Which country is home to the ancient city of Merv, a major Silk Road center?

Turkmenistan is home to the ancient city of Merv, a major Silk Road center.

Merv lies near the modern city of Mary in southeastern Turkmenistan. The archaeological area contains the remains of several successive urban centers, including Erk Kala, Gyaur Kala and Sultan Kala. Their layers reflect the city’s long history under Achaemenid, Hellenistic, Parthian, Sasanian, Islamic and later rulers.

Merv became especially important during the Seljuk period. In the 12th century it served as a capital and grew into one of the largest cities in the world. Its location along routes connecting Central Asia, Iran and Afghanistan made it a major hub for commerce, scholarship and political power.

The city was devastated by the Mongol conquest in 1221, after which its importance declined. Ancient Merv was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. It is sometimes confused with Samarkand or Bukhara, better-known Silk Road cities in Uzbekistan, but Merv is in Turkmenistan.