Konye-Urgench (Kunya-Urgench)
Kunya-Urgench · Old Urgench · Gurganj · Köneürgenç
Achaemenid 5th c BCE → Khwarezmshahs 11th–13th c CE → Golden Horde·Khwarezmian → Seljuk → Khwarezmshahs → Mongol·🇹🇲 Dashoguz Province, Konye-Urgench District, 35 km south of Uzbekistan border (Amu Darya delta), 480 km north of Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Hans Birger Nilsen · CC BY-SA 2.0
About
About Konye-Urgench (Kunya-Urgench)
Konye-Urgench — capital of Khwarezm (Achaemenid–Golden Horde, 5th c BCE–17th c CE) 35 km south Uzbekistan border, excavated 1930s Tolstov and 1990s Berlin. Konye-Urgench is UNESCO 2005 with 60-ha walled city, Kutlug-Timur Minaret 62 m (tallest Central Asia, 1011 CE), Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum blue tile, Mausoleum of Il-Arslan and Sultan Tekesh, Fakhr-ad-Din Razi. Devastated by Genghis Khan 1221 massacre and Tamerlane 1388, abandoned 17th c when Amu Darya shifted. Khwarezmian capital under Mamun II and al-Biruni (1000 CE).
Why it mattersCapital of Khwarezm — UNESCO 2005 with tallest Central Asian minaret and Khwarezmshah mausolea
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 011221 Mongol massacre layer extent under city?
Theories
- 01Khwarezm as Amu Darya Silk Road pivot
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c.5th c BCE Achaemenid Khwarezm; apogee 11th–12th c Khwarezmshahs
- Period
- Achaemenid 5th c BCE → Khwarezmshahs 11th–13th c CE → Golden Horde
- Culture
- Khwarezmian → Seljuk → Khwarezmshahs → Mongol
- Builders
- Khwarezmshahs (Mamun, Tekesh) and Seljuk artisans
- Purpose
- Khwarezm capital controlling Amu Darya delta and Silk Road north branch
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
5th c BCE
Achaemenid Khwarezm foundation
1017
Mamun II capital with al-Biruni
1221
Genghis Khan siege and dam breach
2005
UNESCO inscription 1199
On the ground
Structures & features
42.3257° N · 59.1520° E · 85 m · 2 mapped features
Gallery