Novotroitskoye is a small village with a population of about 150 people located in the Dolgorukovskiy district of the Lipetsk region.

The main attraction of the village is the ensemble of the Church of the Holy Life-Giving Trinity built on the means of Major-General Petr Andrianovich Pozdnyakov, the owner of the village, in 1809-1819. Novotroitskoye on Google Maps. Photos by: Vadim Razumov.

beautiful church

Tags: Abandoned · Lipetsk oblast

The Cathedral Church in Kaliningrad (former Koenigsberg) is an inactive cathedral located in the historical district of the city – Kneiphof island (also known among locals as the “Island of Kant”).

For centuries, it was the main Catholic church in Koenigsberg. In the Soviet years, the cathedral received the status of an object of cultural heritage and was included in the list of architectural monuments. Photos by: Vasiliy Nikitinskiy.

one of the symbols of Kaliningrad

Tags: churches · Kaliningrad city

Today, in the world there are only about 800 representatives of the indigenous Siberian nation of the Tofalars. Once nomads, most of them live compactly in three villages in the Nizhneudinsky district of the Irkutsk region.

This very beautiful and isolated mountainous region located in the Eastern Sayan mountain system in the south of Siberia is called Tofalaria. You can get to it only by air. Tofalaria on Google Maps. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

fly over Tofalaria

Tags: Irkutsk oblast

On the first weekend of November, a new season of the colorful “Festival of Lights” was held in St. Petersburg at the cruiser “Aurora” and the Palace Square.

This time the festival was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the 1917 revolution. Photos by: Stanislav Zaburdaev.

bright colors of the show from above

Tags: Saint Petersburg city

Surgut is a city with a population of about 350,000 people located in the Khanty-Mansi autonomous region – the main oil and gas producing region of Russia.

This city is known as the unofficial oil and gas capital of Russia, the headquarters of such large oil and gas companies as “Surgutneftegas”, “Gazprom transgaz Surgut” and “Gazprom Pererabotka” are located here. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

fly over Surgut

Tags: Khanty-Mansi okrug · Surgut city

If you’re visiting Russia for the first time, I envy you! You’re about to go on one of the best adventures of your life. There’s so much culture to be experienced, as well as historical sights, fun activities, and unbeatable nightlife.

Of course, visiting a new country is also intimidating, and Russia has a reputation that might make you slightly wary. The Russian people are hardened, in a good way. They don’t suffer fools, and live in an admirably self-sufficient manner. For those who don’t know any Russians, however, this can come across as cold or rude.

(more…)

Tags: No tags

Geyzernoye Lake, also known as Blue Lake, is a unique body of water in Siberia located in the Ulagan district of the Altai Republic, near the village of Aktach.

The main feature of this clean and ice-free lake is thermal springs that bring the blue silt to the bottom forming colorful and bizarre pictures – various concentric circles. Geyzernoye Lake on Google Maps. Photos by: Andrei Kireev.

lake with geysers at the bottom

Tags: Altay Republic

Kolomenskoye, a former royal residence located south of the center of Moscow and occupying an area of about 390 hectares, is an interesting art, historical, architectural, and natural museum-reserve.

The main exhibit of Kolomenskoye is a beautiful park with numerous buildings of different times – one of the most popular parks in Moscow. It looks especially picturesque during the golden autumn. Kolomenskoye on Google Maps. Photos by: Vladimir d’Ar.

stroll through the autumn park

Tags: Moscow city

The State Museum of the History of Cosmonautics named after K. E. Tsiolkovsky in Kaluga (Akademika Koroleva Street, 2) is the world’s first and largest space museum in Russia, created with the direct participation of S.P. Korolev and Yu. A. Gagarin.

The museum has an extensive exposition telling about the history of aeronautics, aviation, rocket and space technology. Photos by: Sergey Rubtsov.

museum with unique exhibits

Tags: Kaluga city · museum

Vyborg is a large town located in the north-west of the Leningrad region on the shore of the Vyborg Gulf, in the north-eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, about 135 km from St. Petersburg.

Founded in the Middle Ages by Swedes, Vyborg is the only historical settlement on the territory of the Leningrad region. Until 1940, it was the second largest town in Finland. Photos by: Andrei Kireev.

Vyborg from the tower of the Vyborg Castle.

explore Vyborg

Tags: Leningrad oblast