Karakorum - mysterious ruins in Mongolia

Karakorum - mysterious ruins in Mongolia

Karakorum is located around 300 kilometres west of Ulan Bator in the Central Mongolian grass steppe. For a short time during the 13th century, the city was the capital of the Mongol Empire. It served as a hub for the Mongol Empire’s tribes and a cosmopolitan meeting place for people from a very wide range of nations and religions. Mongolians still regard Karakorum as a key site for the country’s history and identity, as well as the nucleus and birthplace of the Mongolian nation.
The name Karakorum stands for "black mountains", "black rock" or "black scree". The former capital is now a ruin. The city fell into final decline in the late 16th century.
Today, within the city walls, in addition to the exhibits of the excavations, there is the monastery of Erdene Dzuu, which was built in 1586 from the ruins of the destroyed former capital. In 1870 there were about 62 temples in the mixed Chinese-Mongolian style on a large area within its square outer wall, none of which can be seen today.