A paradise in the middle of the desert, Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest city of Mongolia, nestled by the banks of the mighty Tuul River and overlooking a spectacular view of the region's majestic pine-covered mountains. Named after the famous Damdin Sukhbaatar, the Mongolian national hero who fought valiantly for freedom against the many Soviet and Chinese invaders, the city serves as the political, cultural and economic center of the country. It prides itself with its rich troves of historical heritage, as evidenced by the numerous museums and archaeological sites dotting its landscape.
Established by yurt monks in 1639, it functioned as a mobile monastery: they moved it from place to place whenever their needs demanded it. However, the time came when it was too large to be moved, settling permanently in its current location in 1778. Throughout its recent history, the city had been invaded and occupied by its powerful Russian and Chinese neighbors who had indelibly left their mark on its architectural landscape. It is also a very unique sight, with its many modern buildings, boulevards and public squares set against a backdrop of rustic Buddhist temples, monasteries and old villas.
Ulaanbaatar takes pride in its incredible concentration of temples and monasteries, featuring over a hundred of them, and making for staple tourist destinations. Some of these edifices worthy of visit are the Gandan Monastery - a monastery built during 1810 and is considered the largest in the country that is still in use at present; the Winter Palace Museum - which is a palace residence constructed in 1893 for the country's last Bogd Khaan (religious leader); the Natural History Museum - which features dinosaur fossils and meteor remains found in the area; and the Sukhbaatar Square - the city's center, which displays a bust of the national hero and also houses the Mongolian Parliament building.
