Genghis Khan Mausoleum Tourist Area is located in Ejin Horo Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction and a large cultural tourist area integrating sacrificial culture, historical commemoration, and tourism. The total area of the scenic area is about 5.5 square kilometers, with a core protection area of 1.92 square kilometers. Centered on Genghis Khan Mausoleum, it integrates Mongolian architectural style with modern design concepts. This is the location of Genghis Khan's clothes and crown tomb, a spiritual sanctuary in the hearts of the Mongolian people, and a key cultural relics protection unit in China. The buildings in the scenic area are magnificent, with white and blue as the main colors, symbolizing the blue sky and white clouds, reflecting the Mongolian people's reverence for nature. The area has multiple functional zones such as a sacrificial area, exhibition halls, and folk culture areas, comprehensively displaying Genghis Khan's historical achievements and the traditional culture of the Mongolian people.
Historical Culture
The sacrificial activities at Genghis Khan Mausoleum began after Genghis Khan's death in 1227 and have a history of nearly 800 years. They have formed a complete and unique sacrificial system, which is included in the national intangible cultural heritage list. Every year on the 21st day of the third lunar month, the 15th day of the fifth lunar month, the 12th day of the eighth lunar month, and the third day of the tenth lunar month, the scenic area holds grand sacrificial ceremonies, attracting many Mongolian people and tourists from home and abroad to pay their respects.
As the founder of the Mongol Empire, Genghis Khan's historical achievements have had a profound impact on world history. The Genghis Khan Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall in the scenic area systematically displays Genghis Khan's life stories, the rise and fall of the Mongol Empire, and the Mongolian people's achievements in military, culture, science, and technology through cultural relics, pictures, videos, and other materials.
In addition, the scenic area also retains a large number of traditional Mongolian folk cultural elements, such as the Nadam Fair, Mongolian songs and dances, and traditional handicraft production, allowing tourists to understand history while experiencing the vivid cultural inheritance of the Mongolian people. These cultural elements are integrated with the sacrificial culture of Genghis Khan Mausoleum, forming the rich historical and cultural connotation of the scenic area.
Main Attractions
Genghis Khan Mausoleum Palace
Genghis Khan Mausoleum Palace is the core building of the scenic area, covering an area of about 1,500 square meters. It consists of the main hall, east hall, west hall, and rear hall, arranged in a "mountain" shape. The main hall is 26 meters high, with a yurt-style dome on top, inlaid with blue glazed tiles, and a plaque "Genghis Khan Mausoleum" hanging in the center. The hall houses Genghis Khan's spiritual shrine, with various sacrificial items placed in front of it, creating a solemn atmosphere. The east and west halls house Genghis Khan's relics and the spiritual tablets of his family members respectively, while the rear hall displays murals of Genghis Khan's life stories.
Suld Altar
Suld is a symbol of the war god worshipped by the Mongolian people. The Suld Altar is located in front of the mausoleum palace, consisting of the main Suld and four auxiliary Sulds. The main Suld is 13.5 meters high, with a flagpole made of sandalwood, and the top is decorated with an iron trident, symbolizing strength and victory. The altar is surrounded by stone railings, and the ground is paved with bluestone slabs, which is a place for holding sacrificial ceremonies and major events. Every year, the Suld sacrificial ceremony is held here to pray for good weather and national peace and security.
Genghis Khan Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall
The exhibition hall covers an area of about 3,000 square meters and is divided into multiple exhibition halls. It introduces Genghis Khan's life and the history of the Mongol Empire in detail through physical objects, models, multimedia, and other means. The hall collects a large number of precious cultural relics, including ancient weapons, clothing, daily necessities, and documents, among which there are many national first-class cultural relics. The exhibition takes time as a clue, clearly showing the historical process of the Mongolian nation from a tribal alliance to the establishment of a huge empire, and Genghis Khan's impact on world history.
Mongolian Historical and Cultural Museum
The Mongolian Historical and Cultural Museum focuses on the folk culture and historical development of the Mongolian people, with a construction area of about 2,500 square meters. The museum displays the traditional dwellings, dietary culture, festival customs, traditional arts, and other contents of the Mongolian people, such as yurts, saddles, matouqin (a traditional Mongolian stringed instrument), embroidery, and other objects. Through these exhibits, tourists can gain an in-depth understanding of the lifestyle and cultural characteristics of the Mongolian people and feel the wisdom and creativity of this nomadic nation.
Qizhuang Shanhe Gate Scenery
Qizhuang Shanhe Gate Scenery is the entrance sign of the scenic area, composed of two 21-meter-high sculptures in Mongolian style. The sculptures depict Genghis Khan riding a horse in battle, symbolizing his heroic spirit of galloping on the battlefield and overwhelming the world. The span between the gate sceneries is about 40 meters, with a banner "Genghis Khan Mausoleum Tourist Area" hanging above, which is magnificent and gives a strong visual impact, making it a popular photo spot for tourists.
Cuisine
Roast Lamb Leg
Roast lamb leg is a traditional famous dish of the Mongolian people and a characteristic food in the scenic area. It uses locally raised sheep legs, which are marinated and then slowly roasted over charcoal fire until the outer skin is golden and crispy, and the meat is tender and juicy. The roasted lamb leg is sliced with a knife and eaten with special seasonings, with a rich taste and a fragrant aroma. In the yurt restaurant in the scenic area, tourists can enjoy roast lamb leg while watching Mongolian song and dance performances, experiencing the authentic grassland style.
Milk Tea
Milk tea is an indispensable drink in the daily life of the Mongolian people and can be found everywhere in the catering area of the scenic area. It is made from brick tea and milk as the main raw materials, with salt, butter, fried rice, etc., boiled, and has a salty and rich taste, which has the effect of dispelling cold and keeping warm. Milk tea is usually eaten with milk tofu, milk skin, hand-held meat, and other foods, and is a must-try drink to experience Mongolian dietary culture.
Hand-Held Meat
Hand-held meat is a traditional meat dish of the Mongolian people. It uses fresh mutton (mostly lamb ribs or legs), boiled in clear water, and eaten with salt, retaining the most original freshness of the mutton. In the characteristic restaurants of the scenic area, hand-held meat is served on large plates, and tourists eat it with their hands, showing the bold grassland style. This dish is not only delicious but also reflects the hospitable dietary culture of the Mongolian people.
Milk Tofu
Milk tofu is a traditional Mongolian dairy product that can be tasted in the folk culture area of the scenic area. It is made from milk through fermentation, coagulation, pressing, and other processes, with a firm texture, a slightly sour taste, and rich nutrition. Milk tofu can be eaten directly, or eaten with sugar after being roasted over fire, or soaked in milk tea. It is a very characteristic food in Mongolian diet.
Tickets
Ticket price: 90 yuan per person.
You can search for the official WeChat public account "成陵文旅" to get the latest news or buy tickets online.
Opening Hours
The scenic area is open all year round, and the opening hours are slightly adjusted according to the season. From April 1 to October 31, the opening hours are 8:00-18:00; from November 1 to March 31 of the next year, the opening hours are 9:00-17:00. During sacrificial activities, the opening hours will be advanced appropriately. For specific times, please pay attention to the official notice of the scenic area.
Tour Route
After entering the scenic area, visitors first visit the Qizhuang Shanhe Gate Scenery to feel its magnificent momentum, which takes about 20 minutes. Then they head to the Genghis Khan Mausoleum Palace to pay homage to the spiritual shrine, learn about the architectural features and sacrificial culture of the mausoleum palace, taking about 1 hour. Next, they visit the Genghis Khan Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall to systematically understand Genghis Khan's life and the history of the Mongol Empire, which takes about 1.5 hours. At noon, they have meals in the catering area of the scenic spot to taste Mongolian characteristic cuisines, taking about 1 hour. In the afternoon, they go to the Suld Altar to watch the sacrificial ceremony (if they happen to catch a sacrificial activity) or learn about the altar culture, taking about 40 minutes. After that, they visit the Mongolian Historical and Cultural Museum to experience the Mongolian folk culture, which takes about 1 hour. Finally, they participate in activities such as making traditional Mongolian handicrafts in the folk culture area, taking about 1 hour. The total duration of the tour is about 6-7 hours, allowing visitors to fully appreciate the historical culture and folk customs of the scenic area.
Transportation
- Self-driving: Starting from Dongsheng District, Ordos City, drive southwest along Baotou-Maoming Expressway (G65), get off at Ejin Horo Banner Exit, then drive along Acheng East Line to the scenic area, with a total distance of about 50 kilometers and a driving time of about 1 hour; starting from Hohhot, drive along Beijing-Tibet Expressway (G6) to Baotou-Maoming Expressway (G65), get off at Ejin Horo Banner Exit, with a total distance of about 300 kilometers and a driving time of about 3.5 hours. The charging standard of the scenic area parking lot is 5 yuan per day for small cars and 10 yuan per day for large cars.
- Public transportation: Dongsheng District Bus Station of Ordos City has a tourist special line directly to Genghis Khan Mausoleum Tourist Area, with departure times at 8:30, 10:30, and 14:00, a driving time of about 1 hour, and a fare of 20 yuan per person; there are also buses from Azhen, the seat of Ejin Horo Banner government, to the scenic area, with one bus every 30 minutes, a driving time of about 20 minutes, and a fare of 5 yuan per person.
- Taxi: Taking a taxi from Azhen, Ejin Horo Banner to the scenic area takes about 20 minutes, with a fare of about 30 yuan; taking a taxi from Ordos Ejin Horo International Airport to the scenic area takes about 15 minutes, with a fare of about 25 yuan.
Must-Visit Attractions
- Genghis Khan Mausoleum Palace: The core building of the scenic area, housing Genghis Khan's spiritual shrine, with a unique architectural style and a solemn atmosphere, covering an area of about 1,500 square meters. It is the core attraction to understand Genghis Khan's sacrificial culture.
- Suld Altar: A symbol of the Mongolian war god. The main Suld on the altar is 13.5 meters high. It is a place for holding important sacrificial ceremonies, where you can feel the religious beliefs and cultural inheritance of the Mongolian people.
- Genghis Khan Historical and Cultural Exhibition Hall: It has a rich collection, systematically introducing Genghis Khan's life and the history of the Mongol Empire through more than 300 cultural relics and multimedia displays. The exhibition area is about 3,000 square meters, and the visiting time is about 1.5 hours.
Travel Suggestions
- It is recommended to spend 1 day for the tour. If you want to deeply experience the sacrificial culture, you can choose to go on important sacrificial days such as the 21st day of the third lunar month (spring sacrifice) to feel the grand sacrificial atmosphere.
- The best travel season is from May to October, when the climate is pleasant, the vegetation in the scenic area is lush, and the scenery is beautiful; sun protection measures should be taken in summer, and keep warm in winter as it is relatively cold.
- There are professional guides in the scenic area. It is recommended to hire a guide (cost about 100 yuan per time) to have a deeper understanding of Genghis Khan's history and Mongolian culture.
- You can participate in traditional Mongolian activities in the folk culture area of the scenic area, such as learning to sing Mongolian folk songs, experiencing archery, making milk tofu, etc., to enhance the interactivity of the tour.
Matters Needing Attention
- When entering the sacrificial area of Genghis Khan Mausoleum Palace, you must maintain solemnity, refrain from making loud noises, taking photos, or recording videos, and obey the management of the staff.
- Respect the customs and religious beliefs of the Mongolian people, do not touch sacrificial items and cultural relics at will, and do not smoke or litter in prohibited areas.
- When participating in sacrificial activities, you must follow the on-site guidance, participate in accordance with the specified procedures, and do not interfere with the normal conduct of the sacrificial ceremony.
- The scenic area is relatively large, so it is recommended to wear comfortable shoes, carry sun hats, sunscreen, and other sun protection products in summer, and carry warm clothes in winter.
- The price of catering and souvenirs in the scenic area is relatively high. You can buy the needed items in Azhen, Ejin Horo Banner outside the scenic area, which is more cost-effective.