Property: State Historical and Cultural Park "Ancient Merv"
Id. N°: 886
State Party: Turkmenistan
Criteria: C (ii) (iii)
The Committee inscribed the property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iii):
Criterion (ii): The cities of the Merv oasis have exerted considerable influence over the cultures of Central Asia and Iran for four millennia. Seljuk City in particular, influenced architecture and architectural decoration and scientific and cultural development.
Criterion (iii): The sequence of the cities of the Merv oasis, their fortifications, and their urban lay-outs bear exceptional testimony to the civilizations of Central Asia over several millennia.
The Committee congratulated the State Party for nominating its first World Heritage site, which has enhanced the representativity and balance of the World Heritage List.