Genghis Khan Square is Hohhot's main civic plaza, a large paved area flanked by government buildings and dominated by an equestrian statue of Genghis Khan — an omnipresent figure in Inner Mongolian public art, his image deployed with a frequency that reflects both genuine cultural pride and deliberate political positioning. The plaza is the scene of public events throughout the year, from political ceremonies to cultural performances during Naadam.
The square is pleasant in the early morning and evening when local residents use it for exercise and socialising, less so at midday in summer when the paving traps heat. The equestrian statue itself is an impressive piece of public sculpture by Chinese standards — the figure is rendered with some attention to historical sources rather than pure Socialist Realist convention. The surrounding government buildings give a sense of the monumental scale that Chinese city planning favours for civic centres.