Historical Monument " Ginhjin sum - The Ruin of Princess Temple"

 

The Princess Temple is located near the Baruun Bayan river which is joining from the Tuul river, 106 km from Ulaanbaatar city, at 48*10'660 north latitude and 107*33'000 south longtitude, 1788 m above sea level in a beautiful green forest which is surrounded by beautiful rocky mountains.
The Temple was built by Prince Dondovdorj who was the grandson of Tusheet Khan Chakhundorj, in honor of his queen Khicheengui Amarlingui Princess who was the daughter of Enkh Amgalan the Manchu King. The King gave his 6th daughter princess to the influential khalkha Prince Dondovdorj as a gift in 1697. But that movement was a forethoughtful secret policy of Manchu King through her daughter. But the Princess respected and followed mongolian custom which is known " One should obey all rules of the country where he or she lives" so she did, she loved mongolians and her husband and she took much care of Mongolia neglecting her father's order of being spy among mongolians and remained true to her husband and to all Mongolians. Because of that she was poisoned by Manchu King's Soldiers in order of her father the Manchu King. "Khicheengui Amarlangui" it's a title of the Princess which means "Peaceful and Intelligent". Mongolians built the burial temple in honor of the Khicheengui Amarlingui Princess in 1740 and 13 otogs( ancient administrative division of Mongoia) of families came from different khoshuus(provinces) to serve for the temple. The Temple used to have monks and run their religious activities till 1930. The monks worshipped the temple and other non- monk people served for the temple like planting vegetables and herding livestocks etc. The people who served for the temple were free from paying any kind of tax. In the Temple , there used to be fixed room with equipments such as tea kettle, some furnitures, and sandal wood used by her during her lifetime in the Temple . One of the amazing thing about her stuffs she used is that all of them were made of jade. The Princess Temple was badly damaged by Stalinist purge during 1938-1942.
Now there is only the ruin of temple still remained.  

 
Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area

 

The Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area was established in 1992, comprising a surface of 12 000 km2 .

Water: The head waters of three major river systems spring from the protected area: the Tuul, which flows to Russia`s Lake Baikal and on to the Arctic Ocean , and the Onon and Kherlen, which flows east to join the Amur before emptying into the Pacific Ocean.The water - supply of Mongolia`s largest cities is covered by rivers flowing from the Khentii mountians.There are over 250 rivers and streams, for instance, Minj, Zahar, Eruu, Estii Zaan and Terelj and a number of freshwater lakes including Khagiin Khar, Khentee, Kherkheluur, Khukh, Mungun, Mungun Khul, Oyut, Bus and Toli are found in the protected area.

Wildlife: Over 50 species of mammals are found in this region, including red deer, moose, wild boar, bear, wolf, lynx, sable, rat, marmot, ground squirrel and etc…
Several bird species permanently inhabit this area, for instance wood grouse, hazel grouse, woodpecker, partridge, black-pilled magpie, hawk, kestrel, goshawk, common cuckoo, goldfinch, rook, tit, white egret, swan and duck. Over 250 migratory bird species are found here. There have been registrated 3 snake species,1 toad species, 1 race runner species and over 20 fish species with hunting significance including taimen, lenok, pike, umber, catfish, freshwater cod, river perch and carp. Apart from these, there inhabit 2 very rare species of sturgeon.

Flora: There have been found 336 plant species of 220 kinds belong to 56 families. Among these, there have been discovered 8 bushy species,26 food plants and 84 medical plants. Also a number of rare and very rare species grow in this area. The vegetation consist of taiga forests, wetlnads and alphine tundra.The conservation area contains 10% of Mongoia`s forests and defines the southern edge of Siberia`s tiga.

Natural, historical and cultural attraction: As history states, the central part of ancient Mongolian empire lied in the basin of three large rivers. Thus, Mongolia itself becomes a motherland for numerous natural historical and cultural attractions.
Here, numerous monuments can be mentioned, such as Rashaan rock scripts, remains from Stone Ages, Uglugchin wal, graves and tombs of Khidan period, mankind-looking stones located nearby Densleg and Zuukh Bayan rivers, and Turkish scripts and graves.Other attractive sites are the very famous Burkhan Khaldun Mountain, Khar Zurkhnii Khukh Lake where Chinggis khaan was first elevated as the Great King, Princess Temple, Saridag temple remains, etc.

Mountainous area:The Khan Khentii Strictly Protected Area consists of high mountains that raise 1500-2500 m above the sea level in average and measure 500-100 m in height.These mountains include Khiidiin Saridag (2666 m), Tuvshin Uul (2666 m), Altan Ulgii (2656 m), Saikhany Saridag (2399 m), Burkhan Khaldun (2362 m), Noyon Uul (2280 m), Khantan Uul (2025m )and Khuu Uul (1922 m ).The highest peak is Asralt Khairkhan , which reaches 2799 m while the lowest point is Minj river (963.2 m above the sea level). Permanent snow and ice occur and several peaks rise above 2.500 meters up to 2.800m. With a precipation ranging between 400 mm and 600 mm, the Khentii mountains are believed to have the highest precipitation rate throughout Mongolia.

 

 
 
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