Just outside Ashgabat to the east, Anau is the site of an urban settlement that existed since the Bronze Ages, but flourished particularly under Parthian and Timurid rule.

Next to excavation mounts and the remains of the medieval fortress are the remains of the portal of the magnificent mosque of Said Jemaliddin, constructed in 1456. Although the portal collapsed during the 1948 earthquake, the remains are impressive. It serves as an important local pilgrim destination.