Recommended Tourist Attractions In Ulaanbaatar

The Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts: Named after the renowned Buddhist artist and sculptor, Zanabazar, this museum contains easily the best collection of Mongolian art in the country- or perhaps anywhere on earth. Many of the items on display are religious exhibits, such as the exquisite thangkas (long, scroll-like cloth paintings) and Buddhist statues and icons. There are also plenty of items- carvings, sculptures and paintings- by Zanabazar himself. Worth a visit if you’re interested in Mongolian culture and art.

The Winter Palace of the Bogd Khan: The Bogd Khan, the religious (and titular) head of the Mongolian state, prior to the coming to power of the communists, had his Winter Palace in Ulaanbaaatar.  

It was constructed between 1893 and 1903, and looking at it, you can see why it took a decade to complete- it’s huge, and within it lie six temples. The temples are a veritable museum of memorabilia relating to the Bogd Khan, especially gifts given to him- there is a particularly fascinating collection of stuffed animals.  

 Gandantegchinlen Khiid: The only Buddhist monastery in Ulaanbaaatar to have survived the Communist putsch, Gandantegchinlen Khiid was basically retained as a showcase, to present a façade of religious freedom, mainly for the benefit of foreigners. Now that the communists have gone (many of them, in fact, have actually become monks themselves!), Buddhist monasteries are also coming back to life, and Gandantegchinlen is in the forefront. 

The monastery contains, within its grounds, several temples elaborately decorated with gold and jewels. Rituals, ceremonies and chanting carry on throughout the day.

The Museum of Natural History: An extremely educational museum, the Museum of Natural History is an excellent insight into Mongolia’s geography, and its flora and fauna. Mongolia is one of the few places on earth where excavations have brought to light some very-well preserved dinosaur skeletons, and two of them are exhibits here- the Saurolophus and the Tarbosaurus. Both were found in digs in the Gobi Desert. The museum also contains other displays related to Mongolia, many of them pertaining to the country’s recent history. It lies near Sukh Baatar Square (named after the Mongolian hero who helped the country get its independence); nearby are some other places you might like to visit, such as the Palace of Culture, which houses the excellent Mongolian Art Gallery.