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Natsagdorj at 120: Mongolia's Poet of "My Native Land", From Leipzig to Ulaanbaatar

Writer: Enkhzaya Ganbold
Enkhzaya Ganbold
Nov 3
6 min read

Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj, the poet of "My Native Land" and a founder of modern Mongolian literature, was born on 17 November 1906, so 2026 is his 120th anniversary. On 28 October 2026 Montsame reported that a memorial plaque to him was unveiled at Leipzig University, where he studied in the 1920s, together with a new anniversary stamp. In Ulaanbaatar you can see his statue and his best-known stage work, but his museum is closed for repairs.

Key facts

  • Who: Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj, poet, writer and playwright, a founder of modern Mongolian literature

  • Born: 17 November 1906, in present-day Bayandelger soum, Töv province; 120th anniversary on 17 November 2026

  • News: Memorial plaque to Natsagdorj and Mongolist Erich Haenisch unveiled at Leipzig University, with a 120th-anniversary stamp (Montsame, 28 Oct 2026)

  • Best-known works: Poem "My Native Land" (Minii nutag); stage work "Three Sad Hills" (Uchirtai Gurvan Tolgoi, 1934)

  • Statue: In front of the Ulaanbaatar Hotel, central Ulaanbaatar (installed there 29 Oct 2013)

  • Museum: D. Natsagdorj Museum closed for repairs; no reopening date announced (as of 27 Aug 2026 report)

  • Opera dates: No late-2026 performance of Three Sad Hills published as of 3 Nov 2026

  • Source: Montsame, Britannica, gereg.mn, ikon.mn, urlag.mn, Consular Department of Mongolia; read 3 Nov 2026

Sheep and goats grazing on a green riverbank below forested mountains in Mongolia, reflected in calm water
Sheep and goats grazing by the water below green mountains in Mongolia, the kind of landscape Natsagdorj praised. Photo: Enza Tours

What happened in Leipzig for the Natsagdorj 120th anniversary?

A memorial plaque to Natsagdorj and the German Mongolist Erich Haenisch was unveiled at Leipzig University's Institute for South and Central Asian Studies. Montsame reported on 28 October 2026 that President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa attended the ceremony during a visit to the Free State of Saxony. The same ceremony launched a postage stamp for the 120th anniversary of Natsagdorj's birth.

According to Montsame, the President said the memorial symbolised "a century-long historical bond between the Mongolian and German peoples". The agency adds that an international academic conference on the anniversary was held at Leipzig University earlier in 2026.

Who was Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj?

He was a poet, prose writer and playwright whom Mongolians regard as a founder of their modern literature. Britannica credits him with introducing new genres and subjects, and notes that his 1930s short stories were adopted by the communist authorities as models of "socialist realism". He was born in what is now Bayandelger soum in Töv province, according to a report on the government's anniversary decision (21 January 2026, in Mongolian).

In 1926 he was among the first young Mongolians sent to study in Germany. Montsame's 2024 interview with Bat-Ireedui Jantsan, director of the Institute of Language and Literature at the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, describes how he worked in Leipzig in 1926–1927 under Haenisch and compiled a handwritten two-volume German–Mongolian dictionary, later found at the University of Bonn. He died young, in 1937 (Wikipedia background).

Aerial view over the rooftops and trees of Leipzig, Germany, with the Monument to the Battle of the Nations on the horizon
Leipzig, Germany, with the Monument to the Battle of the Nations on the horizon.

Why is "My Native Land" so loved?

"My Native Land" (Minii nutag) is Natsagdorj's best-known poem, a patriotic hymn to the beauty of the Mongolian countryside. Britannica's history of Mongolian literature lists it with "Verses on History" as his great patriotic poems. For visitors, it is a useful key to how Mongolians speak about their steppe, mountains and rivers as home.

What is "Three Sad Hills" (Uchirtai Gurvan Tolgoi)?

It is the stage work Natsagdorj wrote in 1934, which later became an opera. Britannica describes the 1934 original as a tragedy that Tsendiin Damdinsüren rewrote in 1943 with a happy ending. The ticket.mn production page calls it the first Mongolian national opera, tells the story of the lovers Yundun and Nansalmaa, and credits the music to B. Damdinsuren.

The State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Ulaanbaatar has traditionally opened its season with it; Montsame reported in 2020 that the opera opened the theatre's 58th season and "is still being played at the season-opening". We found no published date for a performance in November or December 2026, so check with the theatre box office when you arrive.

Where can visitors see Natsagdorj's legacy in Ulaanbaatar?

The easiest place is his statue in the park in front of the Ulaanbaatar Hotel in the city centre. Ikon.mn reported that it was installed there on 29 October 2013, on the spot where Lenin's statue used to stand. Travel Hub Mongolia says the statue was first erected in 1963 to a design by L. Makhval and shows the writer with paper and pencil. For his 110th anniversary in 2016, staff of the State Academic Theatre of Drama and the Union of Mongolian Writers laid wreaths at the statue, Montsame reported.

The D. Natsagdorj Museum at the Mongolian Writers' Union is closed. Urlag.mn reported on 27 August 2026 that the building had been cut off from utilities and needs repair; the city governor promised support, but no reopening date has been announced.

Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar with the equestrian Sukhbaatar statue and the Government Palace under a blue sky
Sukhbaatar Square and the Government Palace in central Ulaanbaatar. Photo: Enza Tours

What this means for your trip

How Enza Tours can help

Our Ulaanbaatar guides can add the Natsagdorj statue, the opera house and other literary stops to a city day, and we will check what is on during your dates. Tell us you are interested in Mongolian literature when you book.

Frequently asked questions

When is Natsagdorj's 120th birth anniversary?

Dashdorjiin Natsagdorj was born on 17 November 1906, so his 120th birth anniversary falls on 17 November 2026. Mongolia's government has decided to mark the anniversary, gereg.mn reported in January 2026.

Where is the Natsagdorj statue in Ulaanbaatar?

The Natsagdorj statue stands in the park in front of the Ulaanbaatar Hotel in central Ulaanbaatar, where it was installed in October 2013 on the former site of the Lenin statue.

Can I see "Three Sad Hills" at the opera in Ulaanbaatar?

"Three Sad Hills" (Uchirtai Gurvan Tolgoi) is a regular work of Ulaanbaatar's State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet, but no date for late 2026 had been published as of 3 November 2026.

Do I need a visa for Mongolia from Japan?

Not for a short trip. Mongolia's Consular Department lists a standing visa-free stay of up to 30 days for Japanese passport holders, as of 3 November 2026.

Tours that fit this story

Hand-picked from our current programmes. See all of them on our Mongolia short tours (1–2 days) page.

Sources

About this article

Written by the Enza Tours News Desk in Ulaanbaatar and checked by our team before publishing. Every date, number and rule in this post comes from the sources listed above, which we read on 3 November 2026. Last updated: 3 November 2026.

About Enza Tours LLC. We are a Mongolian inbound tour operator, founded in 2018 by Enkhzaya (Enza), and a member of the Mongolia Tourism Organization (MTO) and the Mongolian Tourism Association (MTA). Office: Room 39, Building 33, 4th Khoroo, Baga Toiruu Street, Chingeltei District, Ulaanbaatar 15141, Mongolia. Phone +976 8911 2100 · info@mongoliantour.guide · Meet our team · Contact us

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