(Locator); (Russia Tourist Map)....from the 13th to the 17th century, the area now known as the Republic of Buryatia was part of the Mongolian empire. The Buryats were originally nomadic herders, with cultural and language similarities to the Mongolians and religious similarities to Tibetan Buddhists. In the 18th century, Russian Queen Elizabeth officially recognized Buddhism as a religion in Russia. To this day, Buryatia remains the largest center of Buddhism in Russia. In 1666 the city of Ulan-Ude was founded. The history of Ulan-Ude begins in the report made by the Cossack Osip Vasilyev to the Enisey commander Vasily Golohvatov in 1666 that the Udinsky ostrog (winter camp) is established between Selenga and Uda rivers for yassack (tax) collection and trade purposes. Today Ulan-Ude is the capital of the Buryat Republic of the Russian Federation with a population of 353,000. It is a multinational historical and cultural center where Russians, Mongolians, Chinese, and Cossacks live in harmony and peace. There are more than 300 sunny days yearly in Buryatia and for anyone who lives in the republic life is unimaginable without blue sky and sun shining brightly.