Ulaanbaatar – Monastic centre founded in 1639, settled on the Tuul in 1778
Ulaanbaatar began in 1639 as a nomadic Buddhist monastic centre that moved 29 times before settling permanently in its present location in 1778. As Örgöö (Urga), it became Mongolia's foremost religious centre and the seat of the Jebtsundamba Khutuktu. Yet the valley of the Tuul River was inhabited much earlier: Palaeolithic tools, Xiongnu-era royal tombs and the tradition of Toghrul Khan's palace in the Black Forest of the Tuul all point to its long history.
Today Ulaanbaatar is Mongolia's capital and largest city, with about 1.79 million inhabitants, and the coldest capital in the world by average temperature. Do you have stories, photos or memories from Ulaanbaatar? Share them with our community!