Ulan Hot Genghis Khan Temple 乌兰浩特成吉思汗庙

About Ulan Hot Genghis Khan Temple

First built in the 1940s and subsequently restored, it is a memorial building rather than a medieval survival. Inside, a seated gilded image and painted historical scenes continue the commemorative theme. The hilltop setting and architectural composition are as important to the visit as the objects within the open halls.

The temple was first built in 1940 and completed in 1944, facing south. During the Japanese occupation of the 1930s, shortly after Japanese forces occupied Wangyemiao, a Shinto shrine was built on a hillside north of the town, known first as the Wangyemiao Shrine (王爷庙神社) and later renamed the Xing'an Shrine (兴安神社). The temple was damaged during the Cultural Revolution; the government funded its restoration beginning in June 1983, and the present building was completed in July 1987.

The main hall rises 28 meters, flanked by side halls 16.62 meters high, with a total building area of 322 square meters; the structure has a round roof over a square body, arranged symmetrically on a central axis. A marble platform at the center of the main hall holds a gilded bronze seated statue of Genghis Khan, 2.8 meters tall and weighing 2.6 tonnes.

Yuan-dynasty weapons are displayed beside the statue, while the side halls hold Yuan-dynasty clothing, documents and vessels. Mongolian decorative patterns cover the ceilings, and the walls carry murals recording Genghis Khan's achievements; above the entrance a blue plaque, inscribed in Mongolian and Chinese, names the temple.

What to look for

• The central dome, square hall bodies and symmetrical side halls.
• The seated Genghis Khan image and painted historical scenes inside the open memorial hall.

Location & getting there

Getting to Ulan Hot Genghis Khan Temple

Use Hanshan Park at 82 Xing'an North Road in northern Ulanhot, then follow the signed uphill approach to the temple.

• Allow for the hill climb, and check which memorial rooms are open before continuing beyond the forecourt.