Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, Mongolia

The basin of the Orkhon River was home to a succession of nomadic peoples that evolved over time in harmony with the natural landscape of the steppes, resulting in a culture, economy and society that were unique to the region. 

First occupied in Prehistoric times, the Valley saw many centuries of major political, trade, cultural and religious activities which led to it serving as a crossroads of civilisations, linking East and West across the vast Eurasian landmass.

The site contains many important archaeological remains which date back as far as the 6^th century, including petroglyphs (rock carvings), khirgisuur, deer stones (monoliths carved with deer and other animals), and ancient graves and tombs.  

The following are just some of the monuments and sacred sites of worship that can be found across the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape:

The city of Kharakhorum was the grand capital of the vast Mongol Empire, established by Chinggis Khaan in 1220, and was Mongolia's hub for politics, economy, culture, administration and international relations.

The city was surrounded by two-storey walls with gates on all sides, each one guarded by a merchant selling goods such as grain, bullock carts, horses, sheep and goats. 

Legend had it that the city of Kharkhorum was impervious to floods and external attacks. To commemorate the city's peaceful existence, granite turtles were constructed and placed on each of its four sides to symbolize this resilience.

Khar Balgas was the capital city of the Uighur Empire, which existed for around one hundred years during the 8^th and 9^th centuries, and played an important political and cultural role in East Asian history.

It was a vast city, covering 32 km², with royal residences, temples and fortress walls. The 12m-high fortress had a 14m-tall guard tower. In 2018, a 12m-deep well filled with water was discovered by a Mongolian-German expedition.

Erdene Zuu monastery was founded by King Avtai in 1586 and is the earliest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. Its 400x400m exterior boasts 108 stunning stupas (dome-shaped structures which served as shrines) and imposing gates on all sides.

In 1792, there were 62 churches and 500 buildings, but now only 18 remain, although it is active today as both a place of worship and a museum which is open to tourists. It is the only monastery to have been constructed using traditional urban planning principles. 

High Saint Zanabazar established this monastery from 1651-1654. It was here that he created the cast gods which set the foundation for Buddhist art in Mongolia. The monastery exemplifies Asian religious asceticism, and the cast gods are prominent in world art.

Located on a mountain at 2,600m above sea level, two original temples and two stupas still remain despite various attempts over the centuries to destroy the monastery. Religious activities continue here to this day.

The petroglyphs along the Orkhon River date back to the Bronze Age and are a fascinating glimpse into the past. More than 60 different images can be found on the monument’s 20 rocks and include people shooting bows and arrows, wolves, deer and birds.

The Temeen Chuluu monument, which dates back to the Bronze Age, features over 40 ancient square tombs and five deer stone statues. An intriguing detail on the stone of one square tomb is the depiction of 13 people standing hand in hand.

For a long time, Mongolians have followed the tradition of worshipping the Khangai Khairkhan Mountain, offering prayers for peace and good health.

Rising 2312m above sea level, this is the highest mountain in the Orkhon Valley. This mountain, Tsagaan Uul, is revered as a shrine and worshipped solely with milk.

The numerous monuments and the rich architectural remains of this unique cultural landscape of the Central Asian steppes together reflect its importance in the history of central Asia, its strong culture of nomadic pastoralism still a central part of Mongolian society today.