Orkhon Valley

Whs	Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape
State party
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iii, iv
Id	1081
Region	Asia-Pacific
Year	2004
Session	28th
Link	http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1081

Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape sprawls along the banks of the Orkhon River in Central Mongolia, some 360 km west from the capital Ulaanbaatar. It was inscribed by UNESCO in the World Heritage List as representing evolution of nomadic pastoral traditions spanning more than two millennia.

Importance

For many centuries, the Orkhon Valley was viewed as the seat of the imperial power of the steppes. The first evidence comes from a stone stele with runic inscriptions, which was erected in the valley by Bilge Khan, an 8th century ruler of the Göktürk Empire. Some 25 miles to the north of the stele, in the shadow of the sacred forest-mountain Ötüken, was his Ördü, or nomadic capital. During the Qidan domination of the valley, the stele was reinscribed in three languages, so as to record the deeds of a Qidan potentate.

Mountains were considered sacred in Tengriism as an axis mundi, but Ötüken was especially sacred because the ancestor spirits of the khagans and beys resided here. Moreover, a force called qut was believed to emanate from this mountain, granting the khagan the divine right to rule the Turkic tribes. Whoever controlled this valley was considered heavenly appointed leader of the Turks and could rally the tribes. Thus control of the Orkhon Valley was of the utmost strategic importance for every Turkic state. Historically every Turkic capital (Ördü) was located here for this exact reason. There were many houses by'' the bank' but they are all gone now'.

Sites

The main monuments of the Orkhon Valley are as follows:

# Early 8th-century Turkic memorials to Bilge Khan and Kul Tigin with their Orkhon inscriptions are admittedly the most impressive monuments from the nomadic Göktürk Empire. They were excavated and deciphered by Russian archaeologists in 1889-93. # Ruins of Khar Balgas, an 8th-century capital of the Uyghur Empire, which cover 50 square km and contain evidence of the palace, shops, temples, monasteries, etc. # Ruins of Genghis Khan's capital Karakorum which could have included the famed Xanadu palace. # Erdene Zuu monastery is the first Buddhist monastery established in Mongolia. It was partly destroyed by Communist authorities in 1937-40. # Tuvkhun Hermitage is another spectacular monastery, overlooking a hill at 2,600 m. above sea-level. Likewise, it was almost totally destroyed by the Communists. # Remains of the 13th and 14th century Mongol palace at Doit Hill, thought to be Ögedei Khan's residence. it also is home for many turtles

References

Category:Valleys of Mongolia Category:World Heritage Sites in Mongolia

__NOTOC__

It has a great habitat for mongolian fish

This text is licensed under the Creative Commons CC-BY-SA License. This text was originally published on Wikipedia and was developed by the Wikipedia community.

Make changes yourself !
Login or register to EDIT and SAVE any of these pages.

Email this Page

Orkhon Valley -- Turkic inscription

Order: Reorder
Duration: 2:29
Published: 2008-05-26
Uploaded: 2010-12-28
Author: Altaic90

Orkhon Valley sprawls along the banks of the Orkhon River in Central Mongolia, some 360 km west from the capital Ulaanbaatar. For many centuries, the Orkhon Valley was viewed as the seat of the imperial power of the steppes. The first evidence comes from a stone stele with runic inscriptions, which was erected in the valley by Bilge Khan, an 8th-century ruler of the Göktürk Empire. Some 25 miles to the north of the stele, in the shadow of the sacred forest-mountain Ötüken, was his Ördü, or nomadic capital. During the Qidan domination of the valley, the stele was reinscribed in three languages, so as to record the deeds of a Qidan potentate. Mountains were considered sacred in Tengriism as an axis mundi, but Ötüken was especially sacred because the ancestor spirits of the khagans and beys resided here. Moreover, a force called qut was believed to emanate from this mountain, granting the khagan the divine right to rule the Turkic tribes.[1] Whoever controlled this valley was considered heavenly appointed leader of the Turks and could rally the tribes. Thus control of the Orkhon Valley was of the utmost strategic importance for every Turkic state. Historically every Turkic capital (Ördü) was located here for this exact reason. The inscriptions of Tonyukuk (720 AD) (www.tonyukuk.net Kül Tigin (732 AD) (www.tonyukuk.net and Bilge Kağan (735 AD) (www.tonyukuk.net - original right-to-left runic text with transcription and Turkish translation (download the Orkhon Turkic Runic ...

"The beautiful Orkhon Valley" Groundhopper's photos around Orkhon Valley, Mongolia

Order: Reorder
Duration: 0:57
Published: 2011-02-19
Uploaded: 2011-02-19
Author: TripAdvisorTRIPWOW2

A TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow of a travel blog to Orkhon Valley, Mongolia by TravelPod blogger Groundhopper titled "The beautiful Orkhon Valley" Groundhopper's travel blog entry: "The Orkhon valley, built 20000 years ago by vulcano eruptions and earthquakes, is our last place to pitch the tent. We spent two nights directly on the river bank of the Orkhon River." Read and see more at: www.travelpod.com Photos from this trip: 1. "Between storm and sunshine" 2. "Down to the Orkhon valley" 3. "The Orkhon River" 4. "Sunset at the Orkhon River" See this TripWow and more at tripwow.tripadvisor.com

Turkic and Mongol unification. Genghis Khan Empire

Order: Reorder
Duration: 2:24
Published: 2008-04-15
Uploaded: 2011-02-20
Author: Altaic90

"The Orkhon Valley" Groundhopper's photos around Orkhon Valley, Mongolia

Order: Reorder
Duration: 0:56
Published: 2011-02-22
Uploaded: 2011-02-22
Author: TripAdvisorTRIPWOW2

A TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow of a travel blog to Orkhon Valley, Mongolia by TravelPod blogger Groundhopper titled "The Orkhon Valley" Groundhopper's travel blog entry: "In the Orkhon Valley we visited the waterfall Ulaan Tstgulan, it is said it is the most beautiful in Mongolia. In the afternoon we went to a nomad family to see them working with the Yaks." Read and see more at: www.travelpod.com Photos from this trip: 1. "Orkhon River" 2. "Waterfall Ulaan Tstgulan" 3. "Yaks" See this TripWow and more at tripwow.tripadvisor.com

KARAKORUM - Ancient Capital of Mongolia

Order: Reorder
Duration: 4:42
Published: 2010-10-18
Uploaded: 2010-10-19
Author: Ikhsteppe

Karakorum (Khalkha Mongolian: Каракорум Kharkhorin, Classical Mongolian: ᠬᠠᠷᠠᠬᠣᠷᠣᠮ Qara Qorum) was the capital of the Mongol Empire in the 13th century, and of the Northern Yuan in the 14-15th century. Its ruins lie in the northwestern corner of the Övörkhangai Province of Mongolia, near today's town of Kharkhorin, and adjacent to the Erdene Zuu monastery. They are part of the upper part of the World Heritage Site Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape. Source: en.wikipedia.org Photos from: commons.wikimedia.org www.magicphotoworld.com picsru.eu www.magicphotoworld.com www.travelpod.com www.travelpod.com www.genghiskhanexhibits.com www.pbase.com en.wikipedia.org ga-ja.blogspot.com www.canada-mongolia-connection.com depts.washington.edu

TÜRKISTAN [ Part 1/2 ],,Xīnjiāng,شىنجاڭ ئۇيغۇر ئاپتونوم رايونى

Order: Reorder
Duration: 3:51
Published: 2008-09-10
Uploaded: 2011-02-27
Author: AZER1FIGHTER

Tengri Tanri Allah God .(....\............../....) ..\....\........... /..../ ...\....\........../..../ ....\..../´¯.l.¯`\.../ ..../... l....l....(¯ `\ ...l......l....l....\....\ ...l......l´¯.l´¯.l \....\ ...\......` ¯..¯ ´......· ....\______.· .... BOZQURD cCc The first historical text to mention the Turks was from the standpoint of the Chinese, who mentioned trade of Turk tribes with the Sogdians along the Silk Road.[13] The Xiongnu mentioned in Han Dynasty records may have been Proto-Turkic speakers,[14][15][16][17][18] followed by the Hun hordes of Attila that tried to conquer Europe.[19][20] On the other hand, recent genetics research dated 2003[21] confirms the studies indicating that the Turkic people originated from the same area and therefore are possibly related with the Xiongnu.[22] The rock art of the Yinshan and Helanshan is dated from the 9th millennium BC to 19th century. It consists mainly of engraved signs (petroglyphs) and only minimally of painted images.[23] Ma Liqing compared the petroglyphs (which he presumed to be the sole extant example of possible Xiongnu writings), and the Orkhon script (the earliest known Turkic alphabet) recently, and argued a new connection between both of them.[24] Excavations conducted between 1924--1925, in Noin-Ula kurgans located in Selenga River in the northern Mongolian hills north of Ulan Bator, produced objects with over twenty carved characters, which were either identical or very similar to that of to the runic ...

River Exploratory Central Mongolia

Order: Reorder
Duration: 5:22
Published: 2011-02-08
Uploaded: 2011-02-11
Author: bulganbayar

The Orkhon is Mongolia's longest river. The Orkhon river rises in the Khangai Mountain Range and flows 1124 kilometers to join the Selenge river in northen Mongolia and so to Lake Baikal. The Orkhon river has numerous species of fish, such as Pike, Mirror Carp, Baikal Sturgeon, Taimen, Sig, River Perch, Siberian Umber, Roach, Ide, Bull Ide, Golden Carp, Amur Catfish and Burbot. The main attraction in the upper course is the Orkhon waterfall which is situated in the historically significant Orkhon Valley. Also called Ulaan Tsutgalan, the waterfall was formed by a unique combination of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes about 20000 years ago. The length - 698 miles (1124km) Class II-IV

20100802 0946 Video Pauzeplaats Orkhon vallei

Order: Reorder
Duration: 0:17
Published: 2010-08-22
Uploaded: 2010-08-28
Author: BennieTubes

View of the Orkhon valley

Siberian Rubythroat

Order: Reorder
Duration: 1:00
Published: 2010-06-25
Uploaded: 2010-11-19
Author: Mrpeggas

Rubinnäktergal sjunger i Orkhon Valley National Park, Mongoliet, 20100618

Les nomades mongols à l'épreuve du temps

Order: Reorder
Duration: 7:41
Published: 2010-05-27
Uploaded: 2010-08-26
Author: saperliplanete

saperliplanete tour du monde en famille developpement durable Mongolie nomades Orkhon valley Dzud

This is Mongolia - Monastery / Kloster - Erdene Zuu

Order: Reorder
Duration: 6:38
Published: 2010-04-05
Uploaded: 2010-10-25
Author: Weltenbummler1949

Das Kloster Erdene Zuu (mongolisch Эрдэнэ Зуу, auch: Erdene Dsu, deutsch: "Kostbarer Herr") befindet sich in der zentralen Mongolei, im Öwörchangai-Aimag, vor den Toren der Stadt Charchorin, nahe dem ehemaligen Karakorum, der Hauptstadt des mittelalterlichen Mongolenreiches. Erdene Zuu war das erste buddhistische Kloster des Buddhismus in der Mongolei. Es wurde 1586 von Abtai Sain Khan, einem Fürsten der Chalcha-Mongolen, gegründet. Benannt ist es nach einem Bild einer Gottheit, das im Kloster aufgestellt war. In der etwa 400 mal 400 Meter großen Klosteranlage lebten über 1000 Mönche. Die Bauzeit dauerte über 300 Jahre. Zwei Mal, im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert, wurde das Kloster von mandschurischen Eroberern zerstört und in den Jahren 1760 bis 1796 und 1806 bis 1814 wieder auf- und ausgebaut. Innerhalb seiner quadratischen Außenmauer sollen sich auf dem großen Areal im Jahre 1870 etwa 62 Tempel im chinesisch-mongolischen Mischstil befunden haben. Zum Teil besteht Erdene Zuu aus den Steinen der alten Hauptstadt Karakorum. 1937 wurde das Kloster im Zuge stalinistischer Säuberungen zerstört. Von der einstigen Klosteranlage sind heute nur die imposante, von 108 Stupas gekrönte Mauer aus dem 17. Jahrhundert und vier Tempel erhalten. Erst nach dem politischen Wandel der Mongolischen Volksrepublik in die Mongolei im Jahr 1990 wurde das Kloster wieder in Betrieb genommen. In letzter Zeit wurden einige Gebäude mit erheblichem Aufwand restauriert. Die vollständige Wiederherstellung der ...

Traditional Turkish clothes

Order: Reorder
Duration: 4:09
Published: 2008-04-04
Uploaded: 2011-01-03
Author: TTKTURAN

...

Azərbaycan Türk Dövləti [ Azerbaycan Turk State ] YIGIT TÜRKLER

Order: Reorder
Duration: 7:27
Published: 2008-09-27
Uploaded: 2011-02-21
Author: AZER1FIGHTER

YIGIT KAHRAMAN TÜRKLER The 'Gök Türkler were real Turk people of ancient Central Asia[citation needed]. Known in medieval Chinese sources as T'u küe (突厥Tūjué), the Gök Türkler under the leadership of Bumin Khan (d. 552) and his sons succeeded the Xiongnu as the main Turkic power in the region and took hold of the lucrative Silk Road trade. The Gök türk rulers originated from the Ashina tribe, an Altaic people who lived in the northern corner of the area presently called Xinjiang. Under their leadership, the Göktürkler rapidly expanded to rule huge territories in north-western China, North Asia and Eastern Europe (as far west as the Crimea). They were the first Turkic tribe known to use the name "Turk" as a political name. The state's most famous personalities other than its founder Bumin were princes Kül Tigin and Bilge and the General Tonyukuk, whose life stories were recorded in the famous Orkhon inscriptions. The Turkish prince Kül and his brother Bilge Kagan; they are carved in a script used also for inscriptions found in Mongolia, Siberia, and western Turkistan and called by Thomsen Turkish runes. They relate in epic and forceful language the origins of the Turks, their golden age, their subjugation by the Chinese, and their liberation by Bilge Kagan. The polished style... * use in Orhon inscriptions ( in Orhon inscriptions ) ...prince Kül (d. 731) and his brother the emperor Bilge (d. 734), and are carved in a script used also for inscriptions found in Mongolia ...

"Waiting for Gobi" Marmotexpress's photos around Gobi Desert, Mongolia

Order: Reorder
Duration: 2:04
Published: 2011-02-12
Uploaded: 2011-02-17
Author: TripAdvisorTRIPWOW3

A TripAdvisor™ TripWow slideshow of a travel blog to Gobi Desert, Mongolia by TravelPod blogger Marmotexpress titled "Waiting for Gobi" Marmotexpress's travel blog entry: "Aaah...sainbainauu. Sainnainauu is how you say "hello" in Mongolian, but we found that all the Mongolians actually preface it with a long "aaah" sound. In fact, no one understood that we were saying "hello" until we started inserting the "aaah". We just returned from 10 days in the Gobi. We expected miles upon miles of nothingness but we were surprised by the variety of nothingness that we found and the quantity of animals and people that inhabited it. We left Ulaan Baatar on a bright sunny morning with three other travellers and our trusty driver Tsegi (thanks to Barbara for hooking us up with Happy Camel). After two days of driving through progressively browner landscape in excruciating heat, we approached a giant turtle in the desert (see picture). Luckily, this turtle had hot showers, clean beds, and buuz (meat dumplings). The next morning we did what everyone has to do in the desert: went for a camel ride to find some dinosaur bones. Our expedition was successful all around: Jay came away with a rock that contains some kind of bones, the camels did not spit on us, and we didn't fall off. From there we moved on to the cooler temperatures of Yolyn Am. There we hiked alongside a stream through a grass-filled valley which for most of the year is filled with ice. At the time of our descent, only a ...

Tengriism Shamanic Ritual

Order: Reorder
Duration: 1:37
Published: 2011-01-13
Uploaded: 2011-01-13
Author: bulat621

Tengriism is the national and "natural" religion of the Turkic peoples. It was the major belief of Turkic peoples, Huns, Xiongnu, Mongols, Hungarians and Bulgars. It focuses around the sky deity Tengri (also Tangri, Tanrı, Tangra, etc.) and reverence for the sky in general. Today, there are still a large number of Tengriist people living in Northern and Central Asia, such as the Khakas and Tuvans.