Dehistan

Dehistan, also called Mashad-i Misrian, was a substantial city on the plain south of the Balkan mountains, watered by a canal system from the Atrek and abandoned after the Mongol period when the water failed. Two brick minarets of the twelfth century still stand, along with the great portal of the mosque of Khorezmshah Muhammad, and the walls and mounds of the town spread across the plain. A necropolis with mausoleums lies a short distance away.

What you actually see

• The two minarets - twelfth-century brick towers still standing on the plain.
• The mosque portal - the great arch of the Khorezmshah mosque.
• The city mounds - walls and building remains spread across the site.
• The necropolis - the mausoleums a short distance from the town.

When to go

April to May and September to October are the workable months. Summer heat here is extreme. Tracks can be soft after rain.

Honest expectations

Access needs a four-wheel drive and a driver who knows the route; there is no public transport. There is no shade, water or facility. Nothing is interpreted on site.

Nearby

Balkanabat is north, and Gozli Ata is far northwest.