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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.

Russian beauty, Konstantin Makovsky painting 1

beautiful portraits

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Gorokhovets, founded in 1168, is a small town with a population of about 12 thousand people located in the eastern part of Vladimir Oblast in the center of European Russia, about 159 km east of Vladimir and 86 km west of Nizhny Novgorod.

One of the oldest towns in the region, Gorokhovets is included in the list of historical settlements of Russia. On the territory of the town and its environs, a lot of monuments of church and civil architecture from different eras have been preserved. Gorokhovets on Google Maps. Photos by: Yuliya Baturina.

Cathedral of the Annunciation (1700) in Gorokhovets.

Gorokhovets, Vladimir Oblast, Russia, photo 1

beautiful architecture of provincial Russia

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May/23

6

Atsgara Lakes in Karachay-Cherkessia

Atsgara lakes or the Pyatiozerye (“Five lakes”) valley are located at an altitude of about 2,500 meters above sea level in the Urupsky district of the Republic of Karachay-Cherkessia, about 26 km northwest of the village of Arkhyz and 7 km east of the village of Zagedan.

In total, there are more than 10 lakes here, but only 5 are large in size, their length is about 200-350 meters. The lakes are located on mountain terraces formed by an ancient glacier and at different heights relative to each other. In summer, these lakes warm up quite well and you can cool off in them. Atsgara Lakes in Karachay-Cherkessia on Google Maps. Photos by: Fedor Lashkov.

Atsgara Lakes in Karachay-Cherkessia, Russia, photo 1

amazing mountain scenery

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The Circum-Baikal Railway is the name used during the construction (1899-1905) and in the first years of operation of the 260 km section of the Trans-Baikal Railway. Today, this is a dead end section of Slyudyanka IIBaikal, 89 kilometers long. It is located about 70 km south of Irkutsk and runs along the shore of Lake Baikal.

This railroad has no equal in Russia by the number of engineering structures. Its tunnels and stone galleries are unique. Built according to non-standard projects, they were not rebuilt in subsequent years, retaining the original plan of architects and engineers of the early 20th century. Photos by: Mikhail Tilpunov.

Steam Locomotive of the Circum-Baikal Railway, Russia, photo 1

amazing train ride

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Apr/23

1

The Rostral Columns in Saint Petersburg

The Rostral Columns are majestic architectural monuments located in the center of St. Petersburg, on the spit of Vasilyevsky Island, which in turn is one of the most famous architectural ensembles of the city. In the 19th century, these columns were used as lanterns to illuminate the port of the capital of the Russian Empire.

They were built according to the project of the French architect Jean-Francois Thomas de Thomon in 1805-1810 and were decorated with rostra of ships (in Latin, rostra is the plural of rostrum meaning the bow of a ship). Photos by: Yuliya Baturina.

Rostral Columns in Saint Petersburg, Russia, photo 1

beautiful constructions

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Kineshma is a town (since 1777) with a population of about 77 thousand people, located in the northeastern part of Ivanovo Oblast, about 400 km northeast of Moscow. In 2010, it was included in the list of historical settlements of federal significance.

The town stands on the right bank of the Volga stretching along it for more than 11 kilometers. In Kineshma, both ordinary urban buildings of the 19th century and a number of architectural sights of the 19th – early 20th centuries have been preserved.

Architecture of Kineshma, Ivanovo Oblast, Russia, photo 1

feel the vibe of the old Russian merchant town

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Ivolginsky Datsan “Khambyn Khuree” (“Abode of the Wheel of Teaching, bringing happiness and full of joy”) is a Buddhist monastery-university, the center of the Buddhist traditional Sangha of Russia, which is the largest Buddhist community in Buryatia and one of the largest in the country.

This monument of history and architecture is located in the Republic of Buryatia in the village of Verkhnyaya Ivolga, about 36 km west of the center of Ulan-Ude, the capital city of the republic. Ivolginsky Datsan on Google Maps. Photos by: Alexandr Lipilin.

Ivolginsky Datsan, Buryatia, Russia, photo 1

colorful Buddhist monastery

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Jan/23

22

Snow-covered mountain terraces of Dagestan

The abandoned mountain terraces of Dagestan, several thousand years old, are among the most interesting sights of this region. The largest number of them has been preserved in the Gunib and Dadakhan districts.

The mountain terraces of Bali, China, Peru, and other regions of Southeast Asia and Latin America are known all over the world. In some countries, mountain terraces are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Snow-covered mountain terraces of Dagestan, Russia, photo 1

amazing scenery

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Dec/22

27

Syktyvkar – the view from above

Syktyvkar is a city with a population of about 220 thousand people, the capital of the Komi Republic, located in the north-east of the European part of Russia.

The distance from Moscow to Syktyvkar (in a straight line) is about 1,000 km in a northeasterly direction. Its name, translated from the Komi language, means “the city on the Sysola River”. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

Syktyvkar, Komi Republic, Russia, photo 1

fly over Syktyvkar

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The Aniva Lighthouse is an amazingly picturesque abandoned lighthouse located on Cape Aniva in the very south of Sakhalin Island in the Far East of Russia. The height of the building is 31 meters, the height of light – 40 meters above sea level.

This mysterious place is an important tourist attraction of Sakhalin. Tourists usually come here on private boats. The lighthouse is gradually destroyed by water and wind. In the coming years, it is quite possible that repairs will be carried out to preserve this unique building. The Aniva Lighthouse on Google Maps. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

Abandoned Aniva Lighthouse on Sakhalin Island, Russia, photo 1

beautiful remote place

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