Central Dushanbe is home to Rudaki Park, or
Park of the Flag as it is affectionately called by the locals.
The flag represents several things. The crown stands for the
people, the number
"seven" is a symbol of perfection, the embodiment of happiness and the
provider of virtue. According to legend,
Islamic heaven is composed of seven beautiful orchids, separated by seven mountains each with a glowing star on top. The 165-meter flagpole entered the "Guinness Book of World Records" as
the world's tallest in August 2011. See the youtube video
here. (amazing shots from atop the pole). Three meters higher than the one in Azerbaijan, it weighs in at 220
ton. The price tag of 3.5 million dollars (in a country where average
income is
$2,200 ) is cheap in comparison to the $24 million Azerbaijan spent.
The country’s 20th
anniversary of independence saw the hoisting of the flag a month after the flagpole was installed.
As you can imagine, Tajiks (informative
video about history of the people) are very proud of their 60 by 30 meter flag. A policeman, sitting within the roped-off area underneath, guards it by day. I was told that this is not out of fear of theft, but because the flag had fallen down earlier and killed one admirer. While this may be the stuff of urban legend, high winds did bring down the flag in April.
The building in the background is President Rakhmon's impressive Palace of Nations. It is used primarily to
receive and entertain visiting dignitaries, sort of like an elaborate living room. Visitors are housed in another complex at the other end of town.
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| Here you can appreciate the grand scale |
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| On long hot summer nights |
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| Everyone out for the Evening Promenade | | | |
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Komsomol Lake creates a refreshing breeze all evening long. After a couple strolls around the flagpole you cross to the other side of the lake. There you find a playground for kids and adults of all sizes, ice cream wagons and a rotundo affair for refreshments.
But just remember, there is but one public rest room serving the entire park. No overindulging allowed here.
The flag represents several things. The crown stands for the people, the number
"seven" is a symbol of perfection, the embodiment of happiness and the
provider of virtue. According to legend, Islamic heaven is composed of seven beautiful orchids, separated by seven mountains each with a glowing star on top. The 165-meter flagpole entered the "Guinness Book of World Records" as
the world's tallest in August 2011. See the youtube video here. (amazing shots from atop the pole). Three meters higher than the one in Azerbaijan, it weighs in at 220
ton. The price tag of 3.5 million dollars (in a country where average
income is $2,200 ) is cheap in comparison to the $24 million Azerbaijan spent. 
The country’s 20th
anniversary of independence saw the hoisting of the flag a month after the flagpole was installed.
Komsomol Lake creates a refreshing breeze all evening long. After a couple strolls around the flagpole you cross to the other side of the lake. There you find a playground for kids and adults of all sizes, ice cream wagons and a rotundo affair for refreshments.
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