The Genghis Khan Statue

Rising dramatically from the open steppe east of Ulaanbaatar stands a statue usually billed as the largest equestrian monument in the world, a colossal, gleaming figure of Genghis Khan, the legendary thirteenth-century founder of the vast Mongol Empire and the nation's greatest hero, mounted on horseback. Standing some 40 metres tall and clad in shining stainless steel, the monument is as much a symbol of modern Mongolian pride as of ancient glory, and visitors can ride a lift up through the structure to a viewpoint on the head of the great horse for sweeping views over the steppe.

What you actually see

• The colossal statue - forty metres of stainless steel on the open steppe.
• The viewpoint - the outlook from the horse's head over the steppe.
• The steppe setting - the vast grassland surrounding the monument.
• The museum - the exhibits on Genghis Khan and Mongol history.

When to go

June to September, the summer, for the most pleasant weather on the open steppe; it is an easy half-day or day trip from Ulaanbaatar, often combined with the Terelj National Park nearby. The statue gleams impressively in the sunshine.

Honest expectations

It is a modern monument rather than a historical site, a colossal symbol of national pride built in the 2000s, so its appeal is the sheer scale and the steppe setting rather than antiquity. It is an easy trip from the capital, best combined with the Terelj park nearby. The gleaming statue rising from the empty grassland, and the view from the horse's head, are genuinely striking.

Nearby

The Gorkhi-Terelj National Park and Ulaanbaatar are within reach.