Ulaanbaatar has a long history, and is only now undergoing an industrial revolution.

UB is one of the most drab looking cities on the face of the planet, a travesty really, considering it's the capital of one the most beautiful and hospitable countries on earth. Still, as traditionalists, Mongolians love their capital.

They understand that it is not an Asian beauty, but in their hearts they are aware of the city's history, culture and many struggles. Foreigners who take the time to get to know the faces that are hidden behind the gray walls will discover a hospitable and warm-hearted people.

Explore the city from different angles, while at the same time do not ignore the abject poverty of many of the ex-nomads who in recent years have come to the city to find work after severe winters have killed their livestock.

In this way, you will learn to unlock the city's many secrets and discover an Ulaanbaatar that is not initially revealed to the casual visitor.

Although summer temperatures are around 20°C, the city shivers in sub-zero temperatures for five months of the year, with January and February being the coldest months with temps hovering between -15°C to -30°C.

As a result of these prolonged periods of intense cold, the city has an average annual temperature of -1.3°C, giving it the dubious distinction of being the world's coldest capital.

Peace Avenue  is the main street and it stretches from east to west through the center. It's the main shopping street and many of the restaurants are along it.

 The street also passes by the southern edge of the central square, Sükhbaatar Square. Tourist information office is located in the south flank of the Town-hall in the western corner of Suhbaatar square. 

If you have breathing problems, be aware that Ulaanbaatar has high levels of Air Pollution.

UB has a population just over a twentieth of Beijing; yet according to the World Health Organization, UB is considered the second most polluted city in the world in 2013 - behind Ahvaz, Iran. But the countryside air, away from the cities, is gorgeous.

See

Gandan Monastery (Gandantegchinlen Khiid). The main monastery in the city has services around 10AM every morning. Approximately five thousand monks live here.

In 1938 the communists destroyed the religious icons in this monastery and took its contents to the Hermitage where it was then regenerated into ammunitions used to fight during the siege of Leningrad.

It was not until very recently that the Mongolian people were able to reconstruct the massive statue of the Buddha that resides in the largest of the temples featured in the picture on the right.

Taking photographs requires the payment of an additional negotiable fee (often that for an adult is requested). Entrance T3500.

Choijin Lama Monastery, Ulaanbaatar, Chingeltrei district, Left of Central Library, [5]. 10.00am-17.00pm. Choijing Lama Temple Museum is a unique showcase of religious art and the history of Buddism in Mongolia. This museum is a gem of the historical and cultural heritage of the previous century.

The monastery was active until 1938. According to the degree of the Peoples Khural, November 1941, the monastery was included in the list of historical and cultural monuments and was taken charge by the Committee of sciences in 1942.

It was then turned into a museum. The museum is an ensemble of Buddhist architecture and consists of 5 temples and 5 arched gates.

In the main temple there is the sculpture of Choijing Lama and the embalmed mummy of his teacher. It also contains the great coral mask of Begtse, created under the direction of protectors using over 6000 pieces of coral.

Yadam temple and Amgalan temple contain rare artifacts made by the famous Mongolian artist and sculptor, Zanabazar. In total the museum has over 5000 items out of which 12 are unique and 200 are particularly valuable. adult – 2500T.

Natural History Museum (closed indefinitely), Ulaanbaatar. Behind of the Government house. 10AM-5.30PM, last admission 4.30PM.

When the first national museum was established in Mongolia in 1924, the base of the natural historical museum was founded by consisting the principal sections of the exhibitions with the choicest exhibitions of Mongolian Nature.

When the national central museum was put in present location in 1956, it has been enriching its exhibitions and expanded as a big natural department, which has various kinds of geographical, flora, fauna and paleontological exhibits.

The government Resolution, which to classify the museums in different fields like as the developed countries, was passed and the national central museum was abolished in 1991.

Since 1992, a new museum was established in the place of national central museum with the purpose of being the leader natural central museum for the further development, getting foreigners enjoyed in international level,

showing the geological history such as locations of planets and earth establishment and formations and show the biology characteristics of earth central zone and named as Museum of Natural History.

Natural history involves historical process of 4.7 billion years of that is very long term from the origin of the world until the origin of plant, animal and human. Thus the museum shows the briefness of these events by exhibitions and contributes knowledge to peoples mind.

The museum consists of: - Mongolian geography, ancient volcanoes, stones from the volcanoes - Earth origin, planet studying meteorites - Geological history, useful resources, minerals - Ancient and contemporary botany - Land fauna /mammals, birds, fishes, insects, reptiles, amphibious/ - Very ancient plant and animals /paleontology/

- Human origin Museum colleagues always enrich their treasures, exhibitions, renovate the exhibition halls and improve the museum settlement so that the museum became a big museum, which has the capable to attract foreign and domestic visitors.

The museum is one of the big museum of Mongolia that has the 40 halls with 2700 square meters, 12000 exhibits and more than over 50 thousand visitors visit to the museum each year and exhibition marshrut lasts about 1.5-2.0 hours.

The museum is studying and advertising museum, which introduces natural history, its appearance movements and developments to the audiences by theoretical and objects researching.

Closed summer 2013 for renovation, and may reopen elsewhere in the future. As of late 2013, items have begun to be moved into storage, as the structure of the building has been deemed unsound. Admission T5000.

Sükhbaatar Square, (Sukhbaatar Square). The big open space in the center of the city with an equestrian statue of the 1921 hero Sükhbaatar, and seated statue of Chinggis Khan and their 9 heroes (Urlugs). 

Bogd Kahn Museum, Khan-Uul district, Chinggis avenue Bogdo khan palace museum Ulaanbaatar. This palace known as The green palace was built between 1893-1903 during 10 years by Mongolian masters and dedicated to the YIII Bogdo gegeen, the head of lamaist religion & last khan of Mongolia.

In 1911 there was formed The Bogdo khan state and the YIII Bogdo gegeen assumed political authority over Mongolia as the Bogdo khan or "Holy King" and continued to govern as a constitutional monarch from the time of the Mongolian People's Revolution in 1921 until his dearth of illness in 1924.

After Bogdo khan dearth in 1924 it was turned into museum Bogdo khan palace was founded as the first National historical museum of Mongolia.

In 1954 was founded The state central museum and the Bogdo khan palace museum became the branch museum. Since 2000 the museum is activiting as Bogdo khan palace museum.Now the Bogd khan palace museum consists of seven Summer Prayer temples and the winter palace.

The collections of the museum include unique and valuable objects related to Mongolia's political, religious, and artistic history from the 17 to early 20-th centuries: bronze castings, silk paintings, mineral paintings, and paper icons made by well-known artists and artisans of the period, among others the first Bogdo Javzundamba Zanabazar and his school;

as well as objects owned and used by the YIII Bogdo Javzundamba and his wife queen Dondogdulam, including royal clothing and equipment, gifts from domestic and foreign guests or representatives, and items purchased by the king for his own diversion.

The collection of the museum is consists of a great number of original objects and works of art from the Bogdo khan palace and is divided into 12 parts: sculpture, scrolls paintings/thangka/, applique, wood carving, religious objects, clothes, furniture, decorative arts, collection of stuffed animal, special collection, support collection and architecture..

Also all exhibits is divided into: high level category, valuable category and original category. Nowadays we have 68 exhibits of high level category and 23 exhibits of valuable category. The number of these categories will be increasing.

Exhibits of high level category includes gilded bronze sculptures made by the famous master Zanabazar and school of Zanabazar, thangka paintings from the XIX-XX centuries, the painting shown the capital city of Mongolia 1912 made by Jugder, original paintings made by founder of Mongolian modern painting B.Sharav and expensive clothes of khan and queen. Admission T2500.

Zaisan Memorial. A huge communist-era monument located on a hill near the city. It represents the Russian and Mongolian heroes who fought together during WWI and WWII. Nowadays it is a popular viewpoint where you can see over the whole city. There's also a huge buddhist statue at the bottom.