Does Mongolia Still Care About Genghis Khan?
When thinking of the strongest, most powerful warlord, conqueror, and leader in history, who comes to mind?
If you’re a Westerner, you probably thought of Alexander the Great — the Macedonian/Grecian king whose aggressive military campaigns took him across the world — even as far as India.
Before his death at the age of 32, he had conquered 2.01 million square miles — 3.49% of the world’s land area. Truly, he was a force to be reckoned with…
…but even his impressive efforts pale in comparison to those of Chinggis Khaan.
Chinggis Khaan (called Genghis Khan by Westerners) absolutely dominated the Eurasian continent. In his lifetime, he unified the nomadic tribes of Northeast Asia, founding the Mongolian empire. From 1206 to 1227, his reign saw an explosive expansion, conquering countless lands and taking all for the glory of Mongolia.
His legacy wouldn’t stop there; his progeny would continue to sweep across the continent until 1368.
At the height of the Mongolian Empire, it spanned 9.27 million square miles, covering 16.11% of the world’s land area — nearly five times larger than Alexander the Great’s empire.
Chinggis Khaan’s importance in history cannot be overstated; creating the largest contiguous empire in the world’s history, his military prowess was beyond measure. But his reign ended almost 800 years ago — could he still be relevant to modern Mongolia?
That’s what one Quora user asked, with Anand Nyamdavaa answering their query:
“You arrive to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in Chinggis Khan Airport.”
“Then, you get inside taxi and go to Chinggis Khan Hotel.”
“Before you sleep, you look outside the window and see this mountain:”
“You get up next morning and start sightseeing in Ulaanbaatar. First, you go to the main square, yes Chinggis Khan square.”
“After that you go to have lunch at … no not Chinggis Khan restaurant, its called Grand Khan Irish pub.”
“You order vodka with your meal.”
“Or if you like beer, order Chinggis khan beer.”
“You pay with tugrug, Mongolian currency.”
“Then you go to see the highest equestrian statue in the world.”
“Then you do something courageous and the Government of Mongolia decides to give you our highest medal:”
“It’s time for you to return home. You go to the store and buy a souvenir, you get it at Chinggis Khan souvenir.”
So what do you think? Is Chinggis Khaan still relevant in modern Mongolia? Let us know what other Chinggis Khaan things you’ve found while in Mongolia!
Featured Image via FaceBook / icantbelieveyoumademeseethatwithmyowntwoeyes
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