Ancient Period
The dwellings of the Xiongnu, who ruled what is today Mongolia from the 3rd century BCE through the 1st century CE, were portable round-shaped tents on carts as well as round-shaped yurts. The Xiongnu aristocracy lived in small palaces, and their villages were protected by huge walls. S. I. Rudenko also mentions about capital construction built of logs. Archaeological excavations witness that the Xiongnu had towns. Their main city was called Luut Hot (City of Dragon).
Powerful statehoods were built by Turkic and Uigur tribes, who from the 6th through the 9th centuries, dominated what is now Mongolia. Several Turkic cities and towns existed in the basin of the rivers Orhon, Tuul and Selenge. The main city of the Turkic Kaganate was Balyklyk. The Uigur Kaganate that succeeded the Turks centered on the city Kara Balgasun founded in the beginning of the 8th century. A fragment of the 12 metre high fortress wall with a watch tower has been preserved. There was a large trades and craftswork district in the city. Their architecture was influenced by the Sogdian and Chinese traditions. The Uigur Kaganate was routed by their warlike neighbours Kirghiz, who destroyed the advanced culture of the Uigurs. The cultural development of the country was thrown back to the primitive stage.
Archaeological excavations discovered traces of cities of the Kidan period in Mongolia which lasted from the 10th to the 12th centuries. The most significant of the excavated cities was Hatun Hot founded in 944. Another significant Kidan city was Bars-Hot in the basin of the river Kerulen. It occupied an area of 1600x1810 metres and was surrounded with mud walls, which are today 4 metres thick and 1.5–2 metres high. A remnant of a stupa is found near the walls. There used to be a pair of them, but in the 1940s the Soviet garrison used cannon fire to destroy one for amusement.
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Construction materials from the Xiongnu walled town of Tereljiin Dorvoljin (209BC-93AD) located within the sphere of larger Ulan Bator.
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Gokturk Period (555-745) construction materials from memorial complex in Orkhon valley, central Mongolia.
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Mid-7th century Gokturk door parts from memorial complex in north-central Mongolia.
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Ordu-Baliq capital of the Uyghur Khaganate (745-840) in Mongolia.
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Construction material from Uyghur period Durvuljin tombs, central Mongolia.
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A chamber of the Uyghur period Durvuljin tombs, central Mongolia.
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Construction materials from the Uyghur period Durvuljin tombs, central Mongolia.
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Construction materials from the 10th century Khitan city Chin Tolgoi (possibly Zhenzhou), Bulgan Province, northern Mongolia.
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Construction materials from the 10th century Khitan city Chin Tolgoi (possibly Zhenzhou), Bulgan Province, northern Mongolia.
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Ikh Aurug Ord. 12th century capital of Khamag Mongol (1125-1206)
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Construction material from Ikh Aurug Ord. 12th century capital of Khamag Mongol (1125-1206)
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Remains of Wang Khan's 12th century palace in Ulan Bator.
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Remains of Wang Khan's 12th century palace in Ulan Bator.
Read more about this topic: Architecture Of Mongolia
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