A Statue of Genghis Khan

The world's largest statue of a rider on a horse was erected in Mongolia This statue, showing Chinggis Khaan (1162-1227) with a golden whip in his right hand gazing into the distance, has been erected at the Tsonjin Boldog site connected to many historic events in the territory of Erdene soum in Tov aimag, 54 km from Ulaanbaatar.

Here, Temujin (Chinggis Khaan's childhood name) becoming the great Khaan who conquered half the world after overcoming difficulties in his childhood when he lost his father, found a whip on the way back from Khereid's Toiril Khaan, where he had gone to ask for help when Mergid had captured his wife in 1117. Finding a whip is perceived by Mongolians as a good omen. Therefore, finding the whip, Chinggis Khan became greedy seeing it as a path being opened to the great cause.

The haughty and yet honorable statue is surrounded by 36 columns representing 36 Mongolian Khaans. The entire edifice is covered in 250 tonne of steel. Visitors will ascend to the exhibition hall using an elevator at the back of the horse and will walk to the horse's head passing through its chest and the back of its neck from where they will have an excellent panoramic view over the complex area and the scenery beyond. Within the complex area covering 212 ha, 13th Century living will brought to life for today's modern people. The statue is also surrounded by over 200 ger camps and examples of tribes' lifestyles with trading using coins from the 13th Century. Construction of the whole complex is to be completed in 2010, with a spa, hotel and golf course currently underway.