Kunya-Urgench ("old Urgench") is architectural preserve and lies in 480 km to the north of Ashkhabad. This is an ancient capital of north Khorezm and was mentioned in Chinese scriptures already in I c. A.D. In the middle of VIII c. it falls under the authority of Arabs. In 995 y. Gurgandj (it obtained this name after Arab invasion) became the residence of Khorezm Shah and became the second largest city after Bukhara - the capital of Samanids’ empire.
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