Ulan Ude @ 6600km

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, along the river banks which are exceptional examples of Russian classicism. The city has a large ethnographic museum which recalls the history of the peoples of the region. There is 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 (25 ft) and weighs 42 tons

https://www.travelallrussia.com/blog/untypical-russia-buryatia-region

During your trip to Buryatia paying a visit to its heart, Ulan-Ude, is one of the absolute must-dos! It is the capital of the Republic of Buryatia and home for the Buryat, Evenk, and Russian people. Being the major hub of the region, Ulan-Ude is one of eastern Siberia's most likable cities which has a distinct Asian-like vibe, perhaps because of the cultural mixture and proximity to Mongolia. Here you’ll definitely feel more of Asia than Russia as half of the people living here are Buryats.

Did you know that just a few decades ago Ulan-Ude was closed for all foreigners? Let's delve into the history of the city and solve this mystery together! Founded as a Cossack fort called Udinsk (later Verkhneudinsk) in 1666, the city prospered thanks to its title as the most important stop on the tea-caravan route from China via Troitskosavsk (now Kyakhta).

After being renamed to Ulan-Ude in 1934, it was a ghost city all the way up to the 1980s because of its secret military plants. Even now there are still mysterious blank spaces on the maps of the city. Are you ready to discover the lost pearl of Russia?

Ethnographic Museum:

https://www.russiaeguide.com/ethnographic-museum.html