Burkhan Khaldun Mountain
The site is situated in the north-east of the country in the central part of the Khentii mountain chain where the vast Central Asian steppe meets the coniferous forests of the Siberian taiga. The mountain or its locality is believed to be the birthplace of Genghis Khan as well as the location of his tomb. The Mountain was registered as aUNESCO World Heritage Site on 4 July 2015 under the title “Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape.” Under a Presidential Decree of 1955 the worship of this mountain has become formal. Its ecosystem is complex with unique biodiversity with flora of the Central Asian steppe. It has 50 species of fauna and 253 species of birds.
According to the legend, Chinggis Khan went to pray for guidance to the top of the mountain before going into battle. This mountain is rich in archaeological history, with over 800 burial sites identified by archaeologists. The mountain is located in the 1,2-million-hectare Khan Khentii Strict Protected Area established in 1992. This mountain is considered the most sacred mountain in Mongolia, because it was first designated as sacred byChinggis khaan.