The Mausoleum of Mohammed ibn Zayid is one of the quieter but more rewarding monuments in the Merv archaeological zone. It was built in the 12th century for Mohammed ibn Zayid, a descendant of Ali and a Shiite rebel leader killed after an 8th-century uprising against the Umayyads.
The appeal is in the details: decorated brickwork, a surviving Kufi inscription, and the remains of a prayer hall facade that show how refined Merv's Islamic architecture could be even away from the most famous monuments.