Nope, it’s not the replica of Leonardo da Vinci’s original masterpiece, its way bigger than that. This is a statue revering a Mongolian legend & equestrian extrodinare, Genghis Khan.
In Mongolia: Located 34 miles from Ulaanbaatar in an area known as Tsonjin Boldog, the statue commemorates the site where legend says Kahn found a golden whip. Eight centuries later, the conqueror wields a golden staff, ready to ride into battle once more.
He was not a nice man but a charismatic leader, and even centuries after his death his story is the stuff legends are made of. The location of the statue is where Genghis is thought to have found the golden whip of legend – an omen that is said to have inspired his many conquests. The base of the statue features a small museum where visitors can see a replica of the golden whip and try traditional cuisine.
Reinventing Mongolia
During the years of Communist rule even the mention of Khan was forbidden in Mongolia, and his name was effectively dragged through the mud to the rest of the world. Today the Mongolian people are attempting to find their national identity again & provide the world with Genghis Khan’s legend through the eyes of his people. They’ve taken steps to accomplish this by creating an enormous statue of a mounted Genghis Khan.
The Catch
There is an admission fee to get inside this giant statue, although you can take an elevator to a deck on top of the horses head. You can also try some traditional Mongolian cuisine, but you might want to skip the meat portion unless you are brave at heart – they’ve been eating horsemeat since Ginghas Khan’s time. Oh and there is a theme park (yeah I really said it, a theme park) in the works as well.
In Conclusion
There is no doubting that this is one huge statue and that in and of itself is quite an amazing accomplishment. Not only will it provide a source of revenue and honor a national hero but it also helps to provide the Mongolian people a sense of identity they have been denied for a very long time.
The next time you are looking for an one of a kind vacation think about going off the beat & path and visit Mongolia. Call us at Personalized Services International Travel Agency 1-866-774-4077 or visit our travel website: www.yourfuturetravel.com. If you have a unique vacation location feel free to contact us or e-mail: CS@YourPersonalizedServices.com. Have a great vacation exploring the world; you only live once.
