Among them, two brilliant gems shine in present day Turkmenistan as if pausing time itself: Merv (Marv Shahjan) , once hailed as the “capital of the Islamic world,” and Köneürgenç , the beating heart of Khwarazmian architecture and Sufism. Both sites are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and bear witness to the grandeur of great empires and the boundless artistry of ancient builders.
Merv – The Legendary City of “Marv Shahjan”
Merv, located in south eastern Turkmenistan near the modern town of Baýramaly, is undoubtedly one of the oldest and largest ancient cities in the world. With a history spanning over 4,000 years, its strategic position on the Silk Road between Bukhara, Herat and Nishapur earned it the epithet “City of a Thousand Gates.”
Merv reached its zenith during two glorious periods: the 9th century CE, when it served as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate (under Caliph al Ma’mun), and the 11th–12th centuries CE, as the eastern capital of the Great Seljuk Empire, ruling a realm that stretched from Central Asia to the Mediterranean.
The city’s astonishing layout comprises five concentric walled settlements, each telling the story of a different era: Erk Gala (Achaemenid), Gäwürgala (Parthian Sassanian), Soltangala (Seljuk), Abdullāhān Gala (Timurid) and Baýramaly Gala. Among these, the Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar stands out as the most iconic monument. Its double shelled brick dome adorned with turquoise tiles represents the pinnacle of Seljuk architecture and is the least damaged remnant of Merv’s splendour before the Mongol invasion. The site was added to the UNESCO list in 1999.
Köneürgenç – The Heart of Khwarazmian Civilisation and Sufism
In northern Turkmenistan lies Köneürgenç, the ancient capital of Khwarazm and a major scientific and religious centre on the Silk Road. Before the devastating Mongol assault of 1221 CE, this city ranked among the largest and most magnificent in the Islamic world.
The architectural masterpieces here leave every visitor in awe. The Köneürgenç Minaret , nearly 60 metres tall, is one of the highest historical minarets in Central Asia; it also served as a beacon guiding trade caravans. The royal mausoleums – such as the tomb of Il Arslan with its unique conical dome, and the mausoleum of Sultan Tekesh – display a breathtaking fusion of Seljuk brickwork and Khwarazmian tile decoration. The Mausoleum of Törebeg Hanym is a Timurid masterpiece of symbolic geometry and banna’i (mosaic tile) work.
Beyond these buildings, Köneürgenç is also a major centre of Sufism. The tomb of Najm al Din Kubra , founder of the Kubrawiyya order, transformed the city into a magnet for spiritual seekers. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2005, Köneürgenç represents the meeting point of Persian Khwarazmian architecture and Islamic traditions, playing a key role in the transmission of knowledge between Iran, Transoxiana and Khorasan.
Visiting Merv and Köneürgenç is far more than a geographical journey – it is a pilgrimage through the depths of history. With their stunning brick architecture and rich cultural heritage, these two cities continue to shine as symbols of regional identity and as shared treasures of human civilisation at the heart of the Silk Road. Any traveller following the ancient Silk Road should not miss these two sparkling gems.