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 Mary welayat(region) is located in the southeastern part of Turkmenistan on Turanian plains and bound by Karakum desert. The official administrative center of the welayat is the city of Mary. Other important urban centers of the region are Bayramaly, Serhetabat, Yoloten and Shatlyk.
The famous power station Mary GRES borders upon Mary. Vast reserves of natural resources have been discovered in the region. The region's agriculture is facilitated by Garagum Deryasy (Garagum Canal) - one of the longest human-made canals in the world.
Mary is one of the largest and most influential business centers in Turkmenistan. The city is scenically located along the waters of the Murgap River, which was the cradle for all civilisations in the Murgap oasis.
 Thanks to the judicious city planning the traffic has never been a problem in Mary. It is a walkable city with a lot of parks and greens. Just across the river, where the cultural downtown is situated, on national holidays you can see girls and boys performing traditional dance, music in traditional Turkmen costumes.
The city is adorned with cheerful fountains which are themselves masterpieces of Turkmen sculpture. By leisurely strolling along the streets you can enjoy the unique architectural composition of the city blended with national ornamental work.
 A prominent shopping attraction in the downtown Mary is Gok Bazaar (also known as Zeleny). The magnificent dome hosts not only modern shopping facilites such as cellular phones, TVs but also an area where you can discover the state-of-art hand-made Turkmen carpets, embroideries.
Visitors of Mary are encouraged to try the specialties of restaurants in Zeleny Bazaar. In front of the Zeleny you can take a walk in a large park and take a photo of yourself to spot the moment of your life "You in Maru-Shahu-Jahan".
 Mary has a rich cultural life. The Mary museum opened in 1984 is said originally to belong to a Russian brick factory owner. The upper floor boasts an extensive permanent display of Turkmen ethnography with additional sections on the Baluch and early Russian involvement in this region.Mary museum is generally open seven days a week, 9.00-18.00, with an admission charge currently set at US$1 per foreigner.
The city also hosts Mary Energy Institute - a popular higher educational institution among Turkmen youth, Mary Theatre and various cultural houses.
 Historians usually define Turkmenistan's territory as "an archeological paradise", because of sands and hills under which ruins of ancient cities and civilisations await archeologists' discovery. There are number of places appearing on the world heritage register of UNESCO. In terms of such sites of historical value Mary welayat has a very important place. A number of medieval fortresses such as Great Gyzkala (Girls Fortress) and Small Gyzkala, are scattered in the region.
The tombs of Bureyde al-Aslami and el-Gifari, friends of Prophet Muhammed and Hoja Yusup Hemedany attract thousands of Muslims each year.
 Capital cities of Ancient Merv through different chronological eras constitute the unified historical-archeological zone near Bayramaly. The zone is under the aegis of the government of Turkmenistan and it includes Soltan gala (IX-XII centuries.), Gawur gala (III century BC.- VIII-IX centuries), Erk gala (I century), Abdyllahan gala(XV century) and Bayramalykhan gala (XVIII century).
The most famous attraction of Merv is the mausoleum of Soltan Sanjar (1118-1157), the last sultan of the Seljuk Empire.
 In the fourth century BC Merv was conquered by Alexander the Great. At the end of the 4th c.BC Merv was included into the kingdom of Selevkids and the city of Antiochia was founded. The remains of Antiochia's walls were discovered about 30 km to the north of Ancient Merv. It also known under the name of Gyaur Kala.
The fortress has a regular plan and perfectly aligned walls. Between the end of the IV and the beginning of the V c.c. the so-called "oval house" was erected in the north- eastern corner of Gawur Gala. It was a cloister of the local Christian community.
 The ancient country of Margush or Margiana and medieval Merv are essentially one and the same country through different chronological eras. Scientists assume that the first worldwide religion Zoroastrianism is connected with the country of Margush. Archeologist discovered four monumental fire temples there. Perhaps suffering indignity as the prophet of a new religion, Zoroaster strolled along the dusty roads of Margush. Perhaps there he began his religious mission, and there the ideas included in the holy Avesta were bom and first became well known. In the Avesta, seven regions are named where the Zoroaster's followers lived, including Mouru.
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