In 1873, because of the transition of the right bank of the Amu Darya River from the Khiva Khanate to Russia, the city of Petro-Aleksandrovsk, including the Sirdarya Region of the Russian Empire, was founded on the place of Khiva fortress Turtkul.
Petro-Aleksandrovsk fortification (the original name of the city) became the residence of the head of the Amudarya department of the Turkestan military region. The head of the department carried on correspondence with the khan of the Khiva Khanate.
In 1920, Petroaleksandrovsk was renamed Turtkul. In 1932–1939, it became the capital of Karakalpak ASSR.
In 1949, because of the undermining, the city changed its location.
Turtkul is situated on the right bank of the Amu Darya, 35 km from the railway station of Urgench (on the Chardjou- Makat line), 170 km from Nukus. In Turtkul, there are about 231 thousand people.
Today Turtkul is one of the large cities of Karakalpakstan. There is a TV in the city. There are 6 colleges in the Turtkul region: Turtkul Bank College, Turtkul Industrial and Pedagogical College, Turtkul Medical College, Turtkul Agricultural College, Turtkul Industrial and Transportation College and Turtkul Academic Lyceum.
