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Abiverd

The ruins of a medieval walled city near Kaka, on the route between Nisa and Merv.

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Typeruined city
WhereAhal
Nearest cityKaka
Best seasonApril to May and September to October
Time to allowAn hour or two
Getting thereNear Kaka on the road east from Ashgabat; short track from the highway
EntryFree

Abiverd was a walled city on the route along the foot of the Kopetdag between Nisa and Merv, occupied from before the Islamic period and abandoned by the seventeenth century, and what remains is a large mound of eroded mud brick with the outline of the citadel and walls still readable and pottery scattered across the surface. Nothing has been reconstructed. The site sits in open country with the mountains behind.

What you actually see

  • The city outline - walls and citadel readable in the eroded mound.
  • The mud brick - the weathered fabric the whole city was built from.
  • The surface pottery - sherds scattered across the site.
  • The mountain backdrop - the Kopetdag rising behind the ruins.

When to go

April to May and September to October are the workable months. Summer heat is severe with no shade. Winter can be muddy.

Honest expectations

There is nothing standing and the site reads as mounds unless you know what to look for. No interpretation exists on the ground. There is no shade or water.

Nearby

Kaka is beside it, and Meana Baba is east.

What to pack for Abiverd

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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.

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