Merv
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Photo: Hans Birger Nilsen, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, modified (cropped)
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At a glance
- Velayat
- It is located in the territory of Mary velayat of Turkmenistan.
- What it is
- Merv is the oldest and best-preserved of the oasis-cities along the Silk Route in Central Asia.
- UNESCO World Heritage
- The State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv” was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1999 as a cultural property.
Ruined cities from different ages, side by side on a wide plain.
History and what you see
The remains in this vast oasis span 4,000 years of human history.
It reached its apogee during the Muslim epoch and became a capital of the Arabic Caliphate at the beginning of 9th century and as a capital of the Great Seljuks Empire at the 11th-12th centuries.
Ancient Merv represents a system of sites built at different times following the changing course of riverbed of the Murgab river and its gradual shifts from the east to the west.
A number of monuments are still visible, particularly from the last two millennia.
The historic urban centre consists of a series of adjacent walled cities: Erk Kala, Gyaur Kala and the medieval Sultan Kala or Marv al-Shahijan.
Medieval Sultan Kala was walled in the 11th century, with its Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar (1118-57) which originally formed part of a large religious complex; the fine details of the Mausoleum such as the elegant brickwork, the carved stucco, and the surviving mural paintings, make it one of the most outstanding architectural achievements of the Seljuk period.
Erk Kala (20ha), is a walled and moated polygonal site with walls surviving to some 30 m and an internal citadel.
Getting there from Ashgabat
Its outstanding archaeological heritage located 30 km east of the modern Mary near the resort city of Bayramali.
Ask your agency how your trip gets here.
When to go
Seasons, heat and the dates that matter are on our When to go page.
Travel safely and respectfully
The Turkmen can be sensitive about having their picture taken without their consent.
Access
Ask the agency about walking distances and heat.