Central Asia's capital cities have been building some of the most amazing and space-like architecture in the world
Here's the latest golden statue of Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the President of Turkmenistan. His likeness is sat on a giant golden horse.
Former president Saparmurat Niyazov also had a thing for gold statues of himself. This one's also in Ashgabat, where the golden horse statue is located.
Turkmenistan's monument of neutrality also featured a golden statue of Niyazov — until a few years ago, this one even rotated to face the sun.
They're not all president-themed. This is the Palace of Happiness, a marriage registry office built to commemorate 20 years of Turkmenistan's independence.
Berdymukhamedov's face has been slowly replacing Niyazov's around the capital — here is his portrait being airbrushed off a building in 2006.
But much of Niyazov's influence remains — including this statue of his book, the Ruhnama. It is mandatory to read his book in Turkmenistan's schools.
Here's the Ruhnama monument from a slightly different angle. Every evening the monument opens and a passage from the book is played aloud.
Ashgabat's independence monuments sums up the style, with a blend of gold and white, surrounded by the statues of Turkmenistan's historical figures.
Kazakhstan's planned capital city Astana is another source of gleaming and strange architecture. Here you can see the ball-topped Bayterek monument.
Astana's Khan Shatyr is an enormous tent, billed as the largest in the world. The structure was completed in 2006 with UK architect Norman Foster in charge.
The space inside is absolutely enormous, covering 35 acres, and the tent's tip is 150 metres high.
Two tall golden towers line the long open route towards the Ak Orda Presidential Palace, the official workplace of president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
The palace was opened in 2004 and looks a little like the US Capitol Building, and is one of the less off-the-wall structures in Astana.
The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation is a little more unconventional — like the enormous tent, the design was led by Foster & Partners.
Astana's Shabyt Palace of Arts Institute gives the impression of an enormous bowl.
The Triumph of Astana is one of the more familiar-looking buildings in the capital, which wouldn't be out of place in Russia — but the pointed turrets still give it an imposing presence.
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