18 km west of Ashgabat towering ruins of Nisa - the capital of the ancient Parthian state, which existed at the turn of the I millennium BC. Oe. - 1 ths. Oe. In the III century BC New Nisa was the capital of the Parthian state, and the fortress of Old Nisa was a royal residence. In the Old Nisa, there were palace and temple structures. There is also a treasury, and the huge wine stores with enormous stocks. The fortress walls were thick at the base of 8 - 9 m and were reinforced with 43 rectangular towers. In an era when the Parthian Empire was a world power, was known as Old Nisa Mitridatkert, on behalf of King Mithridates I (171-138 years. BC) who ordered it built. Subsequently, the rulers of Parthia, transferred the capital of Asia Minor, but of particular relevance to the Old Nisa preserved here were the graves of members of the ruling dynasty Arsakid to the great kings of the celebrations came to Nissa and arranged sacrifice In 226 AD Parthian kingdom ceased to exist, and the former governor Arsakid Ardashir established a new government led by the Sassanid dynasty. Wishing to eradicate the memory of people in all that was due to the Parthian rulers, he ordered the destruction of the Old Nisa. The family nest was plundered and Arsakid practically turned into ruins. Life there was renewed only a few centuries later, after the occurrence of Nisa in the Arab Caliphate, but the former might and strength is not reached. Today, the former splendor of Mitridatokerta show only archaeological finds - beautiful horn-shaped vessels (rhytons) of ivory, unique documents II-I centuries. BC, written with a brush from the wreckage of clay crocks, white marble sculpture of amazing, and so on