Kyzylorda

Kyzylorda (Kazakh: Қызылорда, romanized: Qyzylorda, (listenⓘ)), formerly known as Kzyl-Orda (Russian: Кзыл-Орда), Ak-Mechet (Ак-Мечеть), Perovsk (Перовск), Leninsk (Ленинск), and Fort-Perovsky (Форт-Перовский), is a city in south-central Kazakhstan, capital of Kyzylorda Region and former capital of the Kazakh ASSR from 1925 to 1927. The city has a population of 242,462 (2020 Census). It historically developed around the Syr Darya river and the site of a Kokand fortress. The population of the city with nearby villages is 312,861 (2020 Census).[2] A settlement existed under Seljuk, the founder of the Seljuk dynasty. The modern city had its beginnings in 1817[3] as the site of a Kokand fortress known as Ak-Mechet, or white mosque.[4] The later-famous Yaqub Beg was once the fort's commander, but he was apparently not in command during the final battle. In 1853, during the Russian conquest of Turkestan, the fort was taken by Russian troops under General Vasily Perovsky.[4] The Russians established a new fort and called it Fort-Perovsky (Форт-Перо́вский), after the general.