Kunya-Urgench (Koneurgench)

Kunya-Urgench (Koneurgench)

Kunya-Urgench (Koneurgench) is an ancient city, the first mentions of which date back to the 3rd-1st centuries BC. It is even found in the Avesta, the main book of the Zoroastrians. There the city is called Urva (Urga). Caravans of the Great Silk Road passed through here, and the Chinese called the city Yue-gan, although it was located on the territory of the state of Khorezm. In the 8th century, the city was conquered by the Arabs and renamed Gurganj. At the same time, the Khorezm ruler settled in Gurganj, declaring the city his residence. People began to move here, and soon the city became the second largest after Bukhara. In the early Middle Ages, Gurganj experienced a cultural boom. At that time, the city, located at the intersection of trade routes, was a large bazaar center. Famous scientists Abu Ali ibn Sina and Abu Rayhan Beruni lived here. They worked at the Mamun Academy. By the way, it was here that Ibn Sina began writing the "Canon of Medicine" and the "Book of Healing". At different times, Gurganj was conquered by the Mamunids, Anushteginids, and even Genghis Khan himself. The latter conquered Gurganj in 1221, having greatly destroyed the city. In the 14th century, the city came under the control of Uzbek Khan, the Sultan of the Golden Horde. Then, according to the merchant and traveler Ibn Battuta, Gurganj became the largest of the Turkic cities. In 1388, Gurganj was conquered by Tamerlane. In a few months of fighting, the city was practically wiped off the face of the earth. Soon after, almost all of Gurganj's residents left. Being torn apart, the city fell into oblivion. People returned here only in 1831. They began to build the Khan-Yab water canal. In 1924, the once majestic Kunya-Urgench became a Soviet settlement that became part of the Turkmen SSR. In 1992, the settlement was renamed Koneurgench, and 7 years later it was given the status of a city. Sights of Kunya-Urgench All the sights of Kunya-Urgench are located in the Old Town and are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Once upon a time, caravans of the Great Silk Road passed through here. Today, several buildings from the 11th-16th centuries have survived in the city. The Kutlug-Timur Minaret, built in the 14th century, is considered the tallest in Central Asia. Its length is 60-62 meters (the figures vary slightly depending on the sources). Once upon a time, the majestic minaret was part of a mosque that was destroyed. There is also a 14th-century mausoleum where Uzbek Khan's daughter, Tyurabek Khanum, is buried. The mausoleum is interesting for its dome mosaic panel depicting flowers and stars. It is believed that this ornament has no analogues. Kirk-molla Fortress is the most ancient monument of Kunya-Urgench. The fortress arose in the 3rd-2nd centuries BC and had a different name. In the 13th century, the ruler of the city decided to build a palace for scientists on this site, expecting that forty thousand mullahs (literates) would work here. You should look into the medieval city of Ak-Kala, the Mamun minaret, built in the 10th-11th centuries, the mausoleum of Khorezmshah Il-Arslan, built in the 12th century, and other architectural monuments located on the territory of Kunya-Urgench. Not many historical sights have survived to this day, and therefore we advise you to visit each one.