BAGA GAZRIIN CHULUU

Location: Dundgobi Province, southern Mongolia.

Baga Gazriin Chuluu is a granite mountain with an unusual shape, where rock layers appear to be cut and stacked horizontally. The mountain stretches approximately 15 km (9.3 miles) wide and 10 km (6.2 miles) long, with its highest point, Tahilgiin Khavtsal, rising to about 1,768 meters (5,801 feet) above sea level.

Scattered across the landscape are several natural and historical features. These include an eye spring that locals believe is beneficial for eye health, Jargalant Cave, which extends about 18 meters into the rock, and Ger Khad, known for its Bronze Age petroglyphs. Sudutiin Am is another part of the area, where weeping willow trees grow among the rocks.

In Sudutiin Am, you can find the remains of a 17th-century temple. Local tradition says the temple was built at the request of a monk known as Mergen Mur, who chose this place for meditation. In the early 20th century, the Buddhist scholar and monk Zava Damdin spent a period of time in the area, where he resided and produced several of his works.

The mountainous landscape is also home to wildlife such as argali (mountain sheep), yangir (ibex), tsagaan zeer (Mongolian gazelle), and marmots, which may occasionally be seen moving across the rocks. On summer evenings, the changing light brings a quiet beauty to the area. The granite cliffs catch the last rays of the sun, and as the colors slowly fade, the landscape gently darkens and grows still.