Elista, Capital city in southern European Russia
Elista is the capital of the Republic of Kalmykia in southern European Russia, positioned on a flat steppe plain at the foot of the Yergeni hills. The city extends along the small Elista River, whose green banks form a contrast to the dry surroundings.
The village arose in the 19th century as a stopping point for traders between the Caspian and Black seas. After the October Revolution it was elevated to the administrative city of the Kalmyks and remained so even after the return of the deported population in the 1950s.
Residents often speak Kalmyk alongside Russian, and the characteristic sound of this Mongolian language shapes public life in squares and markets. Many older women still wear traditional clothing with colored ornaments while shopping or walking.
Summers reach very high temperatures with intense sun, so visitors should be out early in the morning or use the evening hours. In winter the wind from the steppe brings sharp cold, so warm clothing in several layers is necessary.
A neighborhood was designed in the late 1990s specifically for the game of chess, with houses shaped like chess pieces and street names after famous masters. Today families live there, and children play in squares laid out like chessboards.
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