Mongolia plant. Animals of Mongolia - rich fauna of steppes and mountains
Gotica- a period in the development of medieval art in Western, Central and partly Eastern Europe.
The word comes from Italian. gotico - unusual, barbaric - (Goten - barbarians; this style has nothing to do with the historical Goths), and was first used as an expletive. For the first time, the concept in the modern sense was used by Giorgio Vasari in order to separate the Renaissance from the Middle Ages.
Origin of the term
However, there was nothing barbaric in this style: on the contrary, it is distinguished by great grace, harmony and observance of logical laws. A more correct name would be “lancet”, because. The pointed form of the arc is an essential feature of Gothic art. And, indeed, in France, the birthplace of this style, the French gave it a completely appropriate name - “ogive style” (from ogive - arrow).
Three main periods:
— Early Gothic XII-XIII centuries.
— High Gothic — 1300-1420. (conditional)
- Late Gothic - XV century (1420-1500) is often called “Flaming”
Architecture
The Gothic style mainly manifested itself in the architecture of temples, cathedrals, churches, and monasteries. It developed on the basis of Romanesque, or more precisely, Burgundian architecture. In contrast to the Romanesque style, with its round arches, massive walls and small windows, the Gothic style is characterized by pointed arches, narrow and tall towers and columns, a richly decorated facade with carved details (vimpergi, tympanums, archivolts) and multi-colored stained glass lancet windows . All style elements emphasize verticality.
art
Sculpture played a huge role in creating the image of the Gothic cathedral. In France, she designed mainly its external walls. Tens of thousands of sculptures, from plinth to pinnacles, populate the mature Gothic cathedral.
Round monumental sculpture is actively developing in Gothic. But at the same time, Gothic sculpture is an integral part of the cathedral ensemble; it is part of the architectural form, since, together with architectural elements, it expresses the upward movement of the building, its tectonic meaning. And, creating an impulsive play of light and shadow, it, in turn, enlivens, spiritualizes the architectural masses and promotes their interaction with the air environment.
Painting. One of the main directions of Gothic painting was stained glass, which gradually replaced fresco painting. The technique of stained glass remained the same as in the previous era, but the color palette became much richer and more colorful, and the subjects were more complex - along with images of religious subjects, stained glass windows on everyday themes appeared. In addition, not only colored glass, but also colorless glass began to be used in stained glass.
The Gothic period saw the heyday of book miniatures. With the advent of secular literature (chivalrous novels, etc.), the range of illustrated manuscripts expanded, and richly illustrated books of hours and psalms were also created for home use. Artists began to strive for a more authentic and detailed reproduction of nature. Prominent representatives of Gothic book miniatures are the Limburg brothers, court miniaturists of the Duke of Berry, who created the famous “The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry” (circa 1411-1416).
Ornament
Fashion
Interior
Dressoir is a china cabinet, a piece of late Gothic furniture. Often covered with painting.
The furniture of the Gothic era is simple and heavy in the truest sense of the word. For example, for the first time, clothes and household items are beginning to be stored in closets (in antiquity, only chests were used for these purposes). Thus, by the end of the Middle Ages, prototypes of basic modern pieces of furniture appeared: a wardrobe, a bed, an armchair. One of the most common methods of making furniture was frame-panel knitting. The materials used in the north and west of Europe were mainly local wood species - oak, walnut, and in the south (Tyrol) and east - spruce and pine, as well as larch, European cedar, juniper.
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on the topic: "Gothic art"
Introduction
“Greatness and beauty, luxury and simplicity, heaviness and lightness,” this is what the Russian writer N. V. Gogol said about Gothic.
Gomtika (from the Greek Gpfiykp) is a period in the development of medieval art in Western, Central and partly Eastern Europe from the 11th - 12th to the 15th - 16th centuries, which replaced the Romanesque style and gradually replaced its heaviness and massiveness.
This concept was first used by Giorgio Vasari to separate the Renaissance from the Middle Ages. Gothic art was cultic in purpose and religious in theme, as it addressed higher divine powers within the framework of the Christian worldview. This largely explains the construction of a large number, first of all, of cathedrals as the focus of religious and cultural life in the Middle Ages.
However, one cannot fail to note the emerging interest in man, the beauty of the earthly world, everyday scenes, and nature. It is no coincidence that during this period the love lyrics of troubadours appeared in literature, urban literature and comic theater genres developed, and portraits occupied the main place in painting. The influence of the church still remains, but the people's self-awareness and interest in human feelings and real life are growing. Despite the fact that Gothic art was called “barbaric,” it was it that paved the way for the Renaissance.
Most often, this term refers to the architectural style, but the concept of “Gothic” also covers sculpture, painting, stained glass, fresco and many other works of fine art of the period under study.
Early Gothic originated within the Romanesque style. However, already in the 13th century the Gothic style (High Gothic) flourished, and a century later the period of the style’s collapse began, called “flaming Gothic”. At the end of the 14th century, Europe was swept by the so-called international Gothic as the final stage in the development of this style, characterized by expressive forms, sharpness, grotesqueness, and even some pretentiousness.
In modern times, the term is acquiring many new meanings associated with the diversity of its scope. For some, this is the style of medieval art, the cathedrals of France of the 12th century, and later of Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Spain, the neo-Gothic style of England of the 18th century, the Gothic novel of the 19th century, for modern designers this is already a style in interior design and clothing, for representatives of the established Gothic subculture it's gothic rock, etc.
On the pages of this work we will consider the origin and formation of the Gothic style in the art of Western Europe in the Middle Ages, in Russia, in fact, the masterpieces of Gothic, as well as the spheres of its manifestation in modern culture.
1. Gothic style in architecture, sculpture and painting
Gothic art arose in the middle of the 12th century in northern France, later spreading to the territory of modern Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Spain, England, and later penetrating Italy. In architecture, the Gothic style replaces the Romanesque. These are temples, cathedrals, monasteries with numerous arches, with a pointed top, narrow and high towers and columns, a richly decorated luxurious facade with numerous carved details (vimpergi, tympanums, archivolts) and multi-colored stained glass windows.
Speaking about Gothic, I would like to start with a description of the Cathedral of Notre-Dame Notre-Dame in Paris, but the first Gothic architectural structure is considered to be the church of the monastery of Saint-Denis (France). In the 12th century, Abbot Suger wrote a treatise “On the consecration of the Church of Saint-Denis,” where he outlined the symbolism of all elements of the Gothic cathedral. In his opinion, the temple is a kind of ship, the Universe, divided by a belt of stained glass windows at the top and massive walls at the bottom into the heavenly and earthly worlds. The arches, in turn, symbolize the break in the cycle of time, the transience and finitude of which is emphasized by the Gothic temple. Stained glass rose windows, on the contrary, express the cyclical nature of time, letting in divine light. They were called upon to transfer man from the corporeal, earthly world to divine eternity.
Against the background of heavy buildings of the Romanesque style, Gothic cathedrals amaze with their lightness, aspiration to the vault of heaven, the richest decor reminiscent of the finest lace weaving, the beauty and luxury of stained glass windows and sculptures. The internal and external appearance was determined by pointed arches - a characteristic feature of the Gothic style, designed to enhance the lightness and dynamism of the architectural work. Inside, Gothic cathedrals made a strong impression, thanks to the light penetrating through the stained glass windows and filling the vast space with numerous columns and pointed arches.
Masterpieces of Gothic architecture include the Cathedral in Chartres, the Cathedral in Reims, where French kings were crowned, the Cathedral in Amiens, undoubtedly, Notre Dame Cathedral in France; Cologne and Münster Cathedrals in Ulm in Germany, Canterbury Cathedral - the main temple of the English kingdom, as well as Westminster Abbey Cathedral in London, Cathedrals in Salisbury, Exeter, Lincoln, Gloucester, King's College Chapel in Cambridge. In the Czech Republic, this is the Gothic architecture of Prague, St. Vitus Cathedral. In Spain, Santa Maria del Mar.
Cathedrals were undoubtedly the main and most important buildings of that period. However, along with the cathedrals, the entire city landscape was filled with Gothic buildings of hospitals, covered markets, residential buildings, etc. A large number of secular buildings are characteristic of Italian art.
Sculpture
In creating the image of a Gothic cathedral, every smallest detail carried a semantic load; a huge role was given to sculpture, which mainly decorated the outer walls. Not one, not two, but tens of thousands of sculptures decorated mature Gothic cathedrals, expressing the upward aspiration of the entire building in a tectonic aspect.
The abundance of sculptures and stained glass windows marks the High Gothic period. Statues of prophets, apostles, and saints were located on the portals of Gothic cathedrals. Many small figures and scenes were placed on plinths, pedestals and roofs. The capitals and projections of the cornices were filled with leaves and fruits. The statues were organically connected to the walls and supports, reminiscent of the synthesis of architecture and sculpture of Gothic cathedrals. The images of saints acquire individuality and humanity, as if approaching the earthly world, to every visitor to the temple. Simplicity and grace of forms, restrained gestures serve as an expression of moral strength and spiritual perfection. Gothic Madonnas are the embodiment of grace, femininity and purity.
Gothic sculpture is expressive and dynamic. These are the works of Klaus Sluter, who created the Madonna of the facade of the Church of the Burial of Philip, the figure of the Well of the Prophets in Chammol. In Germany, the most famous works are those of Tilman Riemenschneider, Wit Stwosch and Adam Kraft.
Painting
In this chapter, first of all, we will talk about stained glass windows, which played a huge role in the decor of Gothic churches. Numerous stained glass compositions reproduced religious and literary subjects and historical events. The stained glass technique carried an emotional combination of color and light, transforming the interior of the temple and displacing fresco painting.
In addition, book miniatures flourished against the backdrop of the emergence of secular illustrated literature. Religious books undoubtedly dominated and were richly illustrated. Prominent representatives of Gothic book miniatures are the Limburg brothers, court miniaturists of the Duke of Berry, who created the famous “The Magnificent Book of Hours of the Duke of Berry” (circa 1411-1416).
In connection with the interest in man, his inner world, and individual character, the portrait genre is developing, which reached its peak during the late Gothic period, against the backdrop of the spiritual revival of Europe in the aspect of the development of a humanistic approach to the human personality. The Gothic artist paid great attention to the expressiveness of the details of the portrait, trying to convey the individual, singular uniqueness of the personality. Note that this was one of the first secular genres of Gothic art.
Among Gothic artists such names as Giotto, Duccio, the Lorenzetti brothers, Simone Martini and Fra Angelico, who worked in Florence and Siena, became famous. In altar painting these are Jan van Eyck and Rogier van der Weyden. A great contribution to the Gothic art of painting was made by artists painted at the courts of Prague and Vienna, masters of Northern Germany.
Since the last quarter of the 14th century, the visual arts of Europe have been dominated by a style later called international Gothic, which marked the final stage in the development of Gothic art.
2. Gothic in Russia
Due to the fact that in the Middle Ages Russia was under the influence of Byzantine culture, we can only talk about the neo-Gothic style, which came to Russian art at the end of the 18th century, when not far from St. Petersburg, according to the design of the architect Yu.M. Felten, the Chesme Palace (1774-1777) and the Chesme Church (1777-1780) were built in the neo-Gothic style.
What is neo-Gothic and how is it related to the Gothic style of the Middle Ages? Neo-Gothic as a movement in the architecture of the eclectic era emerged in England in the 40s of the 18th century and found itself in demand all over the world. These are Catholic cathedrals in New York and Melbourne, Sao Paulo and Calcutta, Manila and Guangzhou and Kyiv, this is Big Ben and Tower Bridge in Great Britain.
When talking about neo-Gothic in Russia, researchers use the term pseudo-Gothic, since it is rather a kind of stylization of the Gothic of the Western European Middle Ages. A striking monument of the neo-Gothic style was the imperial residence in Tsaritsyn (1776-1796) near Moscow - a whole ensemble of buildings and structures erected according to the design of the architect Vasily Bazhenov and commissioned by Catherine II. This is a kind of complex synthesis of European Gothic, Russian Baroque architecture and classicism. The residence consists of the Grand Palace, the Opera House, the Bread House and other buildings. In addition, the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, built in 1901-1911 in Moscow, can be attributed to the neo-Gothic style. The Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in Samara (1906), the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Irkutsk (1881-1884), etc. were built in this style.
In the Kaliningrad region, about twenty castles and a large number of churches have survived, unfortunately, most of them are in ruins. In Kaliningrad itself there is a medieval Cathedral and a large number of neo-Gothic monuments (15 city gates, churches). Several buildings have also been preserved in the Leningrad region. In Vyborg, there is a bank building on the market square, a market building, and the Hyacinth Church (XVI century) in the old town. Unfortunately, the only cathedral in Russia, founded by the Swedes in 1293, was destroyed during the Great Patriotic War.
Unlike Europeans, Russian architects practically do not use the frame system of Gothic cathedrals. The cross-domed base, traditional for Orthodoxy, is decorated with pointed arches, gradually succumbing to the influence of “international” neo-Gothic. The result is the construction of numerous Catholic churches for parishioners of Polish origin throughout the Russian Empire from Krasnoyarsk to Kyiv.
3. Gothic in modern culture
Interest in Gothic art and culture in general continues to this day. Unfortunately, within our small-sized apartments, not everyone can afford Gothic luxury. However, modern designers use Gothic stylization in interior design. Arched windows, colorful stained glass windows, and original mosaics are suitable for decorating country houses. The Gothic interior combines bright colors and massive furniture, various ornaments decorating the walls and windows. The material should also remain natural: stone, wood, marble, metal.
Turning to other areas of art, we note that the forerunner of modern “horror” was the Gothic novel, which arose in the second half of the 18th century and was filled with the mysticism of family curses, mysterious adventures with elements of the supernatural, designed to plunge the reader into pleasant horror. In the 20th century, “horror literature” developed within the “Gothic” genre (Blackwood, Lovecraft, Bloch, Stephen King). At the intersection of fantasy and gothic, a new literary genre has appeared - dark fantasy.
Otherworldly forces, the living dead, the fulfillment of an oath, the appearance of ghosts - we note that these are the favorite subjects of modern cinema.
At the end of the 70s of the 20th century, a special gothic subculture emerged in Great Britain, whose representatives (teenagers 14-15 years old) are distinguished by a specific image and interest in gothic music. This phenomenon is already associated with the evolution of the gothic rock music genre. In the 1980s, performers such as Bauhaus, Southern Death Cult, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and others gained wide popularity.
The components of this subculture are, first of all, gothic fashion and gothic music. In clothing, this is the predominance of black, paraphernalia and special makeup. Gothic music usually includes gothic rock, death rock and darkwave. Currently, the gothic subculture is widespread mainly in Europe and North America, and to a lesser extent in Asia and Australia. We notice its representatives on our streets.
gothic style culture architecture
Conclusion
Gothic art reflected the deep and acute contradictions of the era, as a result of which it was itself internally contradictory: the interweaving of realism, the simplicity of human feeling with religious severity, detachment from everything earthly. The synthesis of architecture, sculpture and painting used in the creation of Gothic cathedrals, where each detail carried its own meaning, is also not accidental.
The Gothic style undoubtedly received its classical expression in church culture. However, the predominance of secular themes and areas of application during the late Gothic period enriched Gothic art in genre and stylistic aspects. Despite this, works of Gothic art are distinguished by their deep spirituality, the manifestation of human moral life in a religious and poetic aspect.
In connection with the development of bourgeois society and the weakening of the church influence of Gothic art, it loses its progressiveness, but not its value, since the humanistic tendencies that arose here became the basis of the next era in the development of Western European culture - the Renaissance.
Bibliography
1. Muratova M.K. Masters of French Gothic of the 12th-13th centuries. Problems of theory and practice of artistic creativity. 1988. - 452 p.
2. Panofsky E. Gothic architecture and scholasticism // Perspective as a symbolic form. Gothic architecture and scholasticism. SPb.: ABC-classics. 2004. - 336 p.
3. Viollet-le-Duc E. "Encyclopedia of Gothic Architecture"."Exmo, Our Word". 2013. - 536 p.
4. Allenov M. Russian art of the 18th and early 20th centuries. M.: Trefoil. 2000. - 474 p.
5. Gnedich P.P. History of art. Architecture. Painting. Sculpture. In 3 volumes - M.: 1. OLMA-PRESS. 2004.
6. Khazov V.K. Symbolism of the youth subculture of the Goths (Russian) // Humanitarian studies. 2009. No. 2. P. 27-31.
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Gothic (Gothic style) is a historical artistic style that dominated Western European art from the 13th to the 15th centuries.
General characteristics of the Gothic style
Gothic is mainly an architectural style, but in interior design it is characterized by very significant differences from other styles, its own and incomparable “face”: huge windows, multi-color stained glass windows, lighting effects. Giant openwork towers, emphasized verticality of all structural elements.
Characteristic elements in interior design are slender columns, complex vault shapes, openwork ornaments, rose-shaped windows and lancet vaults, leaded window glass, convex glass, but without curtains.
Fantastic, surpassing all existing Gothic designs, they overcome the bulkiness of stone. As a result, the main features can be considered irrationalism, dematerialization, upward striving, mysticism, lightness, expressiveness.
History of the Gothic style
The ancient Romans called Goths the barbarian tribes that invaded the empire from the north in the 3rd-5th centuries. The term appeared during the Italian Renaissance as a mocking nickname for the “barbarian,” primitive, recessive medieval culture. At first it was applied to literature - to denote incorrect, distorted Latin. Medieval architecture was then called by the general word “tedesca” (Italian: “German”). There is an assumption that the word “Gothic” was first used by Raphael, the famous Renaissance artist.
Gothic is the crown of the Middle Ages, it is bright colors, gilding, the shine of stained glass, expression, prickly needles of spiers soaring into the sky, a symphony of light, stone and glass... The Gothic style characterizes the final stage of the development of medieval art in Western Europe. The fact of the birth of the Gothic style can be considered the culmination of the Romanesque style and at the same time its overcoming. For a long time, elements of both styles coexisted, and the transitional time of the 12th century. was of a revivalist nature."
The birthplace of the new style is Paris. Here, in 1136-1140, under the leadership of Abbot Suger (Suzher), two spans of the main nave of the church of the Abbey of Saint-Denis were erected. But building a Gothic temple is a task for generations. Notre Dame de Paris, founded in 1163, took more than two hundred years to build. The Roman Cathedral (length - 150 meters, height of the towers - 80 meters) was built from 1211 to the beginning of the 14th century, the Milan Cathedral - until the 19th century.
A little later, in the 18th-19th centuries, Western tastes began to turn again to the romantic trends of design of the Middle Ages. This led to the revival of the Gothic style during this period. The Gothic revival coincides with the emergence of the Victorian style of interiors.
A paradoxical feature of the Gothic style, the perfect forms of which demonstrate irrationalism, dematerialization and the highest, mystical expression, is that the reason (but not the reason) for its emergence was technical achievements - the rational improvement of building construction. The history of Gothic architecture is the history of the rib and flying buttress. Relieving the walls of the load made it possible to cut them with huge windows - this stimulated the art of stained glass. The interior of the temple became tall and bright.
Features of the Gothic style
Interiors designed in the Gothic style are distinguished by grandeur and grace. The walls cease to be a structural element, become lighter, are lined with wood or decorated with wall paintings of bright colors and wall tapestries. The plank and stone floors of the early Gothic interior were also later covered with carpets. Characteristic elements are openwork ornaments, stone lace carvings, and pointed vaults. Above the entrance, as a rule, there is a huge stained glass rose window. The window panes are lead-framed, convex glass, but without curtains. Wooden beam ceilings or with open rafters; Decorative painting on the ceiling is possible.
Typical furniture products of the Gothic style of interior design: tall double-door wardrobes with four, six or nine panels, as well as sideboards with high legs, high backs of chairs and beds, imitating the architectural details of castles and churches. Later, this influence also affected the ornamentation: precise geometric ornamentation was imposed on carpentry, contrary to the very texture of the wood. The main type of furniture, both in the castles of knights and ordinary townspeople, was a chest, from which over time a chest-bench was formed. The chests served as tables, benches and beds. Often chests were placed one on top of the other, decorating the entire structure with pointed vaults - this is how the wardrobe turned out. The table in the Gothic interior had a deep drawer and a strongly protruding tabletop, the base of which was two end supports. Under the folding tabletop there were many compartments and small drawers. The bed, if not built into the wall, had a canopy or large cabinet-like wooden frame, and in southern Europe a plank structure with architectural divisions, carvings and colored trim.
In the construction and decoration of Gothic buildings, mainly stone, marble, and wood were used (oak, walnut and spruce, pine, larch and European cedar, juniper). The decor used tiled mosaics and majolica; the chests were covered with leather, rich metal (iron and bronze) fittings, stalactite motifs, and turned bars were used. Figured stucco molding was sometimes painted and covered with gilding.
Colored stained glass windows in the form of pointed arches are one of the most recognizable features of the Gothic style. Huge windows, for which the walls serve only as a light frame, multi-colored stained glass windows, lighting effects, and finally, a beautiful rose window - all this creates the unique “face” of the Gothic style.
Theologians attributed stained glass the ability to enlighten a person’s soul and keep him from evil. The origins of this type of fine art go back to late antiquity.
The unique effects of stained glass are explained by the transparency of its base - colored glass; the black paint used to draw the contours was opaque. In the ornamental areas of the stained glass window, red and blue tones dominate, in the narrative areas - white, various shades of purple, yellow and green.
“Gothic roses”, colorful stained glass windows, painted sculpture - all this speaks of the special role of color in the Middle Ages. Rich red, blue, yellow, brown shades, as well as gold and silver threads were used in Gothic style interior design. Purple, ruby, blue-black, carnation pink, and green shades were used for contrasting details.
Gothic style interior decor elements
Paintings are rarely used to decorate Gothic rooms. At the same time, the Gothic era is the heyday of book miniatures and the appearance of easel painting, a time of high growth in the decorative arts. In the Gothic style, there is a flourishing of guild craft: in stone and wood carving, in small ivory sculpture, in ceramics and glassmaking, in a variety of metal products decorated with stones and enamel, in fabrics and tapestries - everywhere the sophistication of imagination and the generous richness of decor are combined with brilliant craftsmanship and meticulous finishing.
Conclusion
The key point of Gothic architecture is light, the ever-flowing Divine light - a symbol of enlightenment and wisdom. Therefore, Gothic is the finest hour of stained glass.
Gothic is the first pan-European style. In terms of brightness, expressiveness and paradox, it can only be compared with Baroque. In the twentieth century, Gothic became an international epithet. Everything elongated, pointed, stretching upward with all our might is perceived by us as “Gothic”: ancient Russian tented churches, expressionism of Novgorod icons and even American skyscrapers.
INFORMATION FOR TOURISTS
RELIEF, GEOGRAPHICAL ZONES
Mongolia has an area of 1,564,116 sq. km and is mainly a plateau raised to an altitude of 900-1500 m above sea level. A series of mountain ranges and ridges rise above this plateau. In the south and east of the country there are extensive hilly and ridged plateaus, intersected by individual hills. The average altitude of Mongolia is very high - 1580 m above sea level. There are no lowlands in the country at all. The lowest point of the country - the Khukh Nuur basin - lies at an altitude of 560 m. Forests mainly grow in the forest-steppe zone, located in the northern part of the country. The forest fund area is 15.2 million hectares, i.e. 9.6% of the entire territory.
To the east and south of Ulaanbaatar towards the border with China, the height of the Mongolian plateau gradually decreases, and it turns into plains - flat and level in the east, hilly in the south. The south, southwest and southeast of Mongolia are occupied by the Gobi Desert, which continues into north-central China. In terms of landscape features, the Gobi desert is by no means homogeneous; it consists of areas of sandy, rocky, covered with small fragments of stones, flat for many kilometers and hilly, different in color - the Mongols especially distinguish the Yellow, Red and Black Gobi. Land-based water sources are very rare here, but groundwater levels are high.
Natural conditions of Mongolia extremely diverse - from north to south (1259 km) there are taiga forests, mountain forest-steppes, steppes, semi-deserts and deserts. Researchers call Mongolia a geographical phenomenon that has no analogues anywhere. Indeed, within the Mongolian People's Republic there is the southernmost permafrost center on Earth, and in Western Mongolia, in the Great Lakes Basin, the world's northernmost border of dry deserts lies, and the distance between the permafrost distribution line and the beginning of the deserts does not exceed 300 kilometers. In terms of temperature fluctuations, both daily and annual, Mongolia is one of the most continental countries in the world (the maximum annual amplitude of temperature fluctuations in Ulaanbaatar reaches 90 ° C): in winter Siberian frosts are raging there, and the summer heat in the Gobi can only be compared with Central Asian. These are truly paradoxical physical-geographical phenomena, coupled with the vastness of the territory (the straight line length from west to east is 2368 and from north to south 1260 kilometers), the clear delineation of geographical zones (from taiga to steppe and from steppe to desert), with sharp differences in elevation and the clear predominance of mountainous terrain create the unique face of the country, define and explain its wealth.
![](https://i1.wp.com/legendtour.ru/foto/m/map6.gif)
HIGH MOUNTAINS
Mongolia is a mountainous country. Mountains occupy more than 40% of its total area, highlands (over 3000 m) - about 2.5%. The highest of the mountain ranges of Mongolia is the Mongolian Altai with mountain peaks up to 3000–4000 m high, stretching in the west and southwest of the country for a distance of 900 km. Its continuation are lower ridges that do not form a single massif, collectively called the Gobi Altai. The highest point is the Kuiten-Uul (Nairamdal) peak with a height of 4370 m. It is located in the Mongolian Altai at the westernmost tip of Mongolia near the border with Russia.
Along the border with Siberia in the north-west of Mongolia there are several ranges that do not form a single massif: Khan Huhei, Ulan Taiga, Eastern Sayan, in the north-east - the Khentei mountain range (2800 m).
In the center of the country are the Khangai Mountains, about 700 km long and 2000–3000 m high (the largest is 3905 m, Otkhon Tengri), which are divided into several independent ranges.
Highest mountains of Mongolia
In mountainous areas, vertical zonation of the soil appears. With increasing altitude, chestnut soils are replaced by chernozem-like and sometimes chernozem-like soils, then mountain-meadow and partially peaty. The southern slopes of the mountains, as a rule, are sandy and rocky, while the northern slopes have denser soil and are clayey. The steppes are dominated by loam and sandy loam, the colors of ripe chestnut and light chestnut.
TAIGA
The taiga zone, which covers only 5 percent of Mongolia's territory, is located primarily in northern Mongolia, in the Khentii Mountains, the mountainous landscape around Lake Khuvsgul, the rear of the Tarvagatai mountain range, the upper Orkhon River and parts of the Khan Khentii mountain range. The taiga zone receives more rainfall than other zones of Mongolia (12 - 16 inches annually).
The northern mountain taiga zone is replete with forest; forests cover the northern slopes of the mountains and consist of Siberian larch, cedar, pine, birch and aspen. The inhabitants of this zone are the same as in the Siberian taiga - deer, elk, wild boars, lynxes, bears, sables, wolverines and other animals. Reindeer are also found here.
FOREST-STEPPE
The mountain steppes of the middle steppe zone lie between the Khentei, Khangai and Mongolian Altai ridges. There are gazelle antelopes, wolves and foxes, and in the alpine zone there are rare cat predators, such as snow leopard - irbis, lynx, tiger, which hunt wild goats and wild argali sheep.
In the forest-steppe and steppe zones, various chestnut soils are most widespread, accounting for almost 60% of all soils in the country.
STEPPE ZONE
In the mountains, the Mongolian steppes rise to a height of 1500 m or more, and with increasing moisture in the mountains, the proportion of forbs in the vegetation cover increases. On the northern slopes of the mountains of Mongolia (precipitation 500 mm or more) predominantly coniferous forests of Siberian larch, cedar, and pine grow.
Unlike the European steppes, the zonal soil type of the Mongolian steppes is not chernozems, but leached chestnut soils. They are formed on sandy and gravelly parent rocks and are not solonetzic. There are chestnut, dark chestnut and light chestnut soils. The intensity of their color depends on the specific gravity of humus. In the upper layer, dark chestnut soils have from 4% to 6% humus, light chestnut soils from 2% to 4%. The life forms of steppe plants are determined by summer precipitation and sharp temperature fluctuations throughout the year and during the day. Among the steppes, various types are distinguished depending on the predominance of certain plant groups. The Mongolian steppes are poorer than the steppes of Russia and Kazakhstan. The grass is lower in them, and there is almost no continuous cover. The dominant formations are tyrs, serpentine, serpentine-tyrs and others. Among the shrubs, there are especially many small-leaved caragana (Caragana microphylla), and subshrubs of wormwood (Artemisia frlgida). As we approach semi-deserts, the role of low-growing feather grasses and onions increases.
SEMI-DESERT
Semi-deserts occupy more than 20 percent of Mongolia's territory, stretching across the country between desert and steppe zones. This zone includes the Great Lakes Depression, the Valley of the Lakes, and most of the region between the Khangai and Altai mountain ranges, as well as the eastern Gobi region. The zone includes many low-lying areas, soils with salt lakes and small ponds. The climate is arid (frequent droughts and annual precipitation of 4-5 inches (100-125 mm). Frequent strong winds and sandstorms greatly affect the area's vegetation). However, many nomadic herders of Mongolia occupy this zone.
Mongolia is a country of inexhaustible natural potential. If you are a connoisseur of natural beauty, preserved traditions and hospitable exoticism, then you definitely need to visit it. The wild and pristine character of Mongolia is evidenced by the fact that the population density here is less than 2 people per square kilometer. This means that even if the Mongols had such a desire, they would not be able to greatly change and “humanize” the landscape of their own land. But the fact of the matter is that the Mongols have no such desire. They have a caring attitude towards their own nature, imbued with a special view of the world based on the Buddhist worldview, and a spirit of respect. This is an ideal place where tourism is particularly developed. Mongolia has a lot to offer the traveler.
Nature of Mongolia: types of landscapes
On the territory of Mongolia you can find almost all types of landscapes: steppes, deserts (Gobi), snow-capped mountains (Altai), endless blue lakes, forests. But there is no sea here, Mongolia is one of the largest landlocked countries. This is a completely continental world, imbued with a nomadic, millennia-old culture.
The nature of Mongolia is attractive not only for its flora, but also for its fauna. To this day, wild horses have survived here, running in herds across the endless steppes. Capricorns, snow leopards, wolves, golden eagles, yaks, antelopes - these are all residents of Mongolia, and there are many more of them here than human Mongols :) There are 14 horses per local resident, so in Mongolia you are more likely to meet a representative of the local fauna than a person.
If the country's territory is divided into natural zones, the most impressive are the mountains, deserts and lakes. Moreover, what’s interesting is that they are located at some distance from each other: mountains are mainly in the center and west, lakes are in the north, and the Gobi Desert spreads its hot, waterless expanses in the south, near the border with China.
Lakes of Mongolia
Perhaps the lakes can be called the main natural attraction of Mongolia. There are more than a thousand of them here, but the largest and most famous are two: Khubsugol and Uvsu-Nur. Both of these lakes are located near the border with Russia, which increases their tourist value for our compatriots.
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Khubsugol is the largest lake in the country, the deepest in the entire Central Asian region, and ranks 14th in the world in terms of fresh water. Such nomadic people as the Mongols love fishing very much, so it is not surprising that they absolutely explored all the possibilities of this activity on the local lakes, and can confidently tell you that the fishing here is excellent. Do you want grayling? Here you go - 2 kilograms of fish! Or maybe Ottoman? Easy, here's a 4 kg copy. If you wish, you can use the fish as a motor for your boat - catch it on a hook, and then rush after it, as if in tow, throughout the lake, trying to drag it onto the boat.
Uvsu-Nur is located to the west, closer to Altai, but at the same time lies on a flatter surface. The lake is salty, and is part of the so-called Basin of Great Lakes - a tectonic region in Western Mongolia and Russian Tuva, which contains several large bodies of water. The site is marked by UNESCO and included in the World Heritage List.
Gobi Desert
In the south of Mongolia there is a completely different natural object, completely opposite to the lakes. A waterless kingdom that has no borders is the Gobi Desert. However, this short name refers to a territory with various landscape zones: rocky and sandy deserts, grassy steppes, oases and even groves.
But in any case, the Gobi is the most climatically harsh part of Mongolia, a triumph of the continental climate. The temperature difference between summer and winter can reach almost 100 degrees Celsius! In summer the air warms up to plus 40 degrees, and in winter it cools down to 40 degrees below zero!
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Most people understand deserts as spaces made of sand, but there are very few of them in the Gobi - only 3 percent of the total territory. Most of the region is occupied by rocky soils.
The Gobi is a lost world, a desirable destination for the traveler. Everything here is so pristine, untouched by man, that you can literally come across evidence of ancient eras, so long ago that humans did not exist then - the era of dinosaurs. A national park has been established in the Gobi Desert - Gurvansaikhan - which contains a place with preserved remains of dinosaurs and other evidence of paleo-epochs. Gurvansaikhan is home to one and a half hundred unique animals and birds found only here.
Mountains
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Mountains occupy almost half of the country's territory. Mongolia has its own piece of Altai, the height of the mountains here reaches 4 km. The Mongolian Altai stretches for almost 1000 km in the west of the country, and in its southern part it turns into the so-called Gobi Altai - lower mountains that no longer form an integral massif. The highest point – Nairamdal (4375 m above sea level) – is located near the border with Russia.
In the Mongolian Altai there are the so-called 5 sacred peaks (in Mongolian Tavan-Bogdo-Ula), and Nairamdal is just one of them.
In the north and northeast of the state, several more ridges stretch along the border with Russia: Eastern Sayan, Khan Huhei, Huh-Serekh, Khentei. In the center is the Khangai massif with the highest point Otkhon Tengri (3905 m).
Mongolia: tourism for those who love nature
Thus, the main reason that attracts travelers to Mongolia is its nature. Vast spaces untouched by man, high snow-capped mountains, glaciers, taiga, grassy steppes, rocky and real sandy deserts, oases, saxaul groves, a thousand lakes - this is all Mongolia. Tourism here is developed only in the sense that fertile soil was initially created for it, but you will not find crowds of people here, hotels at every turn and developed infrastructure.