Kutlug-Timur Minaret — The Tower of Eternal Faith

About This Destination

The Kutlug-Timur Minaret (Turkmen: Gutlug Timuryň minarasy) rises proudly over the ancient city of Köneürgenç in northern Turkmenistan’s Dashoguz Region, near the border with Uzbekistan. Originally constructed in 1011 CE during the Khwarezm Shah Dynasty, the minaret stands as one of the tallest and oldest surviving structures in Central Asia — 60 meters high, with a base diameter of 12 meters tapering to 2 meters at the top.

History

It belongs to a group of about 60 minarets and towers built across Central Asia, Iran, and Afghanistan between the 11th and 13th centuries, including Afghanistan’s famous Minaret of Jam. Decorative brickwork and Kufic inscriptions suggest that its lower section may date to an even earlier period, while the minaret itself was restored by Kutlug Timur around 1330 after the Mongol destruction of the city. The structure once formed part of Köneürgenç’s Grand Mosque and likely served both religious and navigational purposes — its upper lantern guiding caravans across the desert. Today, the minaret is the tallest monument in Turkmenistan and a symbol of the spiritual endurance of the Khorezm civilization. In 2005, the ruins of Old Urgench, including the Kutlug-Timur Minaret, were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, recognizing their global significance.

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