🗼 Kunya-Urgench
Turkmenistan
About This Sacred Site
Kunya-Urgench, the ancient capital of the Khwarezmian Empire in northern Turkmenistan, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring some of the finest medieval Islamic architecture in Central Asia. The site includes the Kutlug-Timur Minaret, at 60 meters the tallest pre-modern minaret in Central Asia, the mausoleum of Turabeg Khanym with its remarkable dome, and numerous other mausoleums and mosques. The city was destroyed by Genghis Khan in 1221 and again by Tamerlane, but its surviving monuments testify to its former glory.
Key Facts
- •UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005
- •The Kutlug-Timur Minaret is 60 meters tall
- •Former capital of the Khwarezmian Empire
- •Destroyed by both Genghis Khan and Tamerlane
- •The Turabeg Khanym mausoleum dome features stunning geometric patterns
Location
Coordinates: 42.3289, 59.1533
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