The Zaisan Memorial

Looking up at the Zaisan Memorial

  Ben and Paige on the stairs

We decided to visit the Zaisan Memorial which isn't very far from where we live. When we where here last time the area of Zaisan didn't have many building around but now the are has become very built up.

The Zaisan Memorial (Mongolian: Зайсан) is a memorial south of the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar that honours Soviet soldiers killed in World War II. Located on a hill south of the city, the memorial features a circular memorial painting that depicts scenes of friendship between the peoples of the USSR and Mongolia. The mural depicts scenes such as Soviet support for Mongolia's independence declaration in 1921, the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army by the Soviets at Khalhkin Gol on the Mongolian border in 1939, victory over Nazi Germany and peacetime achievements such as Soviet space flights.

When you walk up the large number of stairs you are rewarded with a panoramic view of the entire city of Ulaanbaatar in the valley below, as well as the Tuul River flowing past the city.

In 2003, a tank memorial, which previously had been located on a crossroads between Zaisan and the city centre, was moved to the foot of the hill. It features a Soviet tank from a brigade paid for by the Mongolian people. The tank memorial includes a map showing the route the brigade took from Moscow in 1943 to its participation in the fall of Berlin in 1945.

Zaisan is a popular meeting point for school outings and graduation festivities and now many of the expats like to live here as many of the new apartments that have gone up are a lot bigger in size then the inner city apartments.

Many people think the air is cleaner in this area but I believe it isn't as it all depends which way the wind is blowing on any day.

View from the top

Bernadette & Paige at the top of the memorial

Paige in the middle of the memorial