Kharkorum and Erdenezuu

Kharkorum is ancient city ruins. Kharkorum was the capital of the Mongol Empire. Chinggis Khaan and his sons – Ugudei, Guyug and Munkh had been ruling the empire since 1220. The ruins of Kharkorum city had been protected since 1961.

Erdenezuu Monastery was the first Buddhist monastery, erected on the initiative of Avtai Sain Khaan in 1486 at Kharakorum. The monastery has a rectangular shaped perimeter wall, 420 meter long and wide sides. There are 108 stupas, 25 of them on each of the 4 sides and 2 on each of four corners. The museum of the monastery has unique exhibits such as a cast god image, clothes and musical instruments which were created by Mongolian craftsmen in the 16-18^th century. The monastery has been protected since 1944.

Both Kharakorum ruin of the city and Erdenezuu monastery were designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1996.