Craig Venn Photography: Mongolia

Mongolia

My images of Mongolia are few, due to time spent mostly on the train between China and Russia. I did, however, manage to take in a few items of interest as well as go horseriding. In Ulaanbaatar; Gandantegchinlen Khiid, the nation’s only monastery to survive the Soviet-inspired purge of all things religious. At the Chinggis Khaani Khuree ger camp; a Japanese produced documentary being filmed about Mongolia’s history (pictured above). The location was sought due to available Genghis Khan inspired costumes and props, seemingly lying all over the place. For me, it was the engine allegedly from a plane that crashed in 1971, killing Lin Biao, fleeing China after attempting to assassinate Chairman Mao Tse-tung.

Nomadic meets urban in Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar.
Nomadic meets urban in Mongolia's capital, Ulaanbaatar.
Gandantegchinlen Khiid, Ulaanbaatar.
Gandantegchinlen Khiid, Ulaanbaatar.
The restaurant in the Chinggis Khaani Khuree ger camp.
Chinggis Khaani Khuree's Ethnographical Museum.
Sunset at Chinggis Khaani Khuree camp.
Local family, Chinggis Khaani Khuree, whose horse I hired for the afternoon.
Local family inside their ger home, Chinggis Khaani Khuree.
At prayer, Gandantegchinlen Khiid, Ulaanbaatar.
Mongul statue, Chinggis Khaani Khuree ger camp.
Mongul statue, Chinggis Khaani Khuree ger camp.