Sanjaasürengiin Zorig Statue, Ulaanbaatar

The Sanjaasürengiin Zorig Statue commemorates one of Mongolia’s most important figures in the country’s transition to democracy. Sanjaasürengiin Zorig was a leading politician and activist who helped lead the peaceful democratic revolution in 1990. The statue is a bronze and concrete work by the sculptor B. Denzen, erected in his memory.

Zorig’s significance in Mongolian history lies in his role during the late-1980s and early 1990s, when calls for political reform and openness grew across many formerly socialist countries. In Mongolia, Zorig and others peacefully pushed for change-multi-party democracy, free elections, new political freedoms-and his leadership remains widely admired even decades later.

Facing toward the Government Palace, it is meant to evoke Zorig’s daily walk toward his place of official work, reinforcing both his dedication and his direct connection to the seat of government. It’s common to find flowers laid at the statue, especially on anniversaries of Zorig’s life and death.