Ancient capital, Mongol empire.
Its ruins lie on the upper Orhon River in north-central Mongolia. It was settled с 750; Genghis Khan established his headquarters there in 1220. In 1235 his son and successor, Ögödei, enclosed the city with walls and built a palace, which Marco Polo visited с 1225. Chinese forces invaded Mongolia and destroyed Karakorum in 1388. It was later partially rebuilt but was abandoned by the 16th century.