Mongolia Darkhan 1970 1972. Darkhan
Darkhan is the third largest city in Mongolia and the administrative center of the Darkhan-Uul aimag, a little more than 70 thousand people live here, it is located one hundred kilometers from the border with the Russian Federation and two hundred kilometers from Ulaanbaatar. There is nothing particularly interesting about it, but we chose it as the second city in Mongolia to visit.
The city is divided into an old and a new district. The new area is located to the right of the highway, and the old one is to the left, when viewed from Ulaanbaatar. In the middle at the main intersection of the city there is a statue of Buddha and stupas on one side of the road, and on the other memorial Complex with fountains and a viewing platform over the city.
Also opposite this complex, in the new area there is a large, but for some reason deserted park “Mini Mongol”. The territory of the park is large (more than a kilometer long) and there are speakers everywhere, from which the radio plays, but there are no people, so you get the impression that you are in an abandoned city. Out of curiosity, we walked along all the main streets of the new district and found that the city is very similar to our Siberian regional centers, only there are fewer people. The old district is more like a village, because almost all of it consists of one-story private houses, but in the old district there is a large clothing market with Chinese and Russian production. The prices there are average, not particularly cheap. But food in Darkhan is slightly more expensive than in the capital of the country. Interesting feature The new area is that most of the balconies of standard Soviet five-story buildings are non-standard and decorated in the form of small yurts. There are also several religious sites in the city, the main one is the Buddhist monastery of Kharagin, located in the old city, and there is another Buddhist complex in the new area.
At the entrance to the city from Ulaanbaatar there is an interesting statue of a metallurgist, welded from various metal parts, including auto parts, fittings, sewing machines, wires, etc. It is located right on the highway, near the turn to Erdenet.
Also in Darkhan, at st. Youth House 13 has a General Consulate of the Russian Federation, but it is not particularly useful for travelers.
The Trans-Mongolian railway passes through the city and trains to Russia and China stop in Darkhan. The station is located in the old town. There is a waiting room and a buffet, but there are no storage rooms and it is closed at night.
Each Mongolian city is special, because in this country of endless steppes there are so few settlements, and between each of them there are many tens and hundreds of kilometers. The second largest city in Mongolia, the administrative center of the Darkhan-Uul aimak (a Mongolian administrative unit), the city of Darkhan is also a special place.
Darkhan, which has the second name “City of Friendship”, like some other Mongolian cities, appeared relatively recently - in 1961 on the site of the tiny railway station "BurkhantynKhendiy" - with the help and with significant help Soviet Union. The city was built with the goal of becoming an important industrial center for the production of building materials and structures. The industrial enterprises built in 1962 by Soviet and Mongolian workers developed themselves and developed the city: people came here not only from the USSR, but also from other countries of the socialist camp, such as Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Poland. Actually, Darkhan still lives up to the name “City of Friendship”: it is “friends” with cities from other countries, and international organizations and enterprises have their offices and representative offices here. In 1990, a steel mill was built. In addition to it, Darkhan also has a meat processing plant, a grain processing factory, a confectionery factory, a plant for the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, agricultural enterprises (and there are so many places in the aimag for growing grains and vegetables) - all these enterprises feed and water not only Darkhan- Uul aimag, but also the whole of Mongolia. In addition, students from all over the country flock to local higher education institutions.
The climate of Darkhan is continental, with warm summers (+20-25 C°) and harsh winters (-10-30 C°), but it is almost sunny here all year round: more than 260 sunny days a year are enough for the well-being of both citizens and tourists.
Darkhan is noteworthy, for example, because the development here is not only not dense, but leaves urban spaces as endless as possible: for example, a several kilometer park with children's playgrounds. Darkhan is an extremely green city, and in its surroundings there are a variety of animals: sable, deer, beavers listed in the Red Book of Mongolia, and moose.
Between the old and new (as far as possible in such a young city) Darkhan there is an observation deck from which you can view the city. In the old city there is a place of pilgrimage - the Kharagin monastery, located in a wooden house, and in the new city there is a Buddhist complex. The Darkhan Museum, also known as the Folk Art Museum, houses a decent collection of archaeological and ethnographic artifacts dedicated to Mongolian culture and history, as well as stuffed animals. At the exit from the city there is a statue of a metallurgist, erected in honor of the 15th anniversary of the Darkhan Metallurgical Plant. It is curious because it is welded from reinforcement, various gears, sewing machines, car parts and other parts and objects - it’s interesting to look at it and try to find out what is what.
Darkhan (Mongolian: Darkhan (blacksmith)) is the third largest city in Mongolia and the administrative center of Darkhan aimag. Its population is 74,300 inhabitants (as of 2007).
Culture
Kharagin Monastery is a pretty log cabin in the old town that has recently become a functioning Buddhist monastery again.
In addition, the city has the Darkhan Aimak Museum. This museum, also called the Traditional Folk Art Museum, houses collections of archaeological finds, traditional clothing, religious artifacts and stuffed animals.
Story
The first stone of the city's foundation was laid on October 17, 1961, with solid economic assistance from the Soviet Union. The name of the city implied that it was intended as an industrial center for the northern territories of Mongolia. The city remains primarily an industrial center, as well as home to about 82% of the aimag's population. As in most other Mongolian cities, about 86% of the citizens live in apartments, the rest of the population lives in yurts on the outskirts of the city. The city is located near the border with Russia and is inhabited by a large number of Russians. There is a Russian consulate general in Darkhan.
Economy
The city was built as one of the main industrial complexes for the production of building materials and structures. In 1990, a steel production plant was built. Currently, a new project is being implemented at the Darkhan Metallurgical Plant in order to fully develop its design capacity.
A meat processing plant, a grain and flour processing plant, a confectionery factory, a plant for the production of alcoholic and non-alcoholic products - all these food industry enterprises currently provide own production for the population of the aimag and the country.
It is planned to build the country's first oil refinery in the city.
The Darkhan Thermal Power Plant was built to supply heat and electricity to the city.
Most of the large enterprises, with the exception of the steel plant and meat processing plant, have now been privatized and run privately. Behind last years The private sector also developed, which increased the number of small and medium-sized businesses.
Darkhan is considered the second largest city in Mongolia. It is the administrative center of Darkhan-Uul aimag. There are many concentrated here manufacturing enterprises. Darkhan is located 125 km from the Russian-Mongolian border and 220 km from the capital of Mongolia Ulaanbaatar.
The population of Darkhan is 98% Mongols, the remaining 2% are Russians, Chinese and Koreans. The official language here is Mongolian.
Darkhan was built as the main industrial city for the production of building structures and materials. The first metallurgical plant in Mongolia was built here. Darkhan has huge deposits of natural resources such as copper, coal, iron ore, marble, gravel and others. Today, this city is also home to several food industry enterprises: a grain processing factory, a meat processing plant, a plant for the production of soft and alcoholic products.
Darkhan is the second educational center of Mongolia. Today there are 22 average secondary schools and 12 higher education institutions. In addition, there is the only one in the country Research institute agriculture and crop production. IN educational institutions Many students from other countries prefer to study in this city.
Residents call it Darkhan City of Friendship, as it actively maintains friendly relations with various cities in other countries.
Climate
The climatic conditions of Darkhan are sharply continental in nature. At the same time, the most favorable season for visiting it is considered to be summer, when the air temperature takes the most comfortable values for a person’s stay - no more than +25 °C. During this period, minor short-term precipitation may occur. In winter, the air temperature drops to -25 °C, and there is practically no snow here. In general, Darkhan has more than 250 sunny days a year.
Nature
The nature of Darkhan evokes true delight among foreigners. The city is located in a picturesque valley Kharaa-Go River l, Orkhon tributary. Surrounded by relatively low mountains covered with dense vegetation. The forests around Darkhan are home to animals listed as endangered in Mongolia, such as beavers, deer, sables and moose.
The flora of Darkhan amazes with its diversity, which is uncharacteristic for this area. Here you can find dense pine forests and, at the same time, rare steppe plants. The territory of the city itself is replete with numerous trees and shrubs. Some admit that Darkhan can easily be called the greenest city in Mongolia.
Attractions
The young city of Darkhan cannot boast of any historically significant tourist attractions. The main interest for foreigners is the famous Buddhist monastery Kharagiin Khiid, located in part of the old city. This monastery is considered a center of pilgrimage for Buddhists.
In the “new” Darkhan there is a Buddhist complex, which is especially revered by newlyweds who love to come to this place immediately after marriage.
Many tourists prefer to visit Darkhan Folk Art Museum, which presents exhibitions of archaeological finds, a collection of religious artifacts, as well as the largest exhibition of local traditional clothing in Mongolia.
The famous statue of a metallurgist, which is located at the exit from Darkhan, is of great interest to foreign tourists. This monument modern culture was welded from various metal parts (fittings, car gears and even sewing machines). This unusual structure stands out noticeably against the background of the steppe landscape.
Nutrition
Food in Darkhan, as throughout Mongolia, is based on two main products - meat and milk. In local catering establishments you can try exclusively traditional Mongolian dishes, such as gorgod, boodog, tsusan khiam and other masterpieces of culinary art. Particularly popular among tourists are alcoholic drinks Darkhan plant.
An obligatory component of the menu in Darkhan restaurants is extremely tasty tea. Interestingly, locals prefer to drink this amazing drink with a lot of salt. For a European, this method of drinking tea is quite unusual, if not absurd. Nevertheless, this taste has its own charm.
Food prices in Darkhan are slightly lower than in Ulaanbaatar. So, for a full dinner with alcohol for two people in a restaurant you can pay no more than $15.
Accommodation
There are only a few small hotels in Darkhan where foreign tourists can stay overnight.
Many visiting guests decide to spend the night in unusual yurt hotels, which are located on the outskirts of the city. The cost of such an overnight stay will be slightly higher than the price of a room in a classic hotel, but here you can join the culture of nomads. The price for one night in a double yurt will be approximately $25, and in a city hotel you can pay just under $18 for a room.
Entertainment and relaxation
The main entertainment in Darkhan is visiting various sights, museums, monasteries, etc. on excursions. Some travel agencies offer their clients numerous walking tours in the surrounding areas near Darkhan, where you can get a closer look at the beautiful landscapes of this city.
The sanatorium resorts of Darkhan with a wide range of health-improving medical procedures are especially famous among foreigners. Among other things, there are wonderful spas here that will leave every visitor satisfied.
Many families visiting Darkhan prefer to spend their free time in the huge children's park located along the main street of the city. Numerous modern attractions and playgrounds will delight not only children, but also their parents.
For nightlife lovers, Darkhan has several wonderful clubs that are popular not only with local youth, but also with foreigners.
Purchases
You can make purchases in Darkhan on almost every street. There are small shops here offering customers a huge range of souvenirs with the symbols of Mongolia and the city of Darkhan.
This city gained great fame thanks to its cheap clothing market. And in the new department store " BIT» you can buy inexpensive ones, but High Quality Darkhan sheepskin coats, as well as various products made from camel wool and goat down.
Transport
When moving around Darkhan, you can use public transport, which includes buses and trolleybuses. It is worth noting that the park of these Vehicle haven't updated for a long time, so appearance They are completely unattractive. But the cost of a trip in such transport is less than $0.5. Route and private taxis are considered more comfortable. The cost of one trip on them does not exceed $0.3 per kilometer.
The quality of urban roads in Darkhan is extremely unsatisfactory. But the highways connecting the city with the capital of the state and state borders, are considered the best in Mongolia.
Darkhan has a fairly developed railway transport infrastructure. The Darkhan railway station surpasses even Ulaanbaatar in terms of cargo transportation volumes. A branch passes through Darkhan Trans-Mongolian railway , which connects this city by passenger traffic with the cities of Russia and China.
Near the city there is a small airport that connects Darkhan with other major cities of the country - Ulaanbaatar, Erdenet And Choibalsan.
Connection
Darkhan has a fairly developed telecommunications network. True, local telephone communication is already losing its relevance due to the widespread use of cell phones. On the streets of the city you can hardly find Soviet pay phones that operate using a coin. If you need to make a long-distance or international call, you should contact the post office, where you can be connected to any city in the world for about $2 per minute.
Almost all local residents have cell phones, and the local operator supports roaming services for large companies in neighboring countries. A minute of conversation on a local cellular connection is just under $0.83.
Internet is available in some hotels and internet cafes. It is worth noting that in Darkhan the connection speed to the World Wide Web is quite low. But the cost of such a service is approximately $0.4 per hour.
Safety
Darkhan boasts a fairly high level of safety for tourists. It is worth noting that when in in public places You should always remember the possible danger of theft.
You also need to be careful when eating food purchased at local markets. It must be washed thoroughly, preferably with boiled water. Meat requires prolonged heat treatment.
Real estate
Real estate in Darkhan is cheaper than in the capital. Here you can find and purchase a good apartment with an area of up to 100 m2 for only $60,000. Land plots for construction can be purchased even cheaper - approximately $2,000 per hundred square meters.
Local authorities have adopted a special law giving certain concessions to foreign buyers of real estate, especially in cases of investors purchasing industrial enterprises.
When buying large and expensive antique souvenirs, be prepared for the fact that when returning from Mongolia, customs officials will ask you for special documents confirming the purchase. Be sure to ask sellers for certificates.
When traveling around Darkhan in your own or rented car without a driver, remember that in the city, as in the country as a whole, local residents do not adhere to traffic rules. Therefore, to avoid getting into an emergency situation, be extremely careful on city streets.
Each city in Mongolia is special, because in the vast expanses of this state there are so few settlements, and they are separated by many tens, even hundreds of kilometers.
The second largest city in Mongolia, Darkhan, which is the administrative center of the Darkhan-Uul aimag (an administrative unit of the country), is also considered a special place.
Brief overview of the history of the city's development
The history of Darkhan (Mongolia) begins in 1961. It was laid then in the Selenga region of Mongolia, at the “Burkhantyn Khendiy” - a tiny railway station. Darkhan is interesting as an example of a typical industrial center for Mongolia. With the help of specialists from the USSR, many enterprises were built in it from 1970 to 1990.
Today, Darkhan is one of the most industrial cities of the Mongolian state. More than half (76%) of the total population of the Darkhan-Uul aimag lives directly in Darkhan. At the end of 2004, the population of the entire region was approximately 90,400 people. Moreover, the majority are young people.
"City of Friendship"
This is the second name of the relatively young city of Darkhan. It was built with the aim of creating an important industrial center aimed at the production of building structures and materials.
Built by Mongolian and Russian workers in 1962, industrial enterprises developed rapidly along with the city itself. Representatives of such socialist countries, like Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.
Thanks to this, its second name arose, which still justifies itself to this day. Darkhan is still “friends” with foreign cities. International enterprises have their representative offices and offices here.
The city of Darkhan in Mongolia is especially noteworthy (photos are presented in the article) in that it is built up so loosely that it leaves the urban spaces surprisingly endless. For example, a park with playgrounds extends for several kilometers.
It should also be noted that Darkhan, in comparison with other settlements in the country, is a green city. And in its vicinity there are a variety of animals: deer, elk, sable and beavers, listed in the state Red Book.
Geography, nature and climate
The Darkhan-Uul aimag used to be part of the Selenginsky aimak. It is located near the Orkhon River and in the huge valleys of the Selenga, between the Khangai highlands and the Khentii mountains. Almost the entire territory of this region is located above sea level at an altitude of 700 meters.
Darkhan is rich in minerals and natural resources, vegetation and amazingly picturesque wildlife. The vast Darkhan-Selenga region of Mongolia is relatively well studied. It also has rich deposits of copper, iron ore, coal. Limestone, marble, sand and gravel are also mined here.
But they are not fully used. For the economic expansion of Darkhan in the future, natural resources will be used on a basis that is harmless to all environment advanced technologies.
The climate of Darkhan is continental, with average temperatures. In summer they reach up to +30 degrees, in winter - up to -30 degrees. The number of sunny days in the region is 260.
Attractions
Travelers who visit Darkhan in Mongolia on their way to the capital Ulaanbaatar or Russia have the opportunity to take a short tour of it. From the observation deck between the old and new parts of the city you can admire the panoramic view. Around the same place there is a Buddhist complex.
The city is also famous for its clothing market, located on the left side of the road leading to Ulaanbaatar. You can buy Chinese things there at fairly low prices.
Due to the fact that the city was designed and built mainly by Soviet specialists, it is quite green. There are many trees planted by Soviet soldiers, builders and doctors.
Darkhan is also interesting for its architecture. Unlike the Mongolian capital, it is not cluttered with chaotic modern buildings. Although most of the areas are built up with “Soviet” five-story buildings, the design here was carried out taking into account the unique Mongolian flavor.
For example, many balconies of five-story buildings are decorated in the local Mongolian style. Their shapes resemble a yurt. A huge statue of a seated Buddha is located between the old and new parts of the city, on a hill near the main road junction.
The city's children's park is also notable; it ranks first in Mongolia in terms of area.
In honor of the 15th anniversary of the metallurgical plant, a statue of a metallurgist was erected, made by welding from fittings, sewing machines, various gears, car parts and other parts. This monument can be examined for quite a long time in its individual details.
Old Darkhan
Mongolia is not deprived of interesting historical sights.
And in the old city there is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhist believers - the Kharagin Monastery, made of wood.
And the Folk Art Museum houses a good collection of ethnographic and archaeological artifacts that are dedicated to Mongolian history and culture. There are also stuffed animals here.
About agriculture
The Darkhan-Selenga region is one of the few in the country where Mongolian nomads have been engaged in agriculture since ancient times. Darkhan Uul is an aimag that is the main agricultural producer of Mongolia. It has rich resources for agricultural development.
This region has a warmer climate compared to the rest of the state. The territory of the Kharaa River basin has favorable conditions for growing vegetables (especially potatoes). Cereals are also produced here. In general, more than 90 cooperatives are involved in the cultivation of fodder, grains and vegetables.
More than 71% of the aimag's territory is occupied by agricultural areas, and more than 22% by forests. But many residents of the region are also engaged in livestock farming.
