The Hajj At Home: Turkmen Historical Sites
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The Hodja Yusuf Hamadani mosque in the ancient Silk Road city of Merv, also known as Mary - Turkmen authorities have banned citizens from participating in the Hajj pilgrimage this year due to the risk of swine flu. But they have proposed an alternative: a delegation of officials will embark on a tour of Turkmen historical sites.
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Merv is relatively accessible from the capital Ashgabat, but other sites are in remote parts of Turkmenistan.
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The remains of the ancient city of Nisa, the capital of the ancient Parthian Empire, near Ashgabat
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Ruins in Nisa - The Parthian Empire lasted from the third century BC to the third century AD -- well before the advent of Islam in Turkmenistan in the eighth century.