Orkhon Valley
Unesco World Heritage
lies in the central part of Mongolia, some 360 km southwest of Ulaanbaatar. The site covers 121,967 ha of grassland along the historic Orkhon River, and includes a buffer zone of 61,044 ha. The archaeologically rich Orkhon River basin was home of successive nomadic cultures which evolved from prehistoric origins in harmony with the natural landscape of the steppes and resulted in economic, social and cultural polities unique to the region. Home for centuries to major political, trade, cultural and religious activities of successive nomadic empires, the Orkhon Valley served as a crossroads of civilizations, linking East and West across the vast Eurasian landmass. Over successive centuries, the Orkhon Valley was found very suitable for settlement by waves of nomadic people. The earliest evidence of human occupancy dates from the sites of Moiltyn Am (40,000- 15,000 years ago) and “Orkhon-7” which show that the Valley was first settled about 62,000-58,000 years ago. Subsequently the Valley was continuously occupied throughout the Prehistoric and Bronze ages and in proto-historic and early historic times was settled successively by the Huns, Turkic peoples, the Uighurs, the Kidans, and finally the Mongols. Within the cultural landscape are a number of archaeological remains and standing structures, including Turkish memorial sites of the 6th-7th centuries, the 8th9th centuries’ Uighur capital of Khar Balgas as well as the 13th-14th centuries’ ancient Mongol imperial capital of Kharakhorum. Erdene Zuu, the earliest surviving Mongol Buddhist monastery, the Tuvkhun Hermitage and the Shank Western monastery are testimony to the widespread and enduring religious traditions and cultural practices of the Northern School of Buddhism which, with their respect for all the forms of life, enshrine the enduring sustainable management practices of this unique cultural landscape of the Central Asian steppes. Source: http://whc.unesco.org
Unesco World Heritage
lies in the central part of Mongolia, some 360 km southwest of Ulaanbaatar. The site covers 121,967 ha of grassland along the historic Orkhon River, and includes a buffer zone of 61,044 ha. The archaeologically rich Orkhon River basin was home of successive nomadic cultures which evolved from prehistoric origins in harmony with the natural landscape of the steppes and resulted in economic, social and cultural polities unique to the region. Home for centuries to major political, trade, cultural and religious activities of successive nomadic empires, the Orkhon Valley served as a crossroads of civilizations, linking East and West across the vast Eurasian landmass. Over successive centuries, the Orkhon Valley was found very suitable for settlement by waves of nomadic people. The earliest evidence of human occupancy dates from the sites of Moiltyn Am (40,000- 15,000 years ago) and “Orkhon-7” which show that the Valley was first settled about 62,000-58,000 years ago. Subsequently the Valley was continuously occupied throughout the Prehistoric and Bronze ages and in proto-historic and early historic times was settled successively by the Huns, Turkic peoples, the Uighurs, the Kidans, and finally the Mongols. Within the cultural landscape are a number of archaeological remains and standing structures, including Turkish memorial sites of the 6th-7th centuries, the 8th9th centuries’ Uighur capital of Khar Balgas as well as the 13th-14th centuries’ ancient Mongol imperial capital of Kharakhorum. Erdene Zuu, the earliest surviving Mongol Buddhist monastery, the Tuvkhun Hermitage and the Shank Western monastery are testimony to the widespread and enduring religious traditions and cultural practices of the Northern School of Buddhism which, with their respect for all the forms of life, enshrine the enduring sustainable management practices of this unique cultural landscape of the Central Asian steppes. Source: http://whc.unesco.org
The Orkhon Waterfall
the Orkhon Waterfall water flows for remarkable 1120 km to the North and lies in the historically significant Orkhon Valley, UNESCO World Heritage site. The waterfall formed by combination volcanic eruption and earthquakes some 20000 years ago cascades down from a height 27 meters. The Orkhon, longest river in Mongolia, begins at the state worshipped mountain Suvraga Khairkhan in the Khangai mountain range. The drainage basin of the river is 132835 sq.km. The river is 10-60 m wide to begin with but it becomes 120-150 m around the end and the speed of the river flow decreases. The Orkhon has many species of fish like the pike, Siberian sturgeon, taimen, asian common asp, Siberian grayling, roach etc. There are many rocks and boulders around the river as well as some waterfalls like a small waterfall with 4-5 m height and the Ulaan tsutgalan waterfall biggest in Mongolia at a height of 26 m. The Orkhon river Valley has been protected since 2006 as a National Park. Source: www.destinationmongolia.com
the Orkhon Waterfall water flows for remarkable 1120 km to the North and lies in the historically significant Orkhon Valley, UNESCO World Heritage site. The waterfall formed by combination volcanic eruption and earthquakes some 20000 years ago cascades down from a height 27 meters. The Orkhon, longest river in Mongolia, begins at the state worshipped mountain Suvraga Khairkhan in the Khangai mountain range. The drainage basin of the river is 132835 sq.km. The river is 10-60 m wide to begin with but it becomes 120-150 m around the end and the speed of the river flow decreases. The Orkhon has many species of fish like the pike, Siberian sturgeon, taimen, asian common asp, Siberian grayling, roach etc. There are many rocks and boulders around the river as well as some waterfalls like a small waterfall with 4-5 m height and the Ulaan tsutgalan waterfall biggest in Mongolia at a height of 26 m. The Orkhon river Valley has been protected since 2006 as a National Park. Source: www.destinationmongolia.com
Tovkhon Monastery
Unesco World Heritage
is 2312 metres (1,4 mile) above the sea level, at the top of the sacred hill Shireet Ulaan. It’s in the province of Ovorkhangai, in the sum of Bat Ulzii. Surrounded with rocks and forests of larches, it dominates Orkhon Valley. In 1648, the young Zanabazar, who was only 14 years old, decides to make built a monastery on the sacred hill of Shireet Ulaan, because the place was of good omen for him. The first building was built in wood in 1651, when the young Bogd Gegeen came back from his studies, and the whole was completed three years later. Zanabazar was a very good sculptor, musician and painter, and he has been using the monastery, originally called Bayasgalant Aglag Oron, ”Land of the happy loneliness”, for his personal retreat, for more than 30 years. He used to come to gather his thoughts in a cell that was reserved for him. In this small stone cell, he’s reported to have written the soyombo alphabet and many other famous works. The Oirats destroyed the monastery in 1688 during one of the several warlike campaigns against the Eastern Mongolians. It was restored in 1773 but sustained new serious damages during the Stalinist purges in the late 1930’s, when the communist system was trying to eradicate Buddhism from the country. From that period, two temples and two stupas remain. The other temples were built in the 18th century. The monastery started again its activity in 1992. The site also includes Ekhiin Agui, ”the mother’s cave”, that is composed of two cavities. We can crawl in the main cavity. Once at the bottom of it, we have to turn over to sit in the small cavity. These movements symbolize gestation and birth. Anyone will make them will have a great fecundity. The persons going out from this cave are told to feel like if they had had a new birth. The monastery is surrounded with rocks. Some of them have a historic value, because they represent Zanabazar’s prints, the place where he used to rest, or the place where his horse was tied. A pile of stones is reported to find its roots at the period of the war between Khalkhs and Uulds. The Ondor Gegeen is reported to have rid away from the battlefields, using an underpass called “the door of the great pleasures” ; then he’s reported to have obstructed the entrance with a big stone. Source: www.mongolia-trips.com
Unesco World Heritage
is 2312 metres (1,4 mile) above the sea level, at the top of the sacred hill Shireet Ulaan. It’s in the province of Ovorkhangai, in the sum of Bat Ulzii. Surrounded with rocks and forests of larches, it dominates Orkhon Valley. In 1648, the young Zanabazar, who was only 14 years old, decides to make built a monastery on the sacred hill of Shireet Ulaan, because the place was of good omen for him. The first building was built in wood in 1651, when the young Bogd Gegeen came back from his studies, and the whole was completed three years later. Zanabazar was a very good sculptor, musician and painter, and he has been using the monastery, originally called Bayasgalant Aglag Oron, ”Land of the happy loneliness”, for his personal retreat, for more than 30 years. He used to come to gather his thoughts in a cell that was reserved for him. In this small stone cell, he’s reported to have written the soyombo alphabet and many other famous works. The Oirats destroyed the monastery in 1688 during one of the several warlike campaigns against the Eastern Mongolians. It was restored in 1773 but sustained new serious damages during the Stalinist purges in the late 1930’s, when the communist system was trying to eradicate Buddhism from the country. From that period, two temples and two stupas remain. The other temples were built in the 18th century. The monastery started again its activity in 1992. The site also includes Ekhiin Agui, ”the mother’s cave”, that is composed of two cavities. We can crawl in the main cavity. Once at the bottom of it, we have to turn over to sit in the small cavity. These movements symbolize gestation and birth. Anyone will make them will have a great fecundity. The persons going out from this cave are told to feel like if they had had a new birth. The monastery is surrounded with rocks. Some of them have a historic value, because they represent Zanabazar’s prints, the place where he used to rest, or the place where his horse was tied. A pile of stones is reported to find its roots at the period of the war between Khalkhs and Uulds. The Ondor Gegeen is reported to have rid away from the battlefields, using an underpass called “the door of the great pleasures” ; then he’s reported to have obstructed the entrance with a big stone. Source: www.mongolia-trips.com
Ger Camp