Zaisan Monument — Attraction in Ulaanbaatar

Zaisan Memorial is a circular memorial of modern Socialist art that depicts scenes of friendship between the people of the USSR and Mongolia.

Ulaanbaatar is very much a developing city – frequently resembling a building site. However, visit Zaisan Hill and here you can mix with local families, art sellers and students and feel above it all. It provides a great panoramic view of the whole city stretched out along the river valley/basin.

Just choose your day - as if there is too much pollution you won't see much of the view.

It is roughly a 35-minute walk to the south of Sukhbaatar Square, over the Tuul River). However, the traffic fumes can be bad. Alternatively take a bus from either Ard Kino Square on Baga Toiruu or the Bayangol Hotel (bus will say Zaisan on the front in Cyrillic). Entrance to Zaisan Hill is currently free if approaching by bus...

Note that you’ll need to climb approximately 300 steps to reach the peak.

Tip: You can take the elevator in the shopping mall up to level 7, where a bridge connects to the halfway point of the stairs.

The breathtaking panoramic view of Ulaanbaatar from the top, combined with the site's profound historical significance, makes the climb worthwhile.

From this vantage point, you can see the city's sprawling landscape, the meandering Tuul River, and the surrounding mountains, all while reflecting on the deep historical ties between Mongolia and the Soviet Union...

Quite the impressive monument. It's certainly worthy of the name. There were also a few small, quaint looking shops along the staricase, but they were all closed, I assume due to COVID. There's also a small glass bridge with a dinosaur head roaring up at you.

The monument itself chronicles the journey Mongolia went through during its time under Soviet life. The monument mimics the traditional Mongolian fireplace and honours the Soviet soldiers who fought for the Mongolian People's Republic. The place, of course, also offers up some...