Located in the north central part of the country, the city is at an elevation of about 1310m in a valley on theTuul River. The city is the country's center forculture,industry andfinance, and since it is more than 13 times bigger than the second largest city in Mongolia,Erdenet, it is thecountry'sprimate city.[3] Ulaanbaatar is connected by highway to all the major towns in Mongolia and by rail to theTrans-Siberian Railway andChinese railroad network. The city was founded in 1639 as aBuddhistmonastery center and, in the 20th century, grew into a major manufacturing center.
Ulaanbaatar has had many names in its history. From 1639 to 1706, it was known asÖrgöö (Mongolian: Өргөө,residence), and from 1706 to 1911 asIkh Khüree (Mongolian: Их = "great", Хүрээ = "camp"),Da Khüree or simplyKhüree. Upon independence in 1911,the city's name changed toNiislel Khüree (Mongolian: Нийслэл = "capital", Хүрээ = "camp"). When the city became the capital of the newMongolian People's Republic in 1924, its name was changed toUlaanbaatar,literally "red hero", in honour of Mongolia's national heroDamdin Sükhbaatar, that liberated Mongolia fromUngern von Sternberg's troops and Chinese occupation with the SovietRed Army. InEurope andNorth America, Ulaanbaatar was generally known asUrga (fromÖrgöö) or sometimesKuren (fromKhüree) orKulun (from 庫倫, theChinesetranscription ofKhüree) before 1924.
Ulaanbaatar is at about 1350 meters (4430 ft) abovesea level. For this highelevation, and for the highlatitude, and location hundreds of kilometres from any coast, Ulaanbaatar is the coldest national capital in the world, with asubarctic climate.
- 1778: the city settled for good at its current location, near the confluence of theSelbe and Tuul rivers and beneathBogd Khan Uul, back then also on the caravan route fromBeijing toKyakhta.
- 1911: Mongolian leaders in Ikh Khüree forNaadam met in secret and resolved upon independence from China for their country. On December 29, 1911, theBogd Khan was declared ruler of an independent Mongolia.
- 1919: the city was occupied by Chinese troops
- 1921: the city has been controlled first byBaron Ungern'sWhites Soldateska, and in July to theSoviet-supported Mongolian troops controlled bySükhbaatar.
- October 29, 1924: the town was renamed to Ulaanbaatar ("red hero") in honour of Sükhbaatar.
- 1956: TheTransmongolian Railway, connecting Ulaanbaatar with Moscow and Beijing, was completed.
- After the growth of 1990 many buildings as, cinemas, shops were built. Now the biggest cinema is Urguu and Tengis cinema. Main shopping district is 3rd and 4th distirict.
Ulaanbaatar is divided into nine districts (Düüregs):Baganuur,Bagakhangai,Bayangol,Bayanzürkh,Chingeltei,Khan Uul,Nalaikh,Songino Khairkhan, andSükhbaatar. Each district is subdivided intoKhoroos. The capital is governed by a city council (the Citizen's Representatives Hural) with forty members, elected every four years. The city council appoints the mayor. Ulaanbaatar is governed as an independent first-level subdivision of Mongolia, separate fromTöv Aimag, the province that surrounds Ulaanbaatar.
TheChoijin Lama Monastery, a Buddhist monastery that was completed in 1908. It escaped the destruction of Mongolian monasteries when it was turned into a museum in 1942.
Choijin Lama Monastery andGandantegchinlen Khiid Monastery are two of the very few in Mongolia to escape the destruction of Mongolian monasteries underKhorloogiin Choibalsan.
Ulaanbaatar has several museums dedicated to Mongolian history and culture.
The Natural History Museum features many dinosaur fossils and meteorites found in Mongolia.
TheZanabazar Museum of Fine Arts contains a large collection of Mongolian art, including works of the 17th century sculptor/artist Zanabazar, as well as Mongolia's most famous painting,One Day In Mongolia byB. Sharav.
The Winter Palace of theBogd Khan remains as a museum of the last king of Mongolia (1911-1924).
Sükhbaatar Square, in the government district, is the center of Ulaanbaatar. In the middle of Sükhbaatar Square, there is a statue ofDamdin Sükhbaatar on horseback.
TheZaisan Memorial, a memorial to Russian soldiers killed in World War II, sits on a hill south of the city.
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