← National days · Turkmenistan
October 6 1948· Anniversary
Remembrance Day (1948 earthquake)
On the night of 6 October 1948 a magnitude 7.3 earthquake destroyed Ashgabat; the victims are remembered on this day.
On the night of 6 October 1948 a terrible magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck Ashgabat. Within seconds the city was almost completely destroyed and tens of thousands of people lost their lives — one of the worst natural disasters of the 20th century.
Ashgabat was rebuilt after the disaster and is today a modern capital of white-marble buildings and broad avenues. The memorials to the victims of the earthquake were brought together in the People's Memory memorial complex opened in 2014.
Day of remembrance
6 October is the Day of Remembrance and Mourning in Turkmenistan. Flowers are laid at the People's Memory complex, prayers are said in mosques for the victims and charity meals are held.
Video
Photos
The People's Memory memorial complex in Ashgabat · Ekki3 / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 
Memorial to the victims of the 1948 earthquake · Incredible / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 3.0 
Earthquake victims' memorial · Vysotina / Wikimedia Commons · CC0 
The 1948 Ashgabat earthquake · Orlovic / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 
Eternal Glory monument at the People's Memory complex · Presidential Press and Information Office of Azerbaijan / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 4.0 
Modern Ashgabat, rebuilt · ILMur / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0
Turkmenistan: other days
- January 1New Year's Day
- January 27Defenders of the Fatherland Day
- March 8International Women's Day
- March 21National Spring Festival (Nowruz)
- AprilTurkmen Horse Day
- May 9Victory Day
- May 18Constitution and State Flag Day
- May 25Ashgabat City Day
- MayTurkmen Carpet Day
- June 27Day of Culture Workers and Magtymguly Pyragy's Poetry
- September 27Independence Day
- October 3Founding of the Organization of Turkic States
- NovemberHarvest Day
- December 12Neutrality Day
- December 21Memorial Day of the First President S. A. Niyazov
- 10 Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar — the feast of the Hajj pilgrimage; moves about 11 days earlier each yearEid al-Adha
- 1 Shawwal in the Islamic calendar — the end of the Ramadan fast; moves about 11 days earlier each yearEid al-Fitr