Iturup is an island of the southern group of the Great Ridge of the Kuril Islands, the largest island of the archipelago, part of Sakhalin Oblast, Russia. The island is disputed by Japan, which considers it as part of Nemuro Subprefecture of Hokkaido Prefecture.

According to the most common version, the name of this island goes back to the word “etorop”, which is translated from the Ainu language as “jellyfish”. In 2023, the population of the island was about 6,900 people. Iturup Island on Google Maps. Photos by: Andrey Grachev.

amazing nature of Iturup

Tags: Sakhalin oblast

Discover vibrant poker scenes in Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru, Malacca, and Genting Highlands, offering competitive tournaments, diverse game options, and luxurious settings. From upscale poker rooms in city centers to high-stakes experiences with panoramic views, Malaysia caters to all levels of players. The thriving poker culture in different regions provides unique opportunities for immersive gaming experiences and professional tournament structures. Explore these top destinations to elevate your poker gameplay and immerse yourself in the excitement of Malaysia’s diverse poker landscape.

Photo by Michał Parzuchowski on Unsplash

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Severnaya Zemlya (literally “Northern Land”, until 1926 – Land of Emperor Nicholas II) is an archipelago located in the central part of the Arctic Ocean north of the Taimyr Peninsula on the border of the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. This is the northernmost part of Krasnoyarsk Krai of Russia.

The archipelago consists of 4 large islands (October Revolution, Komsomolets, Bolshevik, Pioneer) and a number of small ones. The area of Severnaya Zemlya is about 37 thousand square km. The length from north to south is 380 km, from west to east – 340 km. There is no permanent population on the islands. Severnaya Zemlya on Google Maps. The following photographs were taken by Slava Stepanov in July.

pristine arctic landscapes

Tags: Krasnoyarsk krai

For a long time, people have admired Russian gold rings for their fine workmanship, historical value, and classic beauty. These jewelry pieces, like the stunning beauty of Russian gold Alexandrite and the classic charm of rings set with amethyst, are the height of wealth and history in the jewelry world. In addition to being beautiful, Russian gold rings have a special draw for investors. You can use them as investments in old jewelry and potentially make money.

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“The Motives of Russian Architecture” was a magazine published in St. Petersburg from 1873 to 1880. It published projects of residential buildings, public buildings, furniture and decor created by followers of the Russian style. The goal of this movement was to revive the techniques and motifs of old Russian architecture.

After a series of European revolutions in 1848-1849, known as the Spring of Nations, the middle class was quickly becoming rich. They strived to have luxurious and rich interiors. Workshops and factories producing furniture and interior items tried to please wealthy customers. This is how a very magnificent movement in art and architecture arose, reviving the traditions and features of earlier eras of Russian style. Source: humus.

real Russian fairy tale

Tags: Russian Empire

The Dolgiye Mountains is one of the southern spurs of the Ural Mountains, stretching 14 km from north to south from the Ural River to the Sakmara River, on the 135th km of the Orenburg – Orsk highway.

The mountains are not high, but for the surrounding steppe terrain they look quite impressive and from a height they look like the backbone of a huge dragon. The Dolgiye Mountains on Google Maps. Photos by: Slava Stepanov.

beautiful mountain scenery

Tags: Orenburg city · Orenburg oblast · Orsk city

The Church of John the Baptist in Yaroslavl is an inactive Orthodox church, a unique monument of Russian architecture of the 17th century and one of the most famous works of the Yaroslavl school of architecture during its peak period. It is located in the southern part of Yaroslavl, on the right bank of the Kotorosl River.

This church is a monument of history and culture of world importance included in the UNESCO cultural heritage list. It was built in 1671-1687. Its 45-meter bell tower was built in the Moscow Baroque style in 1690. This is the only church in Russia with fifteen domes, divided into three groups.

unique multi-domed church

Tags: churches · Yaroslavl city

The Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord (1790) is an architectural monument of federal significance located in the village of Krasnoye in the central part of Tver Oblast of Russia. This picturesque church built in a pseudo-Gothic style is an almost exact copy of the Chesme Church in St. Petersburg (1780).

The height of the building is 24 meters, length and width are about 20 m. This red church looks especially unusual in winter against the backdrop of farmhouses and barns.

very picturesque church

Tags: churches · Tver oblast

The following book “Anti-Religious Alphabet” was published in Leningrad in 1933. The author of the pictures was Mikhail Mikhailovich Cheremnykh (1890-1962) – a Soviet graphic artist, cartoonist, book illustrator.

Each word in the poetic phrases accompanying the pictures begins with the corresponding letter of the Russian alphabet. Translation gives just a general meaning of these short phrases, but of course, if you know Russian, then this historical document is especially interesting. However, the illustrations themselves give some insight into the attitude to religion during the first decades of the Soviet regime. Source

1. Anti-Religious Alphabet.

godless ABC

Tags: propaganda · Saint Petersburg city · Soviet past

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