Great Kyz Kala

The Great Kyz Kala is a large ruined fortress in the ancient city of Merv, now in Turkmenistan.^[1] The fortress belongs to the köshk or kushk type: an earthen building built on a raised platform, with exterior wall formed of large vertical engaged columns (a series of octagonal half-columns) having the aspect of large corrugations.^[2][3] These fortresses are equipped with internal palatial rooms, often decorated.^[2] It occupied an area of 1,569.84 square metres (16,897.6 sq ft).^[4]

Great Kyz Kala
The Great Kyz Kala.[1]
Location Show map of Continental Asia Great Kyz Kala (Turkmenistan) Show map of Turkmenistan
General information
Type	Castle
Architectural style	Sasanian
Town or city	Merv
Country	Turkmenistan
Coordinates	37°39′18.18″N 62°09′09.21″E

The construction date is rather uncertain, with some authors arguing for an early 6th to 7th century date, attributing it to the Sasanian Empire (224–651).^[5] It is also attributed to the 8th/9th century CE, corresponding to the Umayyad or Abassid period.^[2][6]

The Great Kyz Kala was an elite palatial suburban residence, perhaps meant for the use of the governor of Merv.^[2] It remained in use until the Seljuks as a function room.^[5]

A smaller fortress nearby is the Little Kyz Kala.^[3]

Gallery

• 
  3D reconstruction of the Great Kyz Kala.^[1]
• 
  Cross-section of the Great Kyz Kala.^[1]
• 
  A Sogdian fortress of similar characteristics, on the Anikova dish, c. 800 CE design.^[1][7]
• 
  Great Kyz Kala decorative patterns (Internal staircase).^[1]
• 
  Great Kyz Kala painted plaster, probably from the collapsed upper floor.^[1]
• 
  Great Kyz Kala plan.^[1]

See also

• Desert castles of ancient Khorezm
• Qasr al-'Ashiq