Mary is a mid-sized city in southern Turkmenistan, and the main gateway to the ancient ruins of Merv — one of the great Silk Road cities and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The ruins lie about 30 km east of the city center and are the principal reason most travelers come here.
The city itself is unremarkable but has a functioning bazaar and enough guesthouses to use as a base. The drive from Ashgabat takes about six hours by road or less than an hour by air.
The ruins of Merv spread across a vast area and contain remains from multiple historical periods, from the 3rd century BC through the 13th century AD. At its medieval peak Merv was among the largest cities in the world. The Mongols under Tolui Khan destroyed it in 1221, reportedly killing most of the population. The Sultan Sanjar Mausoleum — a 12th-century structure with a turquoise dome visible from kilometers away — is the most intact of the remaining monuments.