Lagan is a Russian city (from 1963), the administrative center of the Lagan Region of the Republic of Kalmykia. It is the second largest city in Kalmykia.
The city is located on the Caspian Lowland, at the 9 km distance from the Caspian Sea, 42 km away from the railway station Uhlan Hol, and 310 km to the southeast of Elista.
The town with the population of 13 714 people (2013) takes the area of 90 sq.km.
History of Lagan
It appeared in 1870 on Lagan island as a settlement of peasant migrating from the central Russia; the island’s name is rooted in the Mongolian word “lag”, i.e. “limous”.
In the late 19th century it was the Lagan Settlement of the Kalmyk Steppe District of the Astrakhan Province. From 1938 it was an industrial community of Lagan.
After forceful eviction of the Kalmyk people and elimination of the autonomous republic in 1944 the national name Lagan was replaced with Kaspyisky. This name remained even after restoration of the Kalmyk autonomy in 1957.
It became a town in 1963 and its original name Lagan was restored in 1991.
Sightseeing
Lagan Buddhist Temple was founded on May 27, 1995. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of XIV on his visit to the Kalmykia Republic in September, 1992 consecrated the temple under construction and presented it with the Shakyamuni Buddha thangka painting.
The Enlightenment Stupa was opened in the temple area in 2009.
Lotos Stupa with a prayer wheel was set up in the city park in 2011.
Monument to Ayuka-Khan in the Sovetskaya Street.
Buddha Monument in the Sovetskaya Street.
Monument to Fisherman in memory of the founder of Lagan near the House of School Pupil.
St. Nicholas the Wonderworker Church was consecrated in 2011.
Troitskoye Settlement in Kalmykia is the administrative center of Tselinny District.
It is located 11 km to the north of Elista on the southern and northern slopes of Bulgun-sala. The slopes are dissected with numerous ravines. Presently the village has gone beyond the limits of the narrow valley of River Bulgun.
Troitskoye Settlement is crossed by the federal highway M6 (at the entrance to Elista).