Zaisan Memorial

The wind reaches you first. On the climb up Zaisan hill, it comes down from the mountains to the south and moves across the concrete steps in long, dry gusts. Below you, the city opens up a little more with each step. You hear traffic, a dog barking somewhere, and the scrape of shoes on stone. Then you reach the top, and a ring of colour stands against the pale Mongolian sky.

This is the Zaisan Memorial. It sits on a hill at the southern edge of Ulaanbaatar, above the valley of the Tuul River. It was built in the early 1970s to honour Soviet soldiers who died in the Second World War. It also honours the long alliance between Mongolia and the Soviet Union. For most of the twentieth century, that alliance shaped almost every part of life in this country.

To understand the monument, it helps to understand Mongolia's position. The country sits between two very large neighbours, Russia to the north and China to the south. In the early 1920s, Mongolian revolutionaries worked with Soviet forces to take control of the country. From then until 1990, Mongolia was a socialist state. It was closely tied to Moscow in politics, in trade, and in culture. This hilltop shows that relationship in concrete and coloured tile.

The main feature is the circular mural. It is a continuous band of mosaic that wraps around the inside of a ring. You can walk all the way around it. Take your time, because the mural tells a story in panels. The figures are large and bold, in the style of Soviet public art. There are soldiers, workers, banners, and determined faces turned toward the future.

Read the panels as a timeline. One part shows Soviet support for Mongolian independence in the early 1920s. Another shows the fighting at Khalkhin Gol in 1939. That was a border war in the east of Mongolia, where Soviet and Mongolian forces defeated the Japanese army. Few visitors from outside the region know about it. Yet many historians see it as an important moment before the Second World War. It may have shaped Japan's decision not to attack the Soviet Union later.

Other panels show the defeat of Nazi Germany. And there is a surprise for many visitors — the mural also includes images of the space age. Soviet achievements in space appear here next to scenes of war. In 1981, a Mongolian cosmonaut flew to space on a Soviet mission. For people in that era, the message was simple. Friendship with Moscow meant protection in war, and progress in peace.

Now look closely at the mosaic itself. It is made from many small pieces of tile and glass. Up close, the faces turn into patches of colour. Step back, and they become clear again. Decades of strong sun and hard winters have left their mark. Ulaanbaatar is one of the coldest capital cities in the world. Here, the temperature can change dramatically between seasons, and that is hard on any outdoor artwork.

At the centre of the ring, there is a raised circular platform. Many visitors stand here and turn slowly in a full circle. It is a good way to see both the mural and the views. To the north, the whole city spreads across the valley. You can see the glass towers of the centre, the older Soviet-era apartment blocks, and the chimneys of power plants. On clear days, the view runs far across the valley.

And beyond the city, look at the hills on the edges. Many of them are covered with ger districts. A ger is the round felt tent of Mongolian herders, sometimes called a yurt in other countries. Many families who moved to the capital from the countryside still live in gers, often next to small wooden houses. From up here, you can see the contrast. Modern towers stand in the middle, with the white circles of gers on the slopes around them.

Now turn south. Behind you is Bogd Khan Mountain, with its dark forest slopes. This mountain has long been a protected place. People often describe it as one of the oldest protected natural areas in the world. Between the hill and the mountain, you will see new apartment towers and shopping centres. The Zaisan area has become one of the most expensive parts of the city. The old Soviet monument now looks down on a very different Mongolia.

When you go back down, keep your eyes open at the bottom of the hill. Near the base, there is a Soviet tank on a plinth. It is linked to a tank column called Revolutionary Mongolia. During the Second World War, Mongolians donated money, livestock, and goods to help pay for tanks for the Soviet army. Mongolia also sent large numbers of horses, warm clothing, and meat to the Soviet front. It is a part of the war that few people outside the region know.

Also near the base, you will find a large golden Buddha statue in a park. It is much newer than the memorial. Its presence here says something about modern Mongolia. Under socialism, religion was strongly repressed, and many monasteries were destroyed in the 1930s. After 1990, Buddhism returned openly to public life. So at the foot of this hill, you can see two eras side by side. One is the socialist monument above, and the other is the return of an older faith below.

Today, the memorial is a place where many different people meet. Older Mongolians may remember a time when this alliance was a daily reality. Younger people come for the view, for photos, or for a walk with friends. Couples come at sunset. Tourists come to see the city from above. The meaning of the place has changed over the years, but people still climb the steps.

Before you leave, stand for a moment at the railing. Feel the wind again, and listen to the sound of the city below. Look at the mural one more time — the soldiers, the banners, the rockets in the sky. Then look past it to the gers on the hills and the towers in the valley. As you walk down the steps, the city will come closer with every turn. Notice how the noise slowly returns.