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Kunya-Urgench

Kunya-Urgench -is located on the south side of the Amu-Darya River. It lies in 480 km to the north of Ashkhabad. Being a major cultural and shopping center during the Middle Ages it gave shelter to Ibn Sina, Beruni and other well-known thinkers of that time. Kunya Urgench was the ancient capital of the Khorezm culture and one of the most important cities on the Silk Road in medieval times. In 1221 the city regarded as” the heart of Islam” rebelled against Genghis Khan and was destroyed by Mongols. Kunya Urgench was quickly restored its power after that defeat but in 1388 the army of Tamerlane, who saw the city as a competitor to Samarkand, destroyed it again. After that Kunya Urgench got in oblivion until 1831 when people came there to build Khan-Yab canal. In 2005, the ruins of Old Urgench were inscribed on the UNESCO List of World Heritage Sites.

 

 

 

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