Chess City, Sports complex in Elista, Russia

Chess City is a large complex devoted to chess and chess competitions in Elista, Russia. It consists of a central four-story domed hall surrounded by an Olympic-style village with Mediterranean Revival style architecture, and includes a conference center, a public swimming pool, and a museum of Kalmyk Buddhist art.

Chess City was built in 1998 for the 33rd Chess Olympiad under the direction of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, then president of Kalmykia and FIDE. It later hosted the 2004 Women's World Chess Championship and the 2006 World Chess Championship.

The chess museum inside the main hall holds a large collection, including pieces from world champion Mikhail Tal. The Dalai Lama has visited the complex, and a Kalmyk Buddhist art museum is part of the site.

The site is east of Elista and best reached by car or taxi. Many buildings are closed for renovation, so check locally which parts are open before you go.

A statue of Ostap Bender, a fictional character who dreamed of creating a world chess capital, stands in the complex. The central square was named after Kirsan Ilyumzhinov on his 50th birthday in 2012.