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| Site inaugurated on the 8th March 2004! |
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Ulan Bator (Mongolia) (phone area code is 1. From outside Mongolia dial +9761)
The world’s coldest capital is a fascinating place to visit, even if looks at first sight like another Soviet-style city. Ulan Bator (population: 700,000) sits in a basin surrounded by four mountains, the southermost boundary of the great Siberian taiga. The city experiences great climatic extremes; the temperature ranges from -49ºC (-46ºF) in winter to 38ºC (93ºC) in summer. The average annual precipitation is only 236mm and there are on average 283 sunny days in the year. Ulan Bator is 1350 metres above sea level.
Among the industrial suburbs and concrete tower blocks there are vibrant splashes of colour in the temples and old palaces. The Mongolian people are charming and cheerful.
After the Communist Party came to power in 1921, the capital was renamed Ulan Bator, meaning “Red Hero”. With considerable help from the USSR, the city was redesigned. In the mid 1990s, the city experienced a private sector boom with new buildings springing up everywhere and shops and restaurants opening.
Mongolia once had 700 monasteries but virtually all were destroyed in the communist crackdown at the end of the 1930s. More than 14,000 monks were killed and tens of thousands forced to give up their vows. In the 1990s, some monasteries were allowed to reopen.
What to see Sühbaatar Square A mounted statue of Sühbaatar (the Mongolian Lenin) in heroic pose stands in the centre of this large square, opposite his mausoleum. His preserved body does not receive visitors but newlyweds queue up to have their photos taken at the foot of his statue.
Gandan Monastery The original monastery on this site was built in 1785 but destroyed. The first group of new buildings here was put up in 1938 and as well as the main temple there are stupas, a library and accommodation for the monks.
Bogd Khan Palace and Museum This is a wonderful old place, full of ghosts and rather like Beijing’s Forbidden City on a smaller scale. The Bogd Khan museum is beside the palace complex and exhibits include Bogd Khan’s throne, fur-lined robes and crown, and his luxurious ger.
Natural History Museum Mongolia is well known for its dinosaur graveyards and some of the discoveries made in the country are on display here, including several fossilized nests of dinosaurs’ eggs.
Where to stay Budget accommodation
Mid-range and up-marked hotels
Where to eat
Excursions from Ulan Bator Ger encampments Most groups of travellers go to Terelj, 80km from Ulan Bator. There are two types of accommodation here: gers and hotels. Zhuulchin offers trips to Terelj.
Bogd Uul Nature Reserve and Manzshir Monastery This unique mountain region, directly south of Ulan Bator, was proclaimed a protected area in 1778 although conservation of Bogd Uul actually began in the 12th century. The highest peak in Bogd Uul is Tsetsee Gun (2268m). It is possible to hike over the ridge to the ruins of the ancient Manzshir Monastery and the museum, to get an idea of the devastation caused in 1937.
The Gobi The Gobi stretches for almost 4000km along the border of Mongolia and China. Only about 3% of the Gobi is true desert.
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