Ancient Merv

Ancient Merv, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the eastern desert near the modern city of Mary, is one of the most important and evocative archaeological sites in Central Asia, the haunting remains of a great oasis city of the Silk Road. For centuries a flourishing centre of trade, learning and power, Merv was, in the twelfth century, reputedly one of the largest cities in the world, before it was devastated by the Mongols. Its vast expanse of crumbling mud-brick walls, fortresses, and the soaring domed mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar rising from the empty plain powerfully conjures a lost civilisation.

The main sights

• The Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar - the great domed tomb on the plain.
• The ancient fortresses - the crumbling mud-brick citadels.
• The city walls - the vast ruined ramparts across the desert.
• The Kyz Kala - the corrugated walls of the great keeps.

When to go

Spring, April to May, and autumn, September to October, for the mildest weather, as the desert summers are brutally hot and shadeless; the ruins are vast and exposed, so cooler months and an early start are essential. A guide greatly enriches understanding of the sprawling, layered site.

What to expect

Merv is a vast site of eroded mud-brick ruins spread across a huge area rather than intact monuments, so it takes imagination, ideally a guide, and some driving between its scattered remains to grasp its former glory; there is little shade or infrastructure. It is visited as part of a guided tour of Turkmenistan. For those drawn to the Silk Road and ancient history, though, the haunting scale of this once-great lost city is deeply evocative.

Nearby

The city of Mary and the eastern deserts surround it.