Zaisan Memorial
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The Zaisan Memorial (Mongolian: Зайсан) is a memorial south of the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar that honors Soviet soldiers killed in World War II. Located on a hill south of the city, the memorial features a circular memorial painting that depicts scenes of friendship between the peoples of the USSR and Mongolia. The mural depicts scenes such as Soviet support for Mongolia's independence declaration in 1921, the defeat of the Japanese Kwantung Army by the Soviets at Khalhkin Gol on the Mongolian border in 1939, victory over the Nazi Germany and the peace time achievements including the cosmic flights.
After driving to the uppermost parking lot on the hill, visitors must make a climb of three hundred steps before reaching the monument and mural. Those who make the climb are rewarded with a panoramic view of the entire city of Ulaanbaatar in the valley below, as well as the Tuul River flowing past the city.
Around 2004, a tank memorial that previously was located on a crossroads between Zaisan and the city center was moved to the foot of the hill. It features a Soviet tank paid for by the Mongolian people. This memorial includes a map showing the route the tank took from its construction in Moscow in 1943 to its participation in the fall of Berlin in 1945.
Zaisan is a popular meeting point for school outings and graduation festivities.
