Kharkhorin Village:

Kharkhorin is the village of Uvurkhangai Province in Mongolia. The sum population is around 13,496.  Its location marks the easternmost foothills of the Khangai Mountains, where they meet the rolling steppe of central Mongolia. Kharkhorin's principal sources of income are tourism and agriculture. Water from the Orkhon River serves to irrigate crops on the large plain east of the town. Kharkhorin is located in the Khangai-Khentii mountainous region, in the eastern part of the Khangai mountain range, at an altitude of 1540 meters above sea level. According to the 2004 surface water census, there are 7 lakes in Kharkhorin soum, including Shar Burd, Tsagaan, Azar, and Duut, 27 permanent streams, 13 dried rivers, 48 springs, and 4 springs.

    Historical Kharkhorum 

The great Mongol Empire's legendary city was founded by the order of Genghis Khan in 1220 in Orkhon Valley. His son Ogoodei built the city and raised around it a surrounding wall with four doors in 1235. Genghis khan’s inheritors except for Khubilai Khan governed the country from this city until Khubilai Khan settled his capital in Beijing. It was not only the capital of the vast Mongolian Empire, but the epic center of trade along the Silk Road, and a cultural melting pot bridging east and west. Any religion was harmonized in one place and many monasteries, churches, and mosques were established. 

Unfortunately, Kharakhorum was completely destroyed by vengeful Ming troops in 1380 after collapsing of the Yuan dynasty. A few relics remained, notably two granite turtles, the base of a palace, some stone lions, two columns, and a few traces of an irrigation channel. Today the only information known about the rise and prominence of Kharakhorum comes from the notes and stories of travelers who visited the city during its peak years. Famous travelers and historians such as William De Rubruk, Plano De Carpini, Rashid Ad-Din, and Marco Polo provided marvelous descriptions of Kharkhorum. The site is protected since 1961 by the government. In the ruins of Kharkhorin, archaeologists discovered 230 coins coming from around ten different countries.

Attractions at Kharkhorin

   Erdenezuu monastery

     Erdene Zuu Monastery, the oldest Buddhist monastery in Mongolia, was established in 1586 on the ruins of ancient Kharkhorin city by the order of Prince Avtai Sain Khan – direct descendant of Genghis Khan, the grandfather of Zanabazar, and a leader of Khalkha Mongolia.  By 1792, the monastery had grown to include 62 temples, approximately 500 buildings, and was home to around 10,000 monks. In 1939, during the Stalinist purges, the monastery was nearly destroyed, with many structures demolished and religious practices banned.

     Nevertheless, three temples and the outer wall with the stupas remained intact; the temples became museums in 1947. Good times came and after the democratic revolution in 1990, religious freedom was restored and monasteries became active again.

Today, 18 temples remain active. The complex includes three main temples, several smaller temples, and two tombs dedicated to Avtai Sain Khan and his son Tusheet Khan Gombodorj. It also houses the largest stupa in Mongolia, known as the Golden Stupa.

    The three main temples of Erdene Zuu Monastery are called West Zuu, Middle Zuu, and East Zuu. The word “Zuu” is a respectful term for Buddha. Each temple features a different representation of Buddha: The Past Buddha, the Present Buddha, and the Future Buddha.”. These temples are built with double walls, designed to regulate temperature (keeping warmth in during winter and coolness in summer), and are surrounded by a sacred walking path used for a ritual called “Goroo” (circumambulation). The entire Erdene Zuu Monastery complex is enclosed by a 420-meter square concrete wall, with 108 stupas positioned around it—108 being a sacred number in Buddhism.

Erdene Zuu is part of the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, which is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its historical and cultural significance.

Interesting facts: 

In 1792, Erdene Zuu Monastery housed 62 temples. At that time, Mongolian lords competed to have a temple named after themselves within the monastery walls, as it was a symbol of high status and reputation.

In 1658, the largest traditional ger ever built was built in the central space within the monastery wall. It consisted of 35 walls, supported by 1,700 poles, and could accommodate up to 200 people.

 Today, Erdene Zuu Monastery is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Mongolia, welcoming approximately 20,000 visitors annually.