Orkhon Valley

Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape sprawls along the banks of the Orhon River in Central Mongolia, some 360 km west from the capital Ulaanbaatar.

The main monuments of the Orkhon Valley are as follows:

# Early 8th-century Turkish memorials to Bilge Khan and Kul Tigin with their Orkhon inscriptions are admittedly the most impressive monuments from the nomadic Turkish Empire. They were excavated and deciphered by Russian archaeologists in 1889-93.# Ruins of Khar Balgas, an 8th-century capital of the Uyghur Empire, which cover 50 square km and contain evidence of the palace, shops, temples, monasteries, etc.# Ruins of Genghis Khan's capital Karakorum which could have included the famed Xanadu palace.# Erdene Zuu monastery is the first Buddhist monastery established in Mongolia. It was partly destroyed by Communist authorities in 1937-40.# Tuvkhun Hermitage is another spectacular monastery, overlooking a hill at 2,600 m. above sea-level. Likewise, it was almost totally destroyed by the Communists.# Remains of the 13th and 14th century Mongol palace at Doit Hill, thought to be Ögedei Khan's residence.

The Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape was inscribed by UNESCO in the World Heritage List as representing evolution of nomadic pastoral traditions spanning more than two millennia.