When Chinggis Khaan decided to move his capital to Karakorum, he was well aware that the region had already been the capital of successive nomad empires. About 20km northeast of Khar Balgas lies the remainder of yet another of these, the Turkic khaganate (pre-Mongol empire). All that’s left of the khaganate is the 3m-high inscribed monument of Kul-Tegin (AD 684–731), the khagan (ruler) of the ancient empire.
The monument was raised in 732 and is inscribed in Runic and Chinese script. You can see a copy of the stele in the entrance of the National Museum of Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar.
Just over 1km away is another monument to Bilge Khagan (683–734), older brother of Kul-Tegin. Ten years after the death of Bilge, the Turkic khaganate was overrun by the Uighurs.
A Turkish-funded archaeological expedition has built a museum at the site. In fact, the outdoor monuments are replicas and the originals have been moved inside the museum. If the museum is locked, the watchman at the ger next door should be able to let you inside.
The museum and monuments are 45km north of Kharkhorin, on a paved road. About 3km before the museum (if coming from Kharkhorin) is Tsaidam Ger Camp , which has comfortable gers and hot showers.
