The Winter Palace of Bogd Lhaan is the former home of Mongolia's eighth Living Buddha, Jebtzun Damba Hutagt VIII, and was built between 1893 and 1903. Jebtzun Damba (Lord of Refuge) is often called the Bogd Khaan due to the length of his name. In 1911, the Bogd Khaan was made the Great Khaan (Emperor) of Mongolia and was the third most important person in Tibetan Buddhism, sitting below the Dalai Lama and the Panchen Lamas.
For reasons unknown, the Russians spared this home and turned it into a museum, while completely destroying the summer palace. The palace grounds contain six temples, and the white Winter Palace building. The temples house collections of gifts from foreign dignitaries, the Bogd Khaan's unusual wildlife collection (now stuffed), costumes, and Mongolia's Declaration of Independence from China. The beautiful gold ornaments that adorn the palace roofs have been victims to local thieves over the past ten years, until recent actions by security to preserve them.
