Erk Kala
Erk Gala
The oldest city site in Merv, a circular earthen citadel from the Achaemenid period in the 6th century BCE, with walls about 30 meters high.
Erk Kala was the earliest urban core of the Merv oasis. In the Achaemenid Persian era it served as the capital of the Margiana satrapy, and it was later used under Alexander and the Seleucid dynasty. Its circular city wall is about 1.5 km around. From the top of the wall you can look down over the sunken inner city and across to Gyaur Kala, making it the best spot for understanding Merv’s “layers of cities” arrangement. The walls are rammed earth, steep and sandy, so wear non-slip shoes.
Opening hours
Open daytime
Nearby sights
- Gyaur Kala
- Shahriyar Ark
- Yusuf Hamadani Complex
- Askhab Mausoleums
- Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
- Sultan Kala
- Great and Lesser Kyz Kala
- Merv Ice Houses