'Ulan-Ude' (;
Buryat: Улаан-Үдэ), formerly 'Verkhneudinsk' (Верхнеу́динск), the capital
city of the
Buryat Republic,
Russia, is located about 100 km south-east of
Lake Baikal. It sits at the foot of the
Khamar-Daban and
Khrebet Ulan-Burgasy mountain ranges, next to the
confluence of the
Selenga River and its
tributary, the
Uda. The city is divided into two parts by the Uda. Population 359,391 (
2002 Census); 352,530 (
1989 Census). It is the third largest city in East
Siberia. It is served by
Ulan-Ude Airport (Mukhino) as well as the smaller
Ulan-Ude Vostochny Airport.
Ulan-Ude was founded in 1666 by the Russian
Cossacks. Due to its geographical position, the city grew rapidly and became a large trade centre which connected
Russia with
China and
Mongolia. There are old merchants' mansions richly decorated with wood and stone carving in the historical center of Ulan-Ude, along the river banks. They represent beautiful examples of Russian classicism. There is also a large and highly unusual head of
Lenin in the central square.
Sister cities
★
Taipei,
Republic of China (Taiwan)
★
Berkeley, California,
United States
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