Chinggis Khaan Statue Complex, Arkhust, Mongolia
In 2008, a giant statue of Khan riding a horse was erected fifty-four kilometers from the capital Ulaanbaatar. At forty meters high, it is the world’s largest equestrian statue and stands more than double the height of the previous record holder in Uruguay. Made from two hundred and fifty tons of stainless steel, it reputedly cost $4.1 million to construct.
At the base of the statue, visitors can visit an archaeological museum, try on traditional Mongolian costumes, tour the numerous portraits of the Khan lineage, or try the cuisine at the restaurant on the second floor before taking an elevator to to the top of the horse’s head, where they are greeted with a panoramic view over the surrounding landscape.
The foundation building, designed to look like European Gothic style architecture, symbolizes that Genghis Khan is standing on Europe after his successful military campaigns, and he is returning East, his home country. If you stretch your eyes to the East, you will see a small statue of his mother greeting him.
Epic Mongolia Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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