In the Middle Ages in Gurgenge (now Old Urgench in northern Turkmenistan) was formed a unique artistic and intellectual environment, attracted a pleiad of fine scientists and healers, philosophers and poets, artists and builders, pottery, wood carving and stone craftsmen. It was the capital of the Khorezm region, which activities flourished famous school of architecture. The tradition of architecture expressed in the design and craftsmanship of Koneurgench has been influential in the wider region to the south and southwest. The new art and design ideas for a long time «dictated fashions in the architecture of Central Asia and the Caucasus. Even after the disaster of Mongol invasion in the XIII century, the genetic code of the masters of this school has not been interrupted. A few decades later, the city was rebuilt and the talent of architects of this city revealed during the Golden Horde Empire. Prosperity of this architectural school was interrupted at the end of the XIV century, when it won its independence from the Golden Horde and was destroved by the Samarkand’s amir Timur. Famous masters of Old Urgench had to move to Maverannahr where they created marvellous architectural monuments which keep their distinctive style.
This area on the south side of the modem city Koneurgench has remained a vast deserted land with hilly formation of broken bricks, ceramics and clay. In this vast silent space it is able to discern proudly lonely silhouettes architectural structures, some remains of ancient fortified settlements of Gurandj, Urgench and Koneurgench, including a mosque, the gates of a caravanserai, fortresses, mausoleums and a 60 m in height minaret.
On the sample of Koneurgench monuments one can see all variety of methods and decor of Islamic architecture of Central Asia. There are constructions from adobe and burned bricks, plain unicameral dome constructions upgoing to ancient chartak and buildings with complicated compositions, sometimes with a long history of development, repair and reconstruction. These monuments also demonstratethe evolution of methods of treatment of inner surface of domes from celiular sails to stalactite those times called “muqamas” and brought to the highest perfection by local masters. The best monuments of this city are distinguished by high degree of decorativeness. They provide prominent examples of classical arabesques in monochrome terracotta and bright colorfulness of enamel.