The Sofia Waterfalls are waterfalls of glacial origin flowing from the Sofia Glacier of Mount Sofia (3,637 meters) – one of the main natural attractions of the Arkhyz ski resort, located in the southern part of the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia in the Western Caucasus.

These picturesque waterfalls are located approximately 15 km south of the village of Arkhyz. The Sofia Waterfalls reach their fullest flow in the height of summer (July and August), when the glacier is actively melting. The following photos were taken at the end of July by Fedor Lashkov. The Sofia Waterfalls on Google Maps.

fly over the Sofia Waterfalls

Tags: Cherkessk city · Karachay-Cherkessia Republic · landscapes · Stavropol krai

On the outskirts of Krasnoyarsk, you can find the longest stairway in Russia. It leads to the summit of the Torgashinsky Ridge. The stairway is 1.2 km long and consists of 1,683 steps.

The climb to the top of the ridge takes about 40 minutes, offering panoramic views of the city, the taiga, and the Krasnoyarsk Pillars. The Krasnoyarsk Stairway on Google Maps. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

The Longest Stairway in Russia

Tags: Krasnoyarsk city

The Russian coat of arms depicts a double-headed eagle. However, sometimes in Russia you can encounter unusual eagles with three heads, claws, and wings. They are especially common in the country’s former capital, St. Petersburg.

When a sculpted double-headed eagle crowns a tall spire and can be seen from various angles, a problem arises: from certain angles, the eagle can appear single-headed. To avoid this, such an eagle is sometimes made three-headed, with three wings and claws.

The eagle’s heads are positioned at a 120° angle to each other, and the wings are similarly positioned. In this case, from any angle, the eagle appears double-headed to the viewer, just like on the coat of arms. Photos by: Alexander Nikulin.

unique three-headed Russian eagles

Tags: Saint Petersburg city