MONGOLIA
Mongolia, a nation bordered by China and Russia, is known for vast, rugged expanses and nomadic culture. Its capital, Ulaanbaatar, centers around Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) Square, named for the notorious founder of the 13th- and 14th-century Mongol Empire. Also in Ulaanbaatar are the National Museum of Mongolia, displaying historic and ethnographic artifacts, and the restored 1830 Gandantegchinlen Monastery.
Top attractions in Mongolia
Choijin Lama Temple
This temple museum smack in the middle of downtown Ulaanbaatar was the home of Luvsan Haidav Choijin Lama (‘Choijin’ is an honorary title given to some monks), the state oracle and brother of the Bogd Khan. Construction of the monastery commenced in 1904 and was completed four years later. It was closed in 1938 and probably would have been demolished had it not been saved in 1942 to serve as a museum demonstrating the ‘feudal’ ways of the past.
Chinggis Square
The Sukhbaatar square’s name has changed to Chinggis square in 2013. Locates in the center of the Ulaanbaatar city, it surrounds Mongolian most old and most new buildings such as Government Palace, City hall, Mongolian Stock Exchange, Opera and Ballet house, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Blue Sky hotel. There are 2 statues, one of is Chinggis khan’s statue, who was the founder of Mongol empire before 800 years ago, and Sukhbaatar’s mounted statue, who was one of the leaders of Mongolian People’s Revolution on 1921 against Qing dynasty. Today, the square is still the scene of major state ceremonies, cultural events, and exhibitions. Heads of state of foreign countries and honored guests generally pay respects in front of the statue of Chinggis.
Erdene Zuu Monastery
Erdene Zuu Monastery, ”Jewel Temple”, was built between 1585 and 1586. It’s certainly the oldest Buddhist monastery of Mongolia. Located in the province of Ovorkhangai, about 2 kilometres (1,2 mile) Northeast Kharkhorin, it’s inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in the category “cultural landscape of Orkhon Valley”
Flaming Cliffs
Bayanzag red sand cliffs, today better known as “flaming cliffs” due to their colours ochre and red, are located about 100 km (62,14 miles) at the northwest of Dalanzadgad. Bayanzag means “rich in saxaul”. This thorny shrub measuring approximately two meters high proliferates in the surroundings and is a good source of food for camels.
Gandan Monastery
Gandan Monastery is a Tibetan-style Buddhist Monastery. Its name means ”the big place of the complete joy”. Nowadays, many hundreds of monks live there. It houses a 26,5-metres (87 feet) high statue of Megjid-Janraiseg. Megjid-Janraiseg is a bodhisattva, a sage who leads the men on the way of Truth. He represents compassion.
Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue
The equestrian statue of Genghis Khan was built in 2008 on the occasion of the eight-hundredth anniversary of the foundation of the Mongolian Empire, in honour of its founder, Genghis Khan. This huge stainless steel statue weighs 250 tons and is 40 metres (131 feet) high ; it's the highest statue representing a man on a horseback in the world. It's located 54 kilometres (33,55 miles) from Ulan Bator, on the banks of the Tuul River, in the place called Tsonjin Boldog. You can easily visit it when you visit Gorkhi Terelj National Park.
Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park
Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park extends on one hundred kilometres (62,14 miles) in the province of Ömnögovi and houses a part of the Gobi-Altai range. It was created in 1993, but only in 2000 it reached its actual size. Gobi Gurvan Saikhan National Park covers 27000 hectares, which implies that it’s the largest protected area of the country. Its name comes from the Gurvan Saikhan Mountains, ”the three beautiful”, the three highest peaks of the Gobi-Altai range : Baruun Saikhan, ”the beautiful Westerner” ; Dund Saikhan, ”the beautiful Central” ; Züün Saikhan, the ”beautiful Easterner”. The highest of these three peaks is the beautiful Easterner that reaches 2846 metres at his highest point. Here we can discover Yoliin Am canyon.
Khamar Monastery
Khamar Monastery was established in the 1820's by famous 19th century Mongolian educator and literary figure Danzanravjaa. The Monastery was an important centre of the Buddhist "red sect", and seat of the Gobiin Dogshin Noyon Khutagt ("Terrible Noble Saint of the Gobi").