Mongolia's Ambition to Revive Khakhorum as a New Capital Amid Urban Strain

By Jessica Huang

Cover Image: The 3D master-plan of New Khakhorum City / Source: Kharkhorum City Administration

Across Mongolia’s wide Orkhon Valley, where winds trace shifting lines over the empty steppe, a subtle change is underway. This remote area, marked by scattered remnants of stones and earth, once thrived as the heart of one of history's most powerful empires. Today, it stands as a testament to its faded grandeur, drawing visitors to its sacred oases amid the vast solitude of the steppe. The authorities have set their sights on this very ground for an undertaking of profound scope: the construction of a new capital city, provisionally named New Khakhorum, at the site of the ancient city that bore the same name centuries ago. The initiative seeks to honor a storied past while confronting the immediate burdens of contemporary life in the nation's current capital, Ulaanbaatar.
The plan is no longer just talk. In 2022, President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh signed Decree No. 230 on Restoring the Ancient Capital of the Great Mongol Empire, Kharkhorum. Soon after, the government passed a resolution that created the Urban Planning Administration of the New Kharkhorum City and placed 189,363.19 hectares—land in Ugiinuur and Khashaat soums of Arkhangai aimag and Kharkhorin soum of Uvurkhangai aimag—under special state protection for the project. That single allocation is five times the size of Ulaanbaatar’s current territory. In April 2024, the government opened an international design competition to turn the decree into reality. Seventy-six planning and design teams from around the world submitted proposals. The winner, announced in August 2024, was a Chinese consortium made up of China Road and Bridge Corporation, China Construction Engineering Design and Research Institute, and China Communications Highway Planning and Design Institute
As far as the Orkhon Valley's significance is concerned, it runs deep into Mongolian identity. Folklore reveres it as the birthplace of the nomadic traditions that defined Central Asia for millennia. In the thirteenth century, under the leadership of Genghis Khan, this location emerged as the beating heart of the Mongol Empire. What began as a strategic base evolved into a thriving metropolis, a crossroads where artisans honed their crafts, traders bartered goods from distant lands, and treasures accumulated in halls that echoed with the languages of conquered realms. Khakhorum, as it was known then, represented the pinnacle of imperial ambition. This city bridged nomadic heritage with the demands of governance over an empire that stretched from the Pacific to the Caspian Sea. Yet, by the late fourteenth century, political upheavals and shifting power centers led to its decline. The once-vibrant settlement was forsaken, its structures crumbling under the weight of time and neglect. All that endures now are archaeological traces and revered shrines, which continue to attract those seeking a connection to Mongolia's ancestral legacy.
This historical resonance forms the foundation for the current proposal. Officials envision New Khakhorum not merely as a relocation of administrative functions but as a deliberate reclamation of cultural patrimony. By situating the capital here, they aim to embed national identity within the urban fabric, fostering a sense of continuity between the empire's zenith and modern aspirations. One proponent articulates this vision with clarity: "That's why we need it. Imagine people go in there, they will have to understand, okay, this uh kakurum, this city had great importance in human history, and that's why Mongols in contemporary time we are restoring it." Such sentiments reflect a broader intent to educate future generations about Mongolia's contributions to world history, transforming the site from a relic into a living emblem of resilience.
At present, the most tangible manifestation of this endeavor is the Great Khan's Park, a sprawling memorial garden consecrated to the nation's storied leaders. Spanning a considerable area, it currently features nascent plantings that one day will encompass 1.5 million trees, creating a verdant counterpoint to the surrounding aridity. Developers describe this as the initial phase of a larger ecological commitment, where green spaces will integrate seamlessly with built environments. Beyond the park, blueprints call for extensive infrastructure to knit the new city into the national and regional economy. Rail and road networks facilitate efficient movement, linking the valley to existing transport corridors. An international airport promises to elevate connectivity, drawing air traffic from across Asia and beyond. Agricultural facilities would capitalize on the fertile potential of the Orkhon Valley, positioning the area as a hub for food production in a country where herding remains a cornerstone of rural life. Perhaps most ambitiously, a transnational tourism corridor would weave through the landscape, forging pathways that unite Mongolian sites with attractions in neighboring Russia and China. This belt of cultural exchange could stimulate cross-border travel, bolstering an economy historically tethered to mining and livestock.
These elements coalesce into a conception of New Khakhorum as a contemporary settlement, one that prioritizes sustainability and innovation. Planners emphasize eco-friendly designs, from energy-efficient buildings to water conservation systems adapted to the steppe's harsh climate. The city would accommodate a projected influx of residents by offering housing, schools, and medical centers, with a layout that avoids the haphazard sprawl seen elsewhere. In essence, the project represents an attempt to engineer a balanced urban model in which historical reverence coexists with forward-looking utility.
Yet the impetus for this relocation extends far beyond nostalgia. It addresses acute distress in Ulaanbaatar, the existing capital that grapples with the contradictions of rapid modernization in a sparsely inhabited nation. Mongolia holds the distinction of being the least densely populated country in the world, with just over 3 million people spread across 1.56 million square kilometers of terrain dominated by grasslands and mountains. Paradoxically, Ulaanbaatar encapsulates nearly half of that populace, approximately 1.5 million souls, confined to a minuscule fraction of the landmass, roughly one-thousandth of a percent. Originally plotted for around 250,000 inhabitants, the city now strains under sixfold that load, manifesting in tangible hardships.
Traffic congestion defines daily life, with vehicles crawling through thoroughfares ill-equipped to handle the volume. Commuters endure prolonged delays, their patience eroded by the ceaseless hum of engines in a basin ringed by mountains that trap exhaust fumes. More alarmingly, air quality plummets each winter, when temperatures plunge below minus thirty degrees Celsius. Households and industries alike turn to coal stoves and power plants for warmth, blanketing the skyline in a thick, acrid smog. This seasonal pallor not only impairs visibility but exacts a toll on public health, contributing to respiratory ailments and shortened lifespans among the vulnerable. The confluence of these pressures has rendered Ulaanbaatar a cautionary example of unchecked urbanization, where the allure of opportunity draws rural migrants only to confront diminished prospects.
Government strategists view New Khakhorum as a corrective measure within a comprehensive national blueprint. By 2050, they project that ten percent of Mongolia's population, or about 300,000 individuals, will reside in the Khakhorum region. This dispersal would alleviate Ulaanbaatar's density, redistributing economic activity and easing infrastructural demands. Administrative offices, diplomatic missions, and cultural institutions would migrate gradually, allowing the old capital to refocus on its strengths, such as light industry and education. Proponents argue that such a shift could invigorate peripheral areas long sidelined by centralization, promoting equitable growth across the country's vast interior.
Residents in the vicinity of the proposed site harbor varied expectations. The Orkhon Valley, for all its historical allure, has languished in developmental stasis, its communities sustained by subsistence farming and intermittent tourism. Some locals express optimism that the influx of investment will bring jobs in construction, hospitality, and services, injecting vitality into hamlets dotted along the riverbanks. Others temper enthusiasm with pragmatism, aware that grand visions often falter against logistical realities in such isolated locales. Access to the valley remains challenging, with dirt tracks prone to flooding during summer rains and impassable due to snowdrifts in winter. Utilities, from electricity grids to broadband, would require substantial extension, testing the resolve of implementing agencies.
Skepticism abounds among observers, both domestic and international, who question the feasibility of executing a venture of this magnitude. Mongolia's governance has faced scrutiny over institutional capacity, with past initiatives sometimes mired in delays or inefficiencies. One analyst probes the core rationale: "What is it that we're exactly trying to do there? Right? Are we developing just for the sake of progress? Are we trying to create a smart city because it has a certain amount of sex appeal? Or are we doing it to solve a real, tangible problem?" This interrogation captures a broader unease, whether the project genuinely mitigates urban woes or serves as a veneer for political expediency.
Economic considerations loom large. Mongolia's gross domestic product hovers at levels more than twenty times below that of comparably ambitious city-states like Singapore, constraining fiscal resources for megaprojects. Mining revenues, which dominate exports, fluctuate with global commodity prices, leaving budgets vulnerable to downturns. Perceptions of corruption further complicate funding prospects, deterring foreign investors wary of opaque procurement processes. Transparency International's indices have consistently ranked Mongolia below regional averages, fostering an environment where capital inflows prioritize caution over commitment. Despite these hurdles, city architects maintain that the initiative enjoys broad backing, citing consultations with stakeholders ranging from nomadic herders to urban professionals.
The endeavor's ultimate viability will hinge on meticulous execution, from environmental impact assessments to community engagement protocols. Preservation of archaeological layers demands archaeological oversight, ensuring that construction unearths rather than erases the past. Biodiversity in the valley, home to rare flora and fauna adapted to the continental extremes, requires safeguards against habitat fragmentation. Social integration poses another layer, as the new city must accommodate diverse ethnic groups, including Kazakh and Tuvan minorities whose traditions intertwine with the landscape.
As the sun dips toward the Hangai Mountains, casting long shadows over the Orkhon River's meanders, the valley seems poised on the cusp of renewal. Whether New Khakhorum materializes as a beacon of progress or joins the roster of unfulfilled dreams remains an open question. In the words of the report's narrator, "But here on the step, success will be measured not in blueprints, but in whether city life can return to a valley that has witnessed empires rise and fall." For a nation forged in the crucible of conquest and adaptation, this chapter holds the potential to redefine its trajectory, blending the echoes of khans with the imperatives of the twenty-first century.
IndraStra Global Staff has not edited this story, which is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.

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