The Naval Cathedral of St. Nicholas is the last and largest naval cathedral of the Russian Empire built in Kronstadt (a small town which is part of St. Petersburg) in 1903-1913. It is the tallest building in Kronstadt (70.5 meters).

This majestic cathedral is a monument to all sailors of the Russian Navy. Kronstadt, founded by order of Peter I, was the main naval base of the Baltic Fleet since 1720s. Since 2013, the cathedral is considered the main church of the Russian Navy. Photos by: Yuri Yuhanson.

wonderful cathedral

Tags: churches · Saint Petersburg city

Ukok is a plateau located in the south of Altai Republic, on the border of Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia and Russia.

Numerous rivers, lakes, and marshes make this area fantastically beautiful. There are a lot of ancient legends about Ukok, more than 150 Scythian burial mounds were found here.

beautiful landscapes

Tags: Altay Republic · landscapes

Divers found the historical Russian mini-submarine “Som” (“Catfish”) that disappeared during the First World War near the coast of Sweden.

May 10, 1916, while carrying out patrols in the area of Aland Islands, the submarine collided with the Swedish steamer “Ingermanland” and sank. None of the crew of the submarine (18 people) survived.

One hundred years later…

Tags: Russian Empire

St. Petersburg, the former capital of the Russian Empire, is a unique city with its own rules of conduct. To preserve historic buildings, the legacy of the era of the Russian Empire, the construction of high-rise buildings is not permitted in the city center.

The general plan of Saint Petersburg of the 19th century has remained practically unchanged since that time. Straight streets, strict compliance with the architectural styles, all of this can be seen particularly well from above, when flying over the city in a helicopter. Photos by: Stepanov Slava.

let’s fly over amazing Saint Petersburg

Tags: Saint Petersburg city

Alexander Mikhailovich Rodchenko (1891-1956), a Russian graphic artist, sculptor and photographer, was a true genius of Soviet propaganda, one of the founders of constructivism, the founder of design and advertising in the USSR.

Rodchenko is probably the most famous Russian photographer, almost everybody in Russia has seen at least a couple of his photos. Let’s get acquainted with some of his works. Source: humus.

On the corner of Myasnitskaya Street in Moscow (1920s)

people in the early Soviet Union

Tags: Soviet past

Yaroslavl region is a subject of the Russian Federation located in the north of European Russia, in the center of the East European Plain. The distance from Yaroslavl, the regional center, to Moscow is 282 km.

Previously, almost all the territory of the region was occupied by dense coniferous and mixed forests (spruce, pine), but, today, they are mostly substituted by birch and aspen forests, and cropland. Also, large areas are occupied by marshes. It seems to be nothing special, but these pictures tell a different story. Photos by: Andrey Grachev.

wonderful Russian nature

Tags: landscapes · Yaroslavl oblast

Yesterday, the 16th FINA World Championships (aquatic sports) was officially opened in Kazan, the capital city of Tatarstan Republic. The World Championships will be held from July 24 to August 16, 2015 (including the 16th FINA World Masters Championships that will be held August 5-16, 2015).

Competitions in six water sports (swimming, open water swimming, diving and high-diving, synchronized swimming and water polo) will be held in three main arenas. This is the first time in history when Russia holds such competitions.

Good luck to all the participants and let the best win these beautiful medals!

more info

Tags: Kazan city

In the south of Gamov peninsula in the Sea of Japan (Primorye krai), there is a cape of the same name. It was named in honor of an officer of the frigate “Pallada” that arrived here in 1854.

This area, characterized by strong winds and frequent fogs, was very dangerous for navigation. That’s why it was decided to build a lighthouse here. The construction began in 1901, and the lighthouse was opened in 1906.

on the eastern edge of Russia

Tags: Primorye krai

The mansion of Mikhail Aseev, opened after restoration in the autumn of 2014, is one of the most outstanding sights of Tambov.

This luxury two-storey house is located in the most prestigious part of the city – in the park on the picturesque bank of the River Tsna (Gogol Street, 1).

explore the mansion

Tags: Tambov city

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