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Special article Ulaanbaatar.
Ulaanbaatar is the capital of Mongolia, which has the distinction of being the coldest capital in the world. It can reach temperatures as low as -30°C on average, with the record low being -42°C in 1957. With nearly 1.8 million inhabitants, it represents more than 50% of the country’s population. Some important monuments and sites are worth a visit.
Gandan Temple
The most visited monument in Ulaanbaatar is the Gandantegchinlen Temple. It’s a small architectural marvel in the heart of the city. Monks roam the grounds. The prayer rooms are impressive and teeming with people. Practitioners seem truly devoted to their religion. And each prayer is accompanied by a monetary donation. Prayer wheels are everywhere and turn almost constantly. The majority of the population in Mongolia is Buddhist.
Genghis Khan Square
Genghis Khan Square is named after the founder of the Mongolian state, approximately 800 years ago. It is impressive in its size. The President of Mongolia lives in the palace located on this square. It is a very busy place with many small merchants and entertainment. Coming to immortalize your wedding day in this square is a great tradition. During weddings, processions in traditional clothing are numerous, allowing you to admire these magnificent costumes.
The black market
It’s a huge market located outside the city. You can find absolutely everything there. The stalls are neatly arranged, and each specialty is grouped together in the same area. How can they do business when sometimes a hundred stalls sell the same thing in the same place? Bringing together so many vendors for the same products is a great tradition practiced in Asian countries.
Bogdo Khan
Bogdo Khan, also known as the “Winter Palace,” is a place that has been transformed into a beautiful museum. Numerous temples house various pieces of collections related to the Mongolian community.
Ulaanbaatar
We could talk for a long time about this rather unusual capital. Life is intense there. Its center is made up of numerous buildings. While on the outskirts there are individual buildings not always in good condition that can resemble shantytowns, and also numerous factories that seem to ignore pollution and the environment.
We liked:
- The calm that reigns in the city.
- A very efficient and very cheap bus network (30 euro cents for all journeys)
We didn’t like:
- Plastics littering the ground
- Failure to respect the turn in the queues e
- Rain and muddy streets.
