Suyab (Ak-Beshim)

Suyab was founded by Sogdian merchants in the 5th-6th centuries. In the 7th century the Western Göktürk khagans spent their winters here: in 630 the Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang came to the camp of Tong Yabghu Khagan near Suyab and described his silk-clad nobles and his army of thousands of horsemen.

In 679 the Tang dynasty built a fort here, but in the early 8th century the city became the capital of the Türgesh khagans. Its ruins, known today as Ak-Beshim near Tokmok in Kyrgyzstan, have been part of the Silk Roads World Heritage site since 2014.