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All Mongolia Ulaanbaatar Genghis Khan Statue Complex

Genghis Khan Statue Complex

Enormous statue of the Emperor of the Mongols.

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

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You can stand on top of the horse’s head.   Francisco Anzola/cc by 2.0
The world’s tallest equestrian statue.   Alastair Rae/cc by-sa 2.0
The mighty horse and rider.   Francisco Anzola/cc by 2.0
  Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
  Max Cortesi / Atlas Obscura User
Tourists taking picture with vulture bird   monsumya / Atlas Obscura User
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To most of the world, Genghis Khan is known as a brutal and savage dictator, whose campaigns of terror and wholesale massacre of civilian populations may have resulted in the deaths of up to forty million people. But to the people of Mongolia, he is revered as a national hero, ruling over the largest contiguous empire in history and establishing the Mongols as a political and cultural force. Despite being represented on dozens of statues and appearing on everything from bottles of liquor to cigarette packets, it seems that the public’s appetite for more has not yet waned.

In 2008, a giant statue of Khan riding a horse was erected fifty-four kilometers from the capital Ulaanbaatar. At forty meters high, it is the world's largest equestrian statue and stands more than double the height of the previous record holder in Uruguay. Made from two hundred and fifty tons of stainless steel, it reputedly cost $4.1 million to construct. At the base of the statue, visitors can visit an archaeological museum, try on traditional Mongolian costumes, tour the numerous portraits of the Khan lineage, or try the cuisine at the restaurant on the second floor before taking an elevator to to the top of the horse’s head, where they are greeted with a panoramic view over the surrounding landscape.

The foundation building, designed to look like European Gothic style architecture, symbolizes that Genghis Khan is standing on Europe after his successful military campaigns, and he is returning East, his home country. If you stretch your eyes to the East, you will see a small statue of his mother greeting him.

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The statue is located 54 kilometers from the capital city Ulaanbaatar. This place is also famous for its photo spot with wild birds. Visitors can take a picture with a golden eagle or vulture on their hand.

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Mongolia's Summer Danshig Festival

Desert skies, festivals, and wild horses in Mongolia.

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PaperTiger

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Max Cortesi, monsumya, wgriffinhancock, Kerry Wolfe

  • Max Cortesi
  • monsumya
  • wgriffinhancock
  • Kerry Wolfe

Published

January 31, 2011

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Sources
  • The New York Times: "Genghis Khan Rules Mongolia Again, in a P.R. Campaign" (August 2009): http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/03/world/asia/03genghis.html?_r=1
  • Wikpedia: Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genghis_Khan_Equestrian_Statue
Genghis Khan Statue Complex
Unnamed Road
Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia
47.807479, 107.530387
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Nearby Places

Manzushir Monastery

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Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar

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Places 12
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Nearby Places

Manzushir Monastery

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

miles away

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The Marshall Zhukov House Museum

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miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar

Mongolia

Places 12
Stories 1

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