Ancient Merv

The State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv” in modern Turkmenistan is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, being listed in 1999. It is the most completely preserved and oldest oasis city along the Silk Road of Central Asia.

Before it was sacked by Ögedei Khagan the third son of Genghis Khan in AD1221 it was one of the world’s biggest cities and one of the Muslim world’s most sophisticated and wealthiest cities. It is estimated that the Mongol army massacred the entire population of c700,000 save for 400 craftsmen who were spared. Merv never recovered from this disaster.

Within the park several monuments are still visible from the last two millennia and the vast oasis contains remains from over 4,000 years of human history.