Köneürgenç (Konye-Urgench, کؤنهاۆرگنچ)

Köneürgenç, formerly known as Konye-Urgench (Old Urgench), is the location of the ancient town of Gurgānj, which was the most important city for Islam during a short period in the 13th century. It was the main city of the ancient state of Khorezm, which included the entire Amu-Darya delta, which is nowadays covered by northern Turkmenistan and western Uzbekistan.
Gurgānj's period of glory didn't last very long, because the city's leader antagonized Genghiz Khan, who then flattened the city. After the sacking, Gurgānj rose to glorious heights again, but at the end of the 14th century it was destroyed once again, this time by Timur. Gurgānj never got back to its old level again and in the 18th century, it was abandoned altogether. Nowadays it's a rundown place.
Gurgānj is still worth a visit though, because of numerous interesting ancient buildings that survived marvelously.
- Around the Najm-ed-din Kubra Mausoleum are several interesting sites, including the Sultan Ali Mausoleum and the Piryar Vali Mausoleum. The complex is located in the center of town and it is surrounded by a Muslim cemetery. The Najm-ad-Din al-Kubra Mausoleum dates from the 14th century.
- The Mausoleum of Sultan Ali was built in the 16th century, right across from the Najm-ed-din Kubra Mausoleum. It is a hexagonal building with a large dome.
- The Piryar Vali mausoleum is west of the Najm-ed-din Kubra Mausoleum and construction took place in the 13th and 14th centuries.
- The Turabek-Khanum Mausoleum, or Torebeg Khanym mausoleum sits at the northern section of Gurgānj. It is a beautifully decorated building that dates from the 14th century. The main hall is covered by a large dome, covered in colourful patterns consisting of flowers and stars.
- The Tekesh Mausoleum is thought to be the tomb of Sultan Ala al-Din Tekish, who founded the Khwarazmian Empire in the 12th century. The building has a large dome and has decorative terracotta motifs.
- Il Arslan is locally known as the Mausoleum of Kho-Rezmshah II Arslan, who ruled from 1156 to 1172. The mausoleum was erected in the 12th century, making it the oldest surviving monument in Gurgānj. The building was beautifully decorated.
- The Khajib Complex consists of several different buildings that were constructed from the 14th to the 19th centuries. The complex was dedicated to Ibn Khajib. It is located in the western part of Gurgānj.
- The Kutlug Temir minaret dates from the 11th century and is Central Asia's highest minaret. It stands 60 m (200 ft) tall.
- Kyrkmolla is part of what used to be a fortress, but there is not much more left than a 12 m (39 ft) high mound of rubble. It is located in the northeast of Gurgānj.
- Ak-Kala is a fortress in the southwest of Gurgānj. Its walls are up to 8 m high and more than a kilometer long.
- Khorezm-Bag is a quadrangular fortress of 400 by 500 m. It dates from the 19th century and it is located in the southwest of Köneürgenç. Its walls have been badly deteriorated.
- The Köneürgenç is located in the Dash Mosque. The mosque was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. It served a a madrasa until the 1990s, when it was converted into the museum. The museum has exhibitions on Gurgānj's history. It includes a model that shows what the city must have looked like in its heyday. Artifacts discovered in the ruins are also on display.
The ruins of Gurgānj were inscribed into UNESCO's list of world heritage sites in 2005.
There are several hotels and restaurants in Köneürgenç. The city is in the north of Turkmenistan, 500 km north of Ashgabat. Trains from the capital run as far as Dashkhowuz, after which you will have to take the bus to get to Köneürgenç.

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Köneürgenç
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