The private fairy-tale park-courtyard “Vikhlyandiya” in the town of Kozelsk, Kaluga Oblast, is a unique architectural work of art, born of a creative tandem of the local entrepreneur-philanthropist Vladimir Vikhlyandtsev (whose last name gave the name to the complex) and the architect-artist Vladimir Kolesnikov.

There are no analogues of such a fabulous complex anywhere else in Russia. This fairy-tale kingdom has already become one of the sights of Kozelsk. Vikhlyandiya is especially popular among families with children. Vikhlyandiya on Google Maps. Photos by: Vladimir Lipetskikh.

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Tags: Kaluga oblast

On the Russian coat of arms, you can see the image of a two-headed eagle. However, in Russia, one can meet eagles with three heads, legs and wings. Especially often you can see them in the former capital of the country – St. Petersburg.

The fact is that the symbol of Russia is often placed on the highest points – spiers and roofs. If you install a two-headed eagle, then from many angles it will look quite different from the coat of arms. Therefore, an eagle with three heads, wings, and legs was designed (angled at 120 °). From a distance these eagles from any point seem to be two-headed as on the coat of arms. Photos by: Alexander Nikulin.

unique Russian eagles

Tags: Saint Petersburg city

The monument to V.I. Lenin at the depot of the October Railway known simply as “Lenin on Wheels” is located near the Leningrad Station in Moscow (Komsomol’skaya Square, 3/36).

Mounted on a railway trolley, it is one of the first monuments to Lenin in Moscow and the only Lenin in the world on wheels. Lenin on Wheels on Google Maps. Photos by: babs71.

very unusual and cool monument

Tags: Moscow city · Soviet past

Myshkin is a small town with a population of only about 5,700 people located on the left, high bank of the Volga River (Rybinsk Reservoir), in the Myshkin district of the Yaroslavl region.

Since the mid-1990s, Myshkin has become a major tourist center. In the town, a complex of museums (Myshkin People’s Museum) is formed, which includes a museum of mouse – the symbol of the town. Photos by: zhzhitel.

explore this unique museum

Tags: Yaroslavl oblast

If you love skiing, you should definitely visit the annual festival GrelkaFest held in April in Sheregesh – the most popular ski resort in Russia, located in the south of the Kemerovo region.

This time of year the weather is already warm enough. One of the main features of the festival is a massive ski descent of the participants wearing bikinis. From 2015, the participants also take part in a special ski descent wearing bright carnival costumes.

very colorful event

Tags: Kemerovo oblast

In the vast expanses of Russia, you can find almost everything – amazingly beautiful natural sites and diverse works of human hands.

Probably the strangest of these creations are bizarre and often creepy self-made toys standing in the open air almost anywhere where people live.

weird Russian outdoor toys

Tags: No tags

On the central squares and streets of almost every city, town, and even village of the former Soviet Union, you can easily find a monument to Vladimir Lenin. Yelabuga, a small town in the Republic of Tatarstan, is no exception.

The town has probably the most unusual monument to Lenin in Russia. Just look at this marvel of monumental sculpture – the high stele with the tiny bust of Lenin on top. Photos by: Anton Petrus.

marvelous monument

Tags: Tatarstan Republic · Yelabuga city

In February 2015, the Federal Agency for Tourism announced an open competition for the development of a tourism brand of Russia.

The aim is to develop visual symbols for use in relation to tourism and related services, outdoor advertising, souvenir, printing products, etc. The brand should create a positive, recognizable image of Russia, enhance the competitiveness of the tourism industry of the country.

the most interesting works

Tags: No tags

In Russia, there are many sayings and proverbs dedicated to idiocy that often occurs in the army. For example, “people, served in the army, don’t laugh in the circus” or “in the army, they carry round things and roll square ones”, etc.

And here’s one example. In winter, when the territory of the army garrisons is covered with deep snow, soldiers are often busy making these nice looking snowdrifts – square snowdrifts.

square paradise

Tags: No tags

October 28, 2014, the official emblem of FIFA World Cup 2018 hosted by Russia was revealed.

According to officials, the shape of World Cup 2018 logo takes on the universally recognisable outline of the World Cup Trophy, while the bold use of red, gold, black and blue in the emblem’s colour palette was inspired by centuries-old techniques seen in world-renowned Russian art dating back to the earliest icon paintings.

and here is the reaction of the Russians

Tags: World Cup 2018