Location from civilization by Firaxis Games / 2K
The capital of the Mongol Empire, a city of felt tents and permanent palaces at the crossroads of the ancient Silk Road.
Karakorum is a paradox: the capital of an empire that does not believe in cities, built by a people who are most powerful when moving. Genghis Khan established it not because he needed a capital but because everyone else expected him to have one — and he was nothing if not pragmatic. The city is extraordinary for its religious tolerance: Buddhist temples, Muslim mosques, Nestorian Christian churches, and shamanic shrines coexist within its walls. This is not piety — it is Mongol practicality. Every religion is useful, and no religion should be powerful enough to challenge the Khan.
A city that is also a camp — enormous felt ger tents sit beside stone palace buildings in a peculiar mix of nomadic and settled architecture. The streets are wide enough for cavalry. Caravans from China, Persia, and Europe pass through constantly. The wind smells of horse and steppe grass.
Also known as: Karakorum, Qara Qorum, The Great Tent City