Ulan-Ude, cradle of Russian Buddhism

Ulan-Ude is the capital city of the Republic of Buryatia, located about 100 kilometers southeast of Lake Baikal. It is the third largest city in eastern Siberia by population. Until the mid-17th century, the region around Ulan-Ude was home to the Buryats, a Buddhist nomadic subgroup of the Mongols. The Buryats were originally nomadic herders, with cultural and language similarities to the Mongolians and religious similarities to Tibetan Buddhists.

In the 18th century, Tsarina Elizaveta officially recognized Buddhism as a religion in Russia. Unfortunately, in the 1930's, Buryat culture and religion were practically stamped out by Soviet leaders. Mongolian script was replaced by Latin, then Cyrillic, and Buddhist temples were razed or put to other uses. Today, many buildings are reminiscent of Ulan-Ude's rich pre-Soviet trading traditions.

Climate here is extreme continental. Winter is long, frosty and sunny. Summer is short, with hot days and cool nights. Good rainfalls happen only in July and August. Autumn is warm and dry and is known by its long “Indian summer”. Climate of Buryatia is good for health because of abundant sunshine, dry air and rare clouds.

Ulan-Ude is a city where these kinds of extremes seem to live harmoniously together: merchants next to Buryat Buddhists, European Russian culture beside Asian Mongolian culture.

The city has a large ethnographic museum which recalls the history of the peoples of the region. There is also a large and highly unusual statue of the head of Vladimir Lenin in the central square, the largest in the world. Built in 1970 for the centennial of Lenin's birth, it towers over the main plaza at 7.7 meters and weighs 42 tons.

Many religions are represented in Buryatia, here peacefully coexist Shamanism and the Buddhism, Old-believing and Orthodoxy. Shamanism had existed long before Buddhism and Christianity came to the shores of the lake Baikal. Buddhism in Buryatia exists as Lamaism. In Transbaikalye it has been spread since XVII century, Lamaism and Shamanism have considerably influenced each other. The first orthodox churches were built in Buryatia in the second half of XVII century, after the first Russian settlement had appeared there.

The city’s development was greatly stimulated when the Trans-Siberian Railroad reached it in 1900 and later by the construction of a branch line to Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia in 1949—a branch extended to Beijing in 1956. Ulan-Ude’s role as a major rail junction led to the establishment of large locomotive and carriage repair works. Other industries include glassmaking, food processing, and other light industries.

Tourist infrastructure construction projects are profitable business investments. Closeness of Ulan-Ude to Lake Baikal facilitates the development of tourist business in the city. Ulan-Ude administration has identified 22 investments sites for hotels construction, seven projects being implemented and fifteen are open for investors.

Until 1991 Ulan-Ude was closed to foreigners. There are old merchants' mansions richly decorated with wood and stone carving in the historical center of Ulan-Ude.

Ulan-Ude city is an important railway junction because of its location on Trans-Siberian Railway between Chita and Irkutsk cities. There is also Trans-Mongolian Railway beginning in Ulan-Ude and going through Mongolia to China capital city Beijing. Also Trans-Siberian Highway (M55) is going through Ulan-Ude city. It is the only highway to travel to Vladivostok direction. There are two airports in the city: Ulan-Ude main airport “Mukhino” and small airport “Vostochny”.