Monument sights in Kharkhorin (Karakorum)
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Erdene Zuu Khiid
Founded in 1586 by Altai Khaan, Erdene Zuu (Hundred Treasures) was the first Buddhist monastery in Mongolia. It had between 60 and 100 temples, about 300 gers inside the walls and, at its peak, up to 1000 monks in residence.
The monastery went through periods of neglect and prosperity until finally the Stalinist purges of 1937 put it completely out of business. All but three of the temples in Erdene Zuu were destroyed and an unknown number of monks were either killed or shipped off to Siberia and never heard from again.
However, a surprising number of statues, tsam masks and thangkas were saved from the monastery at the time of the purges - possibly with the help of a fe…
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Stone Turtles
Outside the monastery walls are two stone turtles. Four of these sculptures once marked the boundaries of ancient Karakorum, acting as protectors of the city (turtles are considered symbols of eternity). The turtles originally had an inscribed stone stele mounted vertically on their back.
One is easy to find: just walk out of the northern gate of the monastery and follow the path northwest for about 300m. Often, an impromptu souvenir market is set up next to one stone turtle. You'll need a guide or directions to find the other one, which is on the hill south of the monastery, about 600m past the phallic rock.
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Square of Happiness and Prosperity
In the northeast of the monastery are the base stones of a gigantic ger (now called the Square of Happiness and Prosperity), set up in 1639 to commemorate Zanabazar's birthday. The ger was reported to be 15m high and 45m in diameter, with 35 concertina-style walls, and could seat 300 during the annual assemblies of the local khaans.
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Erdene Zuu Khiid Gravestones
Apart from the main temples, there are several other interesting things to see at Erdene Zuu Khiid. The gravestones of Abtai Khaan (1554-88) and his grandson Tüshet Khaan Gombodorj (the father of Zanabazar) stand in front of the Dalai Lama Süm and are inscribed in Mongol, Tibetan and Arabic scripts.
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Great Imperial Map Monument
This large monument is on a hill overlooking Kharkhorin to the southwest. The three sides honour various empires established on the Orkhon Gol, including the Hunnu period (300-200 BC), the Turkic period (AD 600-800) and the Mongol period (13th century). There are superb panoramic views from here.
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