Boasting a fascinating Mongol-Buddhist culture, Ulan-Ude is filled with ornate Buddhist temples and history museums housing ancient treasures. Admire the city center’s giant bronze sculpture, explore an open-air museum and visit a Buddhist monastery.

Things to do

Start your exploration of Ulan-Ude by strolling through the city center, where you can admire the 18th-century Odigitrievsky Cathedral and the massive Lenin Head Monument in the main square. Built in 1970 for the centennial of Lenin’s birth, the giant bronze head towers 7.7 meters tall and weighs 42 tons.

Step back in time at the open-air Ulan-Ude Ethnographic Museum, where you’ll find over 11,000 exhibits highlighting traditional Russian culture. Admire ancient artifacts, including traditional clothes, wooden farm machinery, embroideries and Buryat wooden yurts.

History enthusiasts should also explore the Buryatia History Museum, which showcases archaeological collections highlighting the Bronze, Iron and Medieval Ages in addition to an ethnographic collection of decorative and applied arts. You can also browse rare books, including Buddhist literature in Tibetan and Mongolian languages.

If you want to learn more about Russian Buddhism, visit the Ivolginsk Datsan Buddhist Monastery. Browse the historic complex to find its main temple adorned with beautiful silks, precious stones and painted woodwork.

Getting around

You can access Ulan-Ude by flying into Baikal International Airport, located 12 kilometers away. All Trans-Siberian trains stop at Ulan-Ude and there are daily buses from Ulaanbaatar. The city centre is easy to explore on foot, while taxis are also available.