to modern official sources, the city’s name comes from the Oghuz tribal confederation known as «Dash Oghuz,» meaning «Outer Oghuz,» as mentioned in the epic «Dede Korkut.» During the medieval period, the ancient Turkmen Oghuz people were divided into two groups: the «Iç Oghuz» (Inner Oghuz) and the «Dash Oghuz» (Outer Oghuz). Dashoguz was founded in 1681 as a caravanserai, serving as a rest stop for travelers, and was part of the Khorezm state (Khiva Khanate).

In 1873, the Russian Empire launched a campaign against the Khiva Khanate, which led to the defeat of the Khanate and the annexation of Tashauz under the Russian protectorate. It also became the center of the Tashauz Bekstvo (district). In 1920, with the establishment of Soviet rule, Tashauz became part of the Khorezm People’s Soviet Republic. By October 1924, it was included in the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR), first as a district center, later as a regional center from 1939 to 1963, and then again from 1970 onwards. Due to its advantageous geographic location, Tashauz became a key transit point between Moscow and Dushanbe.

During the Soviet era, Tashauz was a highly multicultural city, home to diverse ethnic groups, including Uzbeks, Turkmens, Russians, Kazakhs, Tatars, Koreans, and others. The city also had schools with Russian as the language of instruction, which were known for their strong teaching staff, often descendants of Russian nobility exiled by the Soviet government. In 1992, the city officially changed its name from «Tashauz» to «Dashkhovuz.» Then, in 1999, at the suggestion of the first president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, the name was further modified to «Dashoguz.»

Dashoguz is situated in the northern part of Turkmenistan, near the ancient capital of Khorezm, Kunya-Urgench. Kunya-Urgench is one of the most significant medieval empires in Central Asia. The city of Gurganj, which became the capital of the Khorezmshahs’ state around 995 AD, was once second in size and importance only to Bukhara, the jewel of the Samanid dynasty. To this day, Kunya-Urgench preserves magnificent architectural monuments, such as the mausoleums of Il Arslan and Khorezmshah Tekesh, dating back to the 12th century.

Among the most important 14th-century landmarks in Kunya-Urgench are the mausoleum of Turabek Khanum, with its intricate mosaic dome, considered a masterpiece of Oriental art with no equal in medieval architecture, and the towering 60-meter-high Kutlug Timur Minaret, the tallest in Central Asia. The region is also home to other impressive ancient fortress cities, including Devkesen, Shasenem, Zmukshir, Kenevas, and many others.