Ulaanbaatar

Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, is the coldest capital in the world with yurts as its omnipresent feature. You can start your city tour at the Gandan Khiid monastery complex, home to the tallest indoor statue in the world at a remarkable 26.5 meters. At the foot of the monastery, you will find the preserved temple of Geser. After that, you can continue exploring the city sights by visiting the Choijin Lama temple complex, which is of importance both ecclesiastically and architecturally. The Winter Palace of Bogd Khan is another of the few preserved Buddhist monuments in the city. While in the centre, stop at Genghis Khan Square (also referred to as Main or Sukhbaatar Square) with the Mongolian Parliament and Genghis Khan statue at its entrance.

If you would like to taste local specialties or buy souvenirs, head to the Narantuul market. Mongolia is also a rich fossil site. The natural conditions of the Gobi Desert were ideal for the preservation of many dinosaur skeletons, including the complete skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex. You can see the collection on display in the Museum of Natural History. A beautiful view of the city is to be enjoyed from the Zaisan monument located on a hill not far out of Ulaanbaatar.