Mausoleum - a companion of the Prophet

The Desolation that was Merv

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October 4th 2014
Geo: 37.6229, 62.0837Known in its heyday as Marv-i-shah-jahan (Merv- Queen of the World) it stood alongside Damascus, Baghdad and Cairo as one of the great cities of the Islamic world. Though it's history goes back much further - the most ancient walled enclosure dates back to 5th or 6th century BC, in Alexander the Great's time it was known as Margiana It hosted Zoroastrianism, Buddhism ... read more

Asia » Turkmenistan

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Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan became a Soviet republic in 1924. It achieved its independence upon the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated... ... read more