Great and Lesser Kyz Kala
Uly we Kiçi Gyz Gala
Merv's most distinctive mud-brick 'Maiden Fortress', whose massive scalloped columnar ribs on the outer walls are a form found nowhere else in Central Asia.
Great and Lesser Kyz Kala were built between the 6th and 7th centuries, during the Sasanian to early Islamic period, as country residences (koshk) of the nobility. The outer walls are formed by rows of semi-cylindrical mud-brick ribs, which both reinforced the structure and helped dissipate heat. Great Kyz Kala is better preserved, with a two-storey courtyard layout inside. The two buildings are about 200 m apart, on the west side of the Sultan Kala city walls. The site is made of earth, so please do not climb the walls.
Opening hours
Open daytime
Nearby sights
- Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
- Askhab Mausoleums
- Merv Ice Houses
- Sultan Kala
- Shahriyar Ark
- Abdullah Khan Kala
- Yusuf Hamadani Complex
- Gyaur Kala