The Orkhon emerges from the gorges of the Khangai Mountains and flows northward to meet the Tuul River, which has on its upper reaches the current capital of Mongolia, Ulaanbaatar.

As a result, the Orkhon Valley was a center of habitation and important political and economic activity long before the birth of Genghis Khan, who made it known to the wider world.

[1] The ruins of the palace or temple complex (360x404 meters) laying at coordinates 47°25′53″N 102°39′34″E / 47.431288°N 102.659349°E / 47.431288; 102.659349 — which include ten-meter-high double clay walls four meters apart, 14 watch towers—eight on the southern side and six on the northern side—two main entrances, one on the east and the other on the west, a twelve-meter-high citadel in the southeast corner and a 14-meter-high stupa in the center — clearly indicate that Ordu Baliq or Urgin Balyq Old Turkic: 𐰇𐰼𐰏𐰃𐰤𐰉𐰞𐰶[2] was a large, affluent town.

The Khan's residential palace, also ringed by walls on all sides, stood in the northeastern part of the town, where Russian archaeologist Nikolay Yadrintsev discovered a green granite monument with a statue of a dragon perched at the top, bearing a runic inscription glorifying the khagans.

Ordu Baliq was a fully fortified commandry and commercial entrepot typical of the central points along the length of the Silk Road.

The well-preserved remains now consist of concentric fortified walls and lookout towers, stables, military and commercial stores, and administrative buildings.

[3] An ambassador from the Samanid Empire, Tamim ibn Bahr, visited Ordu Baliq in 821 AD and left the only written account of the city.