UB City day tour

Gandantegchilen Khiid, National History Museum, Bogd Khan National Museum, Zaisan memorial, Chinggis Square

Gandantegchilen Monastery (Гандантэгчинлэн хийд), one of few monasteries escaped mass destruction and purge (the “Great Repression”) in the 1930’s under Mongolia’s communist government influenced by Stalin, which destroyed more than 700+ monasteries and executed 15,000+ monks. The monastery features a 26.5 statue of Megjid Janraisag (Мэгжид Жанрайсаг or Avalokiteśvara) construction started in 1911 by Bogd Javzandamba and finished in 1913. However, the statue was dismantled and transported to Russia by Russian soldiers in 1937 during the Great Repression. The statue was rebuilt in 1996 by the order of the first president of Mongolia, Ochirbat, and with the help and donations of the people of Mongolia. Gandantegchilen or Gandan for short, has become the center of religious studies, place of worship for locals and home to more than 800 monks. You can find small stores on the side streets that sell religious items leading up to the main area. Drumming, chanting of the monks can be heard in the morning around 9AM.

Bogd Khan Palace Museum was the winter palace and monastery of Mongolia’s last king and the eighth Bogd Jebtsundamba Khutagt, aka Bogd Khan. The palace survived the Great Repression of  1937 under Stalin’s influence. The Palace became one of the first museums of Mongolia.

National History Museum displays stone age petroglyphs, gold treasures from ancient tombs, traditional costumes, armours and up to the democratic revolution of 1990. 

Chinggis Khaan square (formerly known as Sukhbaatar square) landmark where a peaceful anti-communism protest was held in 1990 and a peaceful transition of economic system that followed without a blood shed.