Moscow is a key economic and financial center of Russia, home to a significant concentration of office jobs. This is due to the concentration of headquarters of large companies, government agencies, financial institutions, and the IT sector.

In 2025, Moscow saw a record volume of office space commissioned – 704,000 square meters. This is the highest figure since 2015, when the volume was 720,000 square meters. In 2026, the announced volume of new projects exceeds 1 million square meters. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

Moscow is working

Tags: Moscow city

Yamal is a peninsula located in the north of Western Siberia, on the territory of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District. The landscapes of the peninsula are predominantly tundra with numerous lakes. The length of the peninsula is 700 km, the width is up to 240 km. The word “Yamal” is translated from Nenets as “edge of the earth”.

This part of Russia is underdeveloped in terms of population. The Nenets, the indigenous people of Yamal, engage in traditional activities such as large-scale reindeer herding, fishing, and hunting. According to the 2021 census, the total number of Nenets is approximately 35-36 thousand people. Yamal on Google Maps. Photos by: Andrei Kireev.

The northern lights and a typical Nenets tent made of untreated leather. The air temperature was minus 30 degrees Celsius.

the harsh life of reindeer herders

Tags: Tyumen oblast · Yamalo-Nenets okrug

Carl Oswald Bulla or Karl Karlovich Bulla (1855-1929), a portraitist and master of documentary photography, was the owner of a photo studio in St. Petersburg. He became known as “the father of Russian photo reporting.”

In 1886, he received from the Ministry of Internal Affairs “permission to carry out all kinds of photographic work outside his home, such as: on the streets, apartments and in the vicinity of St. Petersburg.” In 1897, Karl Bulla’s photographs began to be published in the popular magazine “Niva”. Since that time, his name became known throughout the Russian Empire.

In total, his legacy is about 230 thousand photographs of the late 19th – early 20th centuries. Let’s take a look at some of them.

Tsarskoselsky (Vitebsky) Railway Station in St. Petersburg.

unique photos of the Russian Empire

Tags: Russian Empire · Saint Petersburg city

Alexander Vasilyevich Viskovatov was a Russian military historian who lived in the first half of the 19th century.

He was the author of a unique multi-volume book “Historical Description of Clothing and Armament of Russian Troops” with detailed descriptions of military and civilian clothing in Russia from 862 AD to the reign of Emperor Nicholas I.

Shirt.

back to the past

Tags: Russian Empire

Konstantin Egorovich Makovsky (1839-1915) was one of the most popular and influential Russian artists at the end of the 19th century. A lot of his paintings show an idealized view of life in Russia in the past centuries.

The portrait genre occupied a special place in the artist’s work. Largely thanks to it, he achieved success. His paintings are known for beautifully painted furniture, clothes, expensive fabrics and furs. The artist tried to show the person being portrayed in the most favorable light, while maintaining an exact likeness.

beautiful portraits

Tags: Russian Empire

The anthropological album “Russians” by Anatoly Petrovich Bogdanov and Matthias Zikov was published in 15 copies in Moscow in 1867. Source

Abram Gavrilov, Svishchevo village, Uglich district, Yaroslavl Governorate (37 years old).

Russians in 1867

Tags: Russian Empire

Russia is a country with deep-rooted traditions and customs, some of which can be quite unexpected to Westerners. Everyone knows about the locals’ weird quirk of not smiling at strangers, but do you know that wearing your shoes inside is very disrespectful towards the homeowner, almost as much as visiting someone’s home emptyhanded. If you’re planning a Russia trip for business or pleasure, here are some things that you should better avoid.

(more…)

Tags: No tags

If you weren’t sure you wanted to date a Russian girl, think again. They are very family-oriented and able to form strong long-term bonds with the right man. There are many stereotypes and adult dating advice about Russian women that aren’t true, but one (and fundamental!) is: that they have great potential as a girlfriend or a wife.

Thinking your next long-term relationship might come from the affections of a Russian girl? If so, prepare to be meticulously cared about. Russian culture has one definitive trait shared by natives and immigrants alike: they may seem somber and unfriendly on the outside. Yet once your conversation gets to a friendly tone, they quickly open up and turn out to be the friendliest and warmest folks in the world. You’ve hit the jackpot, no matter if you met a Russian girl at a party, social media, a bar, or a dating site. This shouldn’t surprise you, as in the modern world, dating websites stand a part of dating culture, including Russians.

Russian dating etiquette

Tags: No tags

Since time immemorial, Russia was perceived as a cold country, both literally and figuratively speaking. With the fall of communism, the country quickly adapted its age-old traditions and began incorporating modern, liberal approaches to life.

Russians’ social aspect took a huge step forward, and currently, cities like St. Petersburg have quickly become the go-to-spots for sightseeing. These same places offer a romantic get-away for locals and visitors alike. According to research on this site, pleasant emotions and social experiences play an important role in relationships. Visiting the right places can provide much-needed leverage as you start a new relationship.

These locales provide conducive environments to build relationships, away from the hustle and bustle of metropolises.

romantic date in Russia

Tags: No tags

Russian people are resilient, intelligent, beautiful individuals that make for enviable romantic partners. With the advent of new technology and even immigration, people can find themselves dating a Russian person quite easily.

However, it’s important to understand Russians a bit before getting into a relationship with them. Website Spicylocals.com has shared an interesting list of facts about dating in Russia.

(more…)

Tags: No tags