Travel photographer Amos Chapple recently crossed into Turkmenistan on a three-day transit visa and was able to photograph many of the sights and monuments in Ashgabat, the capital and largest city. Turkmenistan is a single-party country, a former Soviet state, run by a president at the center of a cult of personality.

Photo: A young couple leave the Alem Entertainment Center in Ashgabat. The current president has a history of breaking obscure records. In 2012 the wheel atop this complex was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest enclosed Ferris wheel. The structure was built at a cost of $90m. (Photo by Amos Chapple via The Atlantic)

This undated handout image courtesy of the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance shows “Pat”, a Pacific pocket mouse fondly named after actor Sir Patrick Stewart. A mouse named after “Star Trek” actor Patrick Stewart is officially the world's oldest in captivity, a US zoo has announced Pat the Pacific Pocket Mouse – the smallest species of mouse in North America – bagged the title when he hit nine years and 209 days old on February 8, 2023. (Photo by Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance via AFP Photo)

People wearing mushroom hats stand in front of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 14, 2021. (Photo by Andrew Kelly/Reuters)

A leopard attacks a forest guard at Prakash Nagar village near Salugara on the outskirts of Siliguri on July 19, 2011. Six people were mauled by the leopard after the feline strayed into the village area before it was caught by forestry department officials. Forest officials made several attempt to tranquilised the full grown leopard that was wandering through a part of the densely populated city when curious crowds startled the animal, a wildlife official said. (Photo by Diptendu Dutta/AFP Photo)

A dragon crew team performs at a shopping mall to welcome the Lunar new year in Taoyuan, Taiwan on February 1, 2022. (Photo by Ann Wang/Reuters)

In November 2021 Vogue has released photographs to promote the upcoming publication of Vogue Paris: 100 Years, the first illustrated history of the magazine from its debut edition in 1920 to its centenary. The book is expected to be published next March. (Photo by Vogue Paris: 100 Years/The Times)

Two sculputures at the waterfront in Marseille – Ever feel like youve forgotten something? No its not a mind trick – these are the amazing photos of sculptures done by a French artist. The sculptures are the work of Bruno Catalano and might look like theyre missing vital organs but the invisible bodies represent a world citizen according to their creator. (Photo by Caters News Agency)

A climber walks on the ridge beneath the eastern peak of the Gamsberg (2385 meters above sea level) near Grabs, Switzerland, Friday, October 3, 2014. (Photo by Gian Ehrenzeller/AP Photo/Keystone)