Ahal Region

Have a nice trip!

Abiverd Alty Depe Anau Mosque Ashgabat Bakharden Underground Lake Damla Oasis

Darvaza Oasis Erbent Oasis Firuza & Chuli Valley Kahka Karakala Reserve Karakum Desert

Meane Baba Mausoleum Murche Nissa Fortress Nokhur Area

Meane Baba Mausoleum & Shrine

The Mausoleum of Abu Said Makneyi is situated in a small village in Kahka. It was built during the reign of Turkmen-Seljuks in the 11-th century. This mausoleum was constructed over the grave of famous followers of sufizm and the great philosophers in Eastern literature Abu Said Makneyi who lived during the period of 968- 1049. The approximate time of the construction is estimated to be the middle of 11-th century. It has the double dome that is the main characteristic features of time. In the 15-th century the building was partly renovated, but its constructive bases were not damaged. The inner part of the mausoleum is decorated with inscriptions and the portal is laced with mosaics. The mosaics differ in motley colors like puce, white, green and others. One part of the building reaches to 10,3 meters and doubled domes up to 21-22-23 centimeters. The mausoleum is all over decorated with Arabic inscriptions in outer and design patterns in inner parts. According to scientists Abu Said was born in 968 and died in 1049 at the age of 83. His fathers name was Ibrahim who owned a perfume shop at that time. From the early childhood Abu Said began his education. At the age of 12 he already knew three thousand written lines in Arabic language by heart. He studied in Mary and gained his education from famous people of that time Abu Zahir and Abul Fazil. There are lots of stories about Abu Saids experiences in life.Once when Abu Said was at the mosque in Nishapur, the famous erudite Abu AliIbn Sina entered the hall and joined people. They met each other and had conversation that lasted for three days. When Abu Said was about to leave one person at the mosque approached him and asked "How did you like Ibn Sina"? He answered " Ibn Sina knows everything that I see". When the same question was given to Ibn Sina he answered "Abu Said sees everything that I know".

Murche Site

A mystical place of legends and deities Murche, located 118km to the west of Ashgabat, is an ancient village in the foothills of the Kopetdag Mountains filled with ancient ruins, mysticism, and deities. In Murche, one can see the ancient tribal traditions still performed with their mysterious offerings to the pagan deities; see the unexplained natural phenomenon of light radiating from an archaic burial site, or walk over pre-Islamic ruins dedicated to the patroness of women and fertility. Also in Murche is the Mausoleum of Zengi-Baba who is in Indo-Iranian mythology a reflection of Mithra, the ancient god of sun. Eventually this cult spread beyond Iran and Asia Minor and gradually became a mystery cult. It's all for the curious traveler, only two hours away from the capital.

Nissa Fortress

This site includes the remains of Old and New Nisa. Two outstanding monuments of Central Asian archeology - the townships of Old and New Nisa- are situated on the grounds of Bagir village about 18 km from Ashgabat. The Old Nisa was an important center of the Parthian state, which existed since the III c. BC up to the III c. AD and rivaled with Rome for supremacy in the Near East In particular, in 53 BC the Parthians managed to bring a crushing defeat upon the Romans in the battle of Karres/ a small village in Northern Mesopotamia/; thousands of Roman soldiers were sent to settle in the remote Margiana, in the valley of the Murgab river. The New Nisa is older than the Old Nisa. Life stopped at the Old Nisa already in the III c. AD, when the Parthian state was conquered by the Pershian dynasty of Sasanids, however the New Nisa was still inhabited later, up to the XVI-XVIIc.c. As a place for erecting the Old Nisa a natural height was chosen; ancient architects turned it into a menacing fortress, pentagonal in plan, with an area of about 14 hectares. The walls of the fortress were about 8-9 m thick near the basis, 43 rectangular towers strengthening them additionally. The main buildings of Old Nisa are grouped into two assemblages: the Northern one and the Central, which sometimes called the Southern. The treasury vast vine storage, different workshops and other household buildings were located in the Northern part of the fortress. The monumental temples and Throne Hall were grouped in the Central assemblage. The central place in the Southern assemblage belongs to the Square Hall/ 20 X 20 rn/.Fired brick was the material for columns and semi columns, terracotta architectural details were used for decoration of this Hall. The design of the two other big constructions of the Central assemblage, the Round Hall and the Tower, seems to be more closed. The Round Hall /17 m in diameter/ is enclosed into a legible quadrate of surrounding corridors. The massive Tower occupied the area of about 20X20 m and was 8 m high.To the north of the Square Hall a big group of various buildings and a vast yard were located, where multi column porticos were found. This part of the assemblage is likely to have been dwelled and served for household purposes. The architectural view of the Northern assemblage is quite different. The royal solemnity of Halls and temples is changed for constructions of utility character. The most important is the a Square House /60X60m/. It consisted of 12 rectangular chambers surrounding a large yard with 3 chambers alongside. In each room items of great artistic value were stored: marble statues, ivory rythons, silver and bronze vessels etc. Surrounding the main treasury were numerous other constructions, among them vast vine storage, where huge clay vessels / khums / were located. Each khum was accompanied by a document written on a clay ostrakon/ a broken piece of a jug/. Several questions are not solved yet. The Old Nisa was declared a state archeological reservation. Open daily from 7.00 AM till 7 PM.

Nokhur Area

Visually, Nokhur is unlike any other site found in Turkmenistan. Rich in history, nature and tribal custom, Nokhur is set 1,100 m above the Karakum Desert in the cool mountain valleys of southwestern Turkmenistan. The Nokhur people have maintained a highly homogeneous society based upon ancestral rights, and tribal custom. Varied images in the stunning silk embroideries sewn by local Nokhur women, indicating their particular tribe, make Nokhur silk renowned throughout the country. The Nokhur felts are also thought to be exclusive to this region. They differ from customary Turkmen felts with their original designs and Zoroastrian ornaments symbolising the worship of fire, and the cult of fertility. Constructing their homes from the stones found around the area, the Nokhur people have decorated these simple homes with handcrafted wooden columns and capitals unique only to this clan of people. Accented by two small flowing streams, the flora and fauna of this region is exceptional. There are mountain goats (umga and marhur), Urial mountain sheep, wolves, foxes, jackals, porcupines, and even snow leopards in these mountain-ridges. See this ancient way of life uniquely preserved and rarely seen.

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