Not too famous, but Kalmykia, the autonomous republic of Russia possesses the natural environment and culture that can be said to be unique in Europe.
A temple in Kalmykia during the Buddha’s birthday. Where heaven and earth are in harmony Kalmykia is located in southern Russia, on the western coast of the Caspian Sea. In Kalmykia, there is no shortage of natural reserves, the most famous of which is the natural diversity reserve called Chornye Zemli next to Manych-Gudilo, the largest saltwater lake in Kalmykia. Every year, this lake welcomes millions of spotted cauldrons, white-necked ducks and many different types of wild geese returning from the winter migration. Another animal in the reserve that gets a lot of attention is the moose. Like birds, individual groups of elk migrate from Chornye Zemli to Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan in winter, and then in spring they return. The best time to see the elk falls around March and April, when their plumage changes from brown to red. Russians have long known the therapeutic uses of Manych-Gudilo and other salt-water lakes in Kalmykia. The Soviet government (former) built a number of combined healing resorts next to saltwater lakes, the most prominent of which are the two villages Berezovoe and Solenoye on the shores of Lake Yashalta. Many Kalmykian herbal remedies have been recognized worldwide, especially for skin and respiratory diseases. From Berezovoe and Solenoye, tourists can head up north to reach the Ergeni hills. Contrary to the grasslands stretching out of sight, Ergeni is the only place with forests and mountains in Kalmykia. Tourists can explore the scenery or hunt for many valuable medicines in the forests. The Sarpa Freshwater Lake area is especially famous for its fishing and hunting activities. People in the area today also offer sand bath services. Tourists who want to see the Caspian Sea with endless stretches of white sand, come to Lagan. From a small fishing village, Lagan has now become a famous homestay tourist destination. Visitors need to keep in mind only one thing: Russian naval forces regularly patrol this coast. So, remember to bring your own documents, preferably with a tour guide. Chess is everywhere in life in the capital Elista. The city of temples Located on the transport axis connecting Central Asia with Northern Europe, Kalmykia has long absorbed many different cultures. The Kalmyk ancestors, the main ethnic group in this country, migrated from Xinjiang, China, to Kalmykia. They preserve their Central Asian culture while receiving activities and art from the Mongolian, Turkish and Russian communities living next to them. By the beginning of the 5th century, Tibetan Buddhism was introduced into Kalmykia and popularized until now. Kalmykia is also known with the nickname: “The only Buddhist republic in Europe”. Elista, the country’s capital and largest city, is also known as one of the few Buddhist centers in Europe. Tibetan Buddhism plays a key role, but there are also traditional features of Chinese and Japanese Buddhism here. The largest temple in Europe is the Golden Temple, located in the center of Elista. The temple was started construction in 2004 under the witness of the Dalai Lama during his visit to Kalmykia. Today, the Golden Temple is an attraction for Buddhists to pilgrimage from all over the world, with the tallest Buddha statue in Europe (9m high). Right next to the temple is the National Museum of Kalmykia, where guests can learn more about the history of Buddhism in particular and the history of Kalmykia in general. In addition to Buddhism, the capital Elista has many other interesting things to explore. Former President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov of Kalmykia was former President of the World Chess Federation. He put a lot of effort into making chess into the national sport. Nowadays, chess is included in the curriculum in schools, so wherever you go you can see people setting up chess boards or watching chess. Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s greatest achievement is “Chess City”. It is a sports complex associated with the athletes village built on the occasion of the 1998 Chess Olympics and is now a tourist destination. Even the architecture here is also influenced by the chessboard that creates amusing, such as the International Chess Museum. In addition to watching the international chess tournaments held regularly, the favorite activity of tourists in the chess city is to play chess on the outdoor chess boards with giant chess pieces.
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