Description
Remains of the walls of Erk Gala, in Ancient Merv. Erk Gala is the Persian (7th century BC, and oldest) phase of Merv. During the subsequent Hellenistic era, it served as the Citadel. Situated in modern-day Eastern Turkmenistan. Merv was a major Silk Road hub and used to be the largest city in the world for much of the Middle Ages.