Mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar
Soltan Sanjaryň kümmeti
The mausoleum of the last great Seljuk sultan, the grandest domed structure in 12th-century Central Asia and a symbol of Merv.
Built around 1157, the cube-shaped main body measures 27 m on each side and is topped by a double dome about 36 m high, making it one of the largest domed structures in the Islamic world at the time. The interior retains brick geometric patterns and inscriptions, and the building survived the Mongol sack of 1221. The mausoleum stands at the centre of the ancient city of Sultan Kala, surrounded by extensive mud-brick wall ruins. Tickets for the Merv State Historical and Cultural Park are purchased at the entrance. You will need to hire a car or join a tour to get there; it is about 30 km from Mary.
Opening hours
Open daytime (about 9:00am–6:00pm)
Nearby sights
- Shahriyar Ark
- Sultan Kala
- Askhab Mausoleums
- Great and Lesser Kyz Kala
- Yusuf Hamadani Complex
- Gyaur Kala
- Merv Ice Houses
- Erk Kala