Merv at a glance
Merv, an ancient city and UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, was one of the greatest oasis cities on the Silk Road. Over some 2,500 years, from the Achaemenid Persians to the Seljuk Turks, it was ruled by many empires, and it was the capital of the Seljuk sultan Sanjar. Known as “Merv, Queen of the World”, in its prime it was a centre of trade, religion and culture that rivalled Damascus and Baghdad among the great cities of the Islamic world. The Mongols destroyed much of the city, but its vast ruins of walls, palaces, mosques and mausoleums remain a treasure for anyone interested in history. Merv is included in many of our Turkmenistan Tours and Central Asia Tours.
- UNESCO: World Heritage Site since 1999, as the State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv”.
- Where: about 30 km east of Mary, next to the town of Bayramaly. Mary is a 40-minute flight or about 360 km (around 5 hours) by road from Ashgabat.
- Time needed: half a day; a full day if you add Gonur Depe.
- Highlights: Sultan Sanjar’s mausoleum, the walls of Erk Kala and Gyaur Kala, and the Kyz Kala “maiden’s castles”.
- Visiting: in practice, travel outside Ashgabat is with a licensed guide, so visitors come on a tour.
Tours visiting Merv
On the Turkmenistan Fixed Date Group Tour and the Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan tour you cross the Farap border from Uzbekistan, visit Merv the same day and spend the night in Mary. The Turkmenistan culture tour visits Merv on a long day trip from Ashgabat. See all our Turkmenistan tours.
Turkmenistan Fixed Date Group Tour
From the border near Bukhara to Khiva: Merv, white-marble Ashgabat, Akhal-Teke horses and the Darvaza Gas Crater.
Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan tour
Samarkand's Registan and Bukhara in Uzbekistan, then the ruins of Merv and white-marble Ashgabat in Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan culture tour
Ancient Merv, a camp at the Darvaza Gas Crater, Turkmenbashi, Yangykala, Nokhur and the Akhal-Teke horses.
Silk Road Tour
From Ashgabat to Astana: the Darvaza gas crater, Merv, Bukhara, Samarkand, the Seven Lakes, Issyk-Kul and Charyn Canyon.
Turkmenistan 6 days tour
White-marble Ashgabat, a night at the Darvaza Gas Crater, ancient Merv, the Nisa fortress and the Akhal-Teke horses.
5 Stan Quick Tour
All five Stans overland: the Darvaza crater, Merv, Bukhara, Samarkand, the Seven Lakes, Kokand, Issyk-Kul and Charyn.
As a centre of religious learning and a base on the Silk Road, Merv mattered greatly to the trade and culture of Central Asia. Before the Mongols, led by a son of Chinggis Khan, reduced it to ashes, it was a melting pot of faiths and peoples. Its brick palaces, mosques, caravanserais and thousands of houses rose above the green oasis. Today only scattered ruins remain: fortified walls, brick foundations and countless pottery shards.
Merv is a place of ruins rather than restored monuments. Archaeology lovers can spend hours walking the ancient settlements, and with a good guide the dusty, windswept walls come to life for everyone else too.
How to visit Merv
Merv is visited from Mary, the main town of the oasis, usually with one night there. Mary is a 40-minute flight or about 360 km (around five hours) by road from Ashgabat. Travellers coming from Bukhara cross the Farap border and can reach Merv on the same day.
The ruins are spread over several kilometres with little shade, so a driver takes you from one monument to the next and you walk around each site.
Merv combines well with Gonur Depe, the Bronze Age capital of Margiana in the desert north of Mary, and with the Mary Regional Museum, whose archaeological halls introduce both Ancient Merv and the Bronze Age sites of the oasis. Seeing Gonur Depe too makes a full day.
In practice, travel outside Ashgabat is with a licensed guide, so visitors come on a tour, and you need a Turkmenistan visa.
Merv in half a day: a short route
A half-day visit usually follows this order:
- Erk Kala and Gyaur Kala: climb the walls of Erk Kala, the oldest city, and look out over Gyaur Kala.
- Sultan Sanjar’s mausoleum in the middle of Sultan Kala, the best-preserved building at Merv.
- The Great and Little Kyz Kala, the “maiden’s castles” west of Sultan Kala.
- The Askhab mausoleums, with their two tiled Timurid portals.
With more time, add the Muhammad ibn Zayd Mausoleum, the Hodja Yusup Hamadani complex and the Timurid walls of Abdulla Khan Kala.
Best time to visit Merv and tips
Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are the best seasons. Summers are very hot, often above 40 °C, and there is almost no shade between the ruins.
Bring water, a hat, sun cream and good shoes for the uneven ground. There is no food on site, so eat in Mary or Bayramaly or bring a picnic. The Hodja Yusup Hamadani complex and the Askhab mausoleums are places of pilgrimage: dress modestly there.
Table of Contents
Merv History
Merv lies in the ancient region of Margiana, also called Margush. Under the Persian Sasanians it was a city of many faiths, where Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians lived side by side. It reached its peak in the 11th and 12th centuries under the Seljuk Turks, when it was one of the great hubs of the Silk Road.
Merv may even have inspired some of the tales of Scheherazade’s Thousand and One Nights. Over the centuries the city was attacked many times, but instead of rebuilding on its old ruins it slowly moved west. In all, five walled cities grew up next to each other, mainly because the rivers and canals that fed them shifted. The best-known ruins are Erk Kala, Gyaur Kala and Sultan Kala.
In 1221 a Mongol army led by Tolui, a son of Chinggis Khan, reached Merv, which then belonged to the Khwarazmshahs. The terrified citizens surrendered, but the Mongols massacred them anyway. The dead numbered in the hundreds of thousands; medieval chroniclers give 700,000 or more. Merv never regained its former grandeur.
The Timurids brought a revival in the 15th century, and later Merv became a prize in the wars between Bukhara, Khiva and Persia. Persian influence grew when Bairam Ali Khan rebuilt a dam, reviving farming and trade. In 1788–89, however, Shah Murad of Bukhara captured Merv, destroyed the dam and deported much of the population. Russia annexed the area in 1884 and ran it from the nearby town of Mary. The modern town next to the ruins, Bayramaly, is named after Bairam Ali Khan.
Merv sights
Gyaur Kala was a significant urban center in Merv’s history, utilizing Erk Kala as its northern fortress. Erk Kala is among the most fascinating and ancient sites in Merv. Both Gyaur Kala and Sultan Kala are substantial in size and host various attractions. Sultan Kala is located just a short walk west of Gyaur Kala, making these sites easily accessible for visitors exploring Merv’s rich historical landscape.
Ancient Settlements of Merv
Gyaur Kala
Gyaur Kala is one of the largest ancient fortified cities in Central Asia, covering more than 300 hectares. It was founded in the 3rd century BC by the Seleucid king Antiochus I as Antiochia Margiana, with Erk Kala as its citadel. Its square walls are almost 2 km long on each side, with three openings where gates once stood, and a path leads from the southern gate to the citadel and around to the northern gate. In the centre of Gyaur Kala lie the ruins of the Beni Makhan Mosque, one of the earliest mosques in Central Asia.
Erk Kala
Erk Kala is the oldest of Merv’s cities. It was built in the Achaemenid period, in the 6th–5th century BC, and later served as the citadel of Gyaur Kala. Its massive earthen walls still rise high above the plain, and from the top you look out over Gyaur Kala. The ruins of towers and gateways show how strongly the city was defended.
Sultan Kala
Great Kyz Kala
The Great Kyz Kala, or “Maiden’s Castle,” is the largest ancient group of structures outside the west wall of Sultan Kala. It includes the Great Kyz Kala, the Lesser Kyz Kala, the Kyz Bibi mausoleum and two more köshks, or fortress-like buildings. Archeologists identified that these two fortresses were built according to the same plan. The immediate vicinity of the buildings has been preserved and the ground surface displays little sign of change. Residential and utility rooms that formed a courtyard were built inside both fortresses.
For the steppe, it was an extremely convenient structure: in summer it was always cool here, and warm in winter. This structure was also used as a barn where harvested foodstuff were stored, so it is not surprising that the fortress could face a long siege. The two parts of the Kyz-Kala fortress were connected with the help of the eastern gate, on which towers were erected. Great Kyz-Kala had two floors: on the first floor there were 5 rooms and a staircase leading downward passing through an arched corridor. According to the fragments of the second floor, it also had 5 rooms located around the courtyard.
Little Kyz Kala
Unlike Great Kyz-Kala, little Kyz-Kala is not that well preserved. The little Kyz-Kala stands about a hundred meters to the south from Great Kyz-Kala. Its layout was the same yet it has survived in far worse condition. The folded facade can be seen only on the eastern side of the structure.
Abdulla Khan Kala
Abdulla Khan Kala is located in the southern part of the Merv site within the group of monuments linked to the Timurid rule in the 15th century. Abdullah Khan Kala lies some 3 km south of Sultan Kala and was built in 1409 by Shah Rukh, who had taken control of the empire of his late father Timur, known as Tamerlane in the West.
This fortress has a square plan and its city crumbling walls, made from the mud-brick, are its most prominent surviving feature. You can also still see the canal surrounding the walled city.
Bairam Ali Khan Kala
Bairam Ali Khan Kala is another landmark located just next to the Abdulla Khan Kala. The fortress has the shape of a three-wall structure and is linked to the western wall of Abdullakhan-Kala. The date of the fortress construction is not known but it was named after the governor Bairamali-khan (1781-1785) who was greatly respected by the residents of those times.
Bairam Ali Khan was the ruler of Merv in the latter part of the 18th century, killed in 1785 by Uzbek forces led by Shah Murad of Bukhara. His demise led to the final decline of Merv during the following decades.
Beni Makhan Mosque
The Beni Makhan Mosque stood in the centre of Gyaur Kala. Built in the first centuries of Islam, it is counted among the earliest mosques in Central Asia. Today it is a ruin, best understood with a guide, and it interests archaeologists and historians more than architecture lovers.
Merv Buddhist Stupa
The Buddhist Stupa in Merv is an ancient structure that symbolizes Buddhist teachings and is a vital part of the region’s religious heritage. Dating back to the early centuries of Buddhism, this stupa served as a place for meditation and worship. Its design typically features a domed shape and a raised platform, reflecting the architectural styles of the time. The site attracts researchers and tourists interested in Buddhism and Central Asian history, showcasing the area’s rich cultural diversity.
Shahriar Ark Citadel
Shahriar Ark Citadel is a prominent historical fortress in Merv. Dating back to the 11th century, it served as a royal residence and military stronghold. The citadel exemplifies the architectural grandeur of the Seljuk era and features impressive defensive walls and towers. It played a vital role in Merv’s strategic significance during its peak as a cultural and economic center in Central Asia.
Walled Shahriar Ark Citadel is located east side of the road, after passing the Sultan Kala. The building was based around a central courtyard, surrounded on each side by iwans. The best-preserved building in the Shahriar Ark, however, stands to the northeast of the palace. It is a about 20 m long rectangular building and around 8 m in height. Its outside walls have a distinctive design of vertical corrugations.
Kempter Khana
The Kempter Khana (also written Kepter Khana) is a building inside the Shahriar Ark. Its name means “pigeon house”, after the many niches in its corrugated walls, but its real purpose is unknown: researchers have also suggested a library or an administrative building.
Merv Mausoleums
Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum
The Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum is one of the few buildings in Merv that have survived intact. It stands in the middle of Sultan Kala and was restored with the help of the Turkish and Turkmen governments. The tomb is also known as Dar al-Akhira (“The Other World”), and it shows the wealth and achievements of the Seljuks at their height. Next to it lie the ruins of large monumental buildings: the palaces of the Seljuk rulers and a mosque.
The mausoleum is a cube crowned by a double dome that was once covered with turquoise tiles, and a gallery of open arches runs beneath the dome. It was built for Sultan Muizz ad-Din Sanjar, who was buried here in 1157. According to tradition, his remains were reburied at an unknown time and place when the Mongols attacked Merv in 1221, so the grave under the tombstone is empty.
Mosque and Mausoleum complex of Hodja Yusup Hamadani
The mosque and mausoleum complex of Hodja Yusup Hamadani is one of the most popular places of shrine pilgrimage in Turkmenistan. Hodja Yusup was a Sufi scholar of the 12th century, whose teachings formed a significant factor in the development of Sufism in Central Asia. He studied theology in Baghdad and settled later in Merv, where he enjoyed the support of Sultan Sanjar.
He was buried in the city after his death in 1140. The mosque here was one of the few ones in Turkmenistan, that were allowed to operate, albeit under tight control, during the Soviet period. The open-sided square mausoleum, towards the rear of the complex, is a recent reconstruction. A group of buildings along the west side of this, around a central ivan, were possibly initially built in the Timurid period.
Muhammad ibn Zayd Mausoleum
The Muhammad ibn Zayd Mausoleum, located near the Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum, is an important historical and religious site built to honor Muhammad ibn Zayd, an influential Shi’ite cleric from the 8th and 9th centuries. Zayd played a key role in spreading Shi’ism across Iraq during the turbulent reign of Al-Ma’mun, the 7th Caliph of the Abbasid Caliphate, from 813 to 833. Despite the Abbasid Caliphate’s hostility toward Shi’ism, Zayd’s efforts were significant, particularly during the unrest caused by various uprisings, including the revolt of Abu al-Saraya, which proclaimed Zayd as a new imam.
The Abbasid Caliphs were often antagonistic toward Shi’ism, with some caliphs being openly intolerant. Under this political environment, Shi’a Muslims faced oppression, and uprisings, like that of Abu al-Saraya, became common. Zayd, who was the son of Musa al-Kazim, became a notable figure within the rebellion. His opposition to the Abbasid regime led him to Basra and Kufa, where he became a symbol of resistance. However, the rebellion was swiftly suppressed, and Zayd was captured, executed, and his death marked the end of his direct influence. The mausoleum, built around 1140 during the reign of Sultan Sanjar, commemorates his legacy and serves as a symbol for the local Shi’a population.
The mausoleum is built of baked bricks and exhibits a simple yet remarkable design, with a rectangular shape and several domed chambers. Its most notable feature is the memorial chamber, located in the southwest corner, which is oriented to the west-southwest (WSW), aligning with the qibla direction toward Mecca. Although it was not used as a mosque, the presence of a mihrab (niche) within the memorial chamber suggests its symbolic significance in guiding worshippers.
The building’s design is similar to other Seljuk-era structures, such as the Ismail Samani Mausoleum in Bukhara, characterized by its use of unadorned brick and intricate architectural details. The construction of the mausoleum includes highly detailed squinches, tympana with herringbone patterns, and a calligraphic band in Kufic script around the perimeter, showcasing the skill and artistry of the time. The simplicity and elegance of the structure reflect the Seljuk preference for unembellished, yet architecturally sophisticated brickwork.
Merv Pilgrimage Site and Surrounding Area of Muhammad ibn Zayd Mausoleum
In addition to the mausoleum, the area features several ruins, including the remains of a caravanserai, indicating that the site once hosted pilgrims. A step well, known as a sardoba, is also present, though it no longer holds water.
Today, the mausoleum is a site of pilgrimage, where visitors often leave small offerings such as scraps of fabric tied to trees or tiny ornaments, especially in hopes of blessings such as fertility. This ongoing tradition highlights the continued reverence for Muhammad ibn Zayd and the mausoleum’s significance in both historical and spiritual contexts.
Askhab Mausoleums
The Askhab Mausoleums, located in Merv, were built during the Timurid era to honor two of Prophet Muhammad’s earliest followers, Abu Dhar al-Ghifari and Abu Buraidah al-Aslami. These mausoleums consist of two iwans, which are monumental portals commonly used in Timurid architecture. The original structures were likely built in the Seljuk era but were destroyed during the Mongol invasions in the 13th century. The Timurids reconstructed them in the 15th or 16th century.
The iwans were restored in 1992 and feature intricate tile work with geometric patterns and Kufic inscriptions. The colors used in the tile work are cobalt blue, turquoise, and tan-colored brick. The conservationists carefully matched the original colors to create a seamless blend of old and new tiles. The iwans serve as backdrops for the two small tomb chambers that house the cenotaphs of the two companions of Muhammad.
In addition to the tombs and iwans, there is a small sardoba located nearby that was once used as a source of clean water. Unfortunately it has been polluted with trash and may no longer be suitable for drinking. The site also features a modern prayer hall and a refectory. It is believed that the mausoleums were originally intended as sites of ritual commemoration, and not the actual burial sites of the two companions.
Kyz Bibi Mausoleum
Kyz Bibi is a small reconstructed square mausoleum, open on all sides and located west of the Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum and South of the road. It is not known who is buried in the tomb and there is no sarcophagus inside the tomb. However, some scientists believe that this may be the burial place of Sultan Sanjar’s wife, Turkan-Khatun. Pilyavskiy, who researched the tomb before the renovations, dated the tomb to the 11th-12th centuries.
Merv Ice Houses
These large ancient “freezers”, made from brick and covered by a conical-shaped roof, were used to keep meat and other foods frozen during the summer. They can be found south from Gyaur Kala.
First Ice House
A building with the diameter of 13 m, believed to be a Timurid ice-house, is located in wasteland about 500 m to the north of Abdullah Khan Kala. Today it is a roofless building of rounded pyramidal shape and its interior walls pierced with many beam-slots. Most archaeologists believe that the buildings were used for the storage of ice, although some sources claim that they may have been water wells.
Second Ice House / Koshk Imaret
Some 100 m to the southeast from the first ice house, you will reach the second ice-house. It is a building known as the Koshk Imaret. This is a Timurid pavilion, that would once have lain in the heart of gardens. It is rectangular in plan, with its main, arched, entrance on the west side of the building, flanked by arched niches. Traces of plaster have been found on the inside of the building, still preserving the pink color in which the pavilion was originally colored.
Third Ice House
This ice house has a rather different form from the others, having a taller and steeper design. Fragments of wooden beams have survived in many of the slots around the internal walls. Some researchers believe that the buildings may date from the Seljuk rather than the Timurid period. This ice house, the closest to Gyaur Kala, is perhaps the best-preserved structure among the three.
Written by Anssi Karppinen, Central Asia Guide · Page updated