Kharkhorin is a destination with two scales: the cultural landscape of the Orkhon Valley and individual monasteries, museums, and archaeological sites. The cultural landscape includes Kharakhorum and was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. It follows the upper reaches of the Orkhon through Kharkhorin soum; its average elevation ranges from 1,350 to 2,300 meters above sea level. This places a broad landscape alongside specific cultural and historical sites. These different layers offer you various ways to choose the focus of a trip to Kharkhorin.
Erdene Zuu and the Kharakhorum Museum
Erdene Zuu Monastery was founded in 1586 by Avtai Khan. In 1965, it was designated a state museum of religious history. The two dates mark different milestones: the founding of the monastery and its later conversion into a museum. Three central temples were built without nails and are currently used to display museum exhibits; this use may change. If you plan to see these exhibits, check the latest visiting arrangements in advance.
The Kharakhorum Museum was established to preserve, study, and present historical and cultural objects associated with the cultural landscape of the Orkhon Valley and the Mongolian capital of Kharakhorum. Its outdoor area for traditional Mongolian games includes educational activities for children and young people. These activities on traditional games complement the museum’s historical and cultural focus.
Archaeological Sites and a Designated Cultural Route
A stone turtle monument stands in front of the open-air museum of the Kharakhorum ruins, north of Erdene Zuu. It is 1.10 meters high, 1.25 meters wide, and 2.6 meters long; these dimensions describe an elongated monument that is low in relation to its length. The Bayangol estuary is also home to two ruins of ancient cities, 13 km north of the center of Kharkhorin. The Kharkhorin–Hotont–Khashaat cultural route is also designated as a tourist route.
Khangai Khairkhan and Natural Heritage
Khangai Khairkhan is 10 km northwest of the center of Kharkhorin, at the end of the Khangai Mountains, at an elevation of 1,964.3 meters above sea level. The mountain is considered part of the natural heritage of the Orkhon Valley cultural landscape and the Orkhon Valley Nature Park. The view shifts here from the broad valley to a single named mountain. This combination of cultural landscape and natural heritage adds a distinct landscape focus to the monasteries and archaeological sites.
Shankh Monastery and Maitreya Ceremonies
Shankh Western Monastery was built in 1647 in Kharkhorin soum. It is located 3 to 4 km southeast of the center of Shankh bag, on the western bank of the Harz River. The Maitreya ceremonies also offer a distinctive seasonal connection: the ceremony at Erdene Zuu Monastery is scheduled for the eighth day of the first spring month in the center of Kharkhorin. The exact Gregorian date varies each year. The Maitreya ceremony at Shankh Monastery takes place every year on the third day of the month at the beginning of summer in the center of Shankh bag, 22 km from the center of Kharkhorin. Here, too, the exact Gregorian date changes from year to year. The two dates differ in the traditional calendar and in location. If you plan to attend a ceremony, check the date for your year of travel.
Discover more destinations: Kharkhorin, Khujirt.
Return to the main travel overview: Uvurkhangai.
