📜 Culturally and architecturally distinct enclave in Elista, Russia. 🔍 Built in 1998 by chess fanatic Kirsan Ilyumzhinov to host the 33rd Chess Olympiad. # Why Go ♟️ Haven for chess fanatics. 🏛️ Features a swimming pool, chess museum, open-air chess board, and Buddhist art museum. 🗿 Home to a statue of fictional con man Ostap Bender. # Why Avoid 💸 Highly controversial due to $50 million funding from cut food subsidies. 👻 Sparsely used and largely vacated after the Olympiad. 📉 Symbol of local government's misguided priorities.