The stunning remains of ancient Urgench (Ürgenç), capital of Khorezm, part of the Achaemenid Empire, are one of Turkmenistan's drawcard sights and one of the best-preserved ancient Silk Road sites in Central Asia.
In 2005, Unesco inscribed the remains of the old town as a World Heritage Site. Within are a striking collection of monuments, most dating from the 11th and 12th centuries. These include a mosque, mausoleums and fortresses and the remains of a caravanserai gate.