Bortha Spring in Elista

What to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting

The Bortha spring is, one might say, the source of the origin of the city, since it is believed that it was from its discovery in the Kalmyk steppes that the city of Elista appeared and began to develop. It happened in the middle of the XIX century. Around the spring, which feeds the surrounding lands with life-giving moisture, an oak grove was planted by decree of the Russian Emperor and the city began to grow. By the way, the name of the spring does not come from the name of a person at all, as you might think the first time, but from a kind of Kalmyk flask of bortha.

Today, the spring is equipped with a sculpture in the form of a traditional Kalmyk flask "Bortha", an Asian-style gazebo (pagoda) has been erected nearby, and an oak grove has become part of the main city park "Druzhba". Unfortunately, today this facility is in disrepair: there is garbage around and everything is overgrown. You can not drink from the spring, because the water does not meet the standards.

You can also visit the sights of Elista and Kalmykia with the help of excursions that can be booked online here:

• 📷 Search for excursions in Elista and Kalmykia on Sputnik8.com
• 📷 Search for excursions in Elista and Kalmykia on Tripster.ru