Tasgany Ovoo, Ulaanbaatar

Tasgany Ovoo serves as a quiet spiritual site, built as a Mongolian ovoo-a pile of stones traditionally used in shamanic, Buddhist, and folk rituals on elevated hills. Tasgany Ovoo has long been associated with Gandan Monastery, one of Mongolia’s most important centres of Buddhist practice. While some sources say the physical stone shrine itself has been dismantled or removed, the hilltop location still retains much of its sacred feel.

Beyond its spiritual role, it stands as a vantage point overlooking Ulaanbaatar’s expanding city. Tasgany Ovoo also acts as an open-air viewpoint, rewarding visitors with wide horizons.

Visiting Tasgany Ovoo also introduces you to customs central to Mongolian spiritual tradition. Even if the stone altar is no longer intact, the idea of an ovoo-leaving offerings, walking around the cairn, tying blue khadag scarves, or simply respecting its presence-is embedded in how locals relate to land, spiritual practice, and history.