Best things to do in Ulaanbaatar
Find out more about those top places in Ulaanbaatar
Find out more about those top places in Ulaanbaatar
Right from the old times, Mongolia has been a well-known nation and it has been visited by countless explorers seeking a variety of things. Ulaanbaatar is its capital and largest city, it is also where the nation’s economic and cultural activities occur. Situated in North Central of Mongolia, the city was founded as a nomadic Buddhist monastic in 1639 but fast-forward to modern times, it is now one of Asia’s most enterprising cities. Ulaanbaatar which means “Red Hero” is known for the 40-meters tall statue of Genghis Khan, its countless Temples and the Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan.
The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan is the last standing out of four that belonged to Bogd Khan, the others have been destroyed by Mongolia's enemies. It is located at the Green Palace of the eight Jebstundamba Khutughtu and it has one of Mongolia’s oldest museums established in 1983, containing up to 8,660 exhibits which makes it the museum with the biggest collection in Mongolia. The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan also consist of about 20 structures including Nadian Temple and The Gate of Peace and Happiness.
The famous Genghis Khan statue is situated on top of the Genghis Khan Statue Complex at Tsonjin Boldog. The 40 meters tall statue is of Genghis Khan sitting on a horse pointing east, which signifies the direction of his birthplace. The statue erected in 2008, was designed by architect J. Enkhjargal and Sculptor D. Erdembileg. Fascinatingly the Genghis Khan statue is made from stainless steel, it really is a must see.
To understand the Mongolian culture and history visit the National Museum of Mongolia. Established in 1971, the building was initially erected as the Museum of Revolution before a meager with the State Central Museum in 1991 made it the National Museum of Mongolia. It features artifacts from the prehistoric times to modern times, some items displayed include traditional clothing, jewelry, sculptors and weapons.
Nadaam is Mongolia’s number one festival, it started out as a military style competition between selected men of the Army to test their strength, flexibility and movement through a series of well selected games like spear-throwing, wrestling, archery and horse race. But since the 1920s Naddam has been celebrated Nationwide honoring the People’s Revolution which led to the independence of the nation of Mongolia. During the festival there is a ton of activities to do asides the games, it is a great venue to taste the best of Mongolian cuisine and meet locals.
Also known as the Compassion Perfection Temple, the Choijin Lama Temple is a Buddhist monastery located south of Sukhbaatar. Established in 1904, its architectural work is a mix of different styles most of which have Mongol and Chinese influence. Now a museum it is dedicated to preserving the heritage of Buddhist artifacts such as sculptures and historical objects.