Urgench
Urgench was an ancient city that was an important trade center and the capital of Khwarizm until its destruction by the Mongols in the thirteenth century. It was rebuilt only to be again destroyed by Timur in the fourteenth century; for most of the sixteenth century it was the capital of the khanate of Khiva (1511–1920). It was abandoned later in the century after the Uzbeks conquered the area.
Today the town of Kunya-Urgench (or Konye-Urgench) in modern-day Turkmenistan rests on the site. Visitors can see the Kutlug Temir minaret, which is the largest minaret in Central Asia, mausoleums, and other ancient ruins.
Today, there is another Urgench, the capital city of the Khorezm oblast of Uzbekistan. It had an estimated population of 169,000 in 2002, is situated on the Amu Dar'ya River and the Shavat Canal, and houses cotton and food processing industries. Kunya-Urgench in Turkmenistan is about 140 kilometers northwest of Urgench, Uzbekistan.
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