Karakorum

Karakorum was the capital of the Mongol Empire under Ögedei Khan in the 13th century, once one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the medieval world, receiving ambassadors, merchants, and craftsmen from across Eurasia. Today little remains above ground of the original city, which was dismantled in the 14th century, though the Erdene Zuu Monastery — built partly with stones from the old capital and enclosed by a wall studded with 108 stupas — stands adjacent to the archaeological site and remains an active Buddhist compound.