Which mountain did Genghis Khan designate as sacred?

Genghis Khan designated Burkhan Khaldun as a sacred mountain. Located in northeastern Mongolia’s Khentii Mountains, it held spiritual importance for him long before the Mongol Empire reached its greatest extent.

According to The Secret History of the Mongols, Temüjin—later known as Genghis Khan—prayed to the sky god Tengri at Burkhan Khaldun and credited the mountain with protecting him during his early struggles. He later gave it the status of a royal sacred mountain. The area became associated with his birthplace and, possibly, his burial place.

Burkhan Khaldun is sometimes confused with the entire Khentii Mountains, the range in which it stands. The mountain itself is the canonical answer. Its surrounding landscape later became known as Ikh Khorig, or the Great Taboo, a restricted sacred burial zone guarded for centuries.

In 2015, UNESCO inscribed the Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape as a World Heritage Site. Its religious traditions, forests, rivers, and links to Mongol history all contribute to its importance.