Called the "Dinosaur City", Erenhot was once the home of dinosaurs. In the Cretaceous Period 70 million years ago, Erenhot was a paradise of lakes, marshes, and thick forests. More than 20 kinds of dinosaurs flourished there but the most famous is Gigantoraptor erlianensis, an 8 meter-long birdlike predator that was discovered in 2005.
Many fossils have been discovered in the area, including the biggest and best-preserved dinosaur fossil in Asia. Besides the scenic boulevard, the city also has a dinosaur museum and a theme park called “Dinosaur Fairyland”. The arch of the kissing dinosaurs was built in 2007 to showcase the region's reputation as a fossil hot-spot.