Tag Archives: history

During your stay in Moscow a visit to the Izmaylovo Kremlin (Кремль в Измайлово) is a great opportunity to dive into the spirit of ancient Russia. This unique complex was inspired by the architecture of old Moscow and by drawings of Russian fairytales. It can easily be called the Disneyland of Russian history and handcraft. ...

On a recent day trip, I rented a car and drove to Priozersk (Приозерск). Priozersk is a small town of around 19,000 people in the Leningrad Oblast region of Russia, roughly two hours drive from Saint Petersburg. Located near the border with the Karelia region, it is sandwiched between Lake Ladoga and the Vuoksi River. ...

Today Russia is the largest country on Earth by area, and covers more than one-eighth of the planet’s inhabited land area. But how did it get to be so big? The answer to this question lies all the way back in the 16th century with the Russian ruler Ivan IV, known as Ivan the Terrible. ...

If you’re like me, you love podcasts. You listen to them on your way to work, at the gym, or even over a cup of tea. Edifying, intellectually engaging, and often humorous, podcasts are not only a great way to optimize your free time, but also a crucial tool to help improve your skills. What ...

A trip to Russia is not complete without a trip to a classic Soviet-style stolovaya. Usually translated into English as a canteen, the establishment of the Russian stolovaya is a nostalgic mark that adorns almost every street in the centre of St Petersburg and Moscow like a purified crystal from the rich furnace of Soviet history… ...

This year I spent nearly 10 weeks in Moscow and was able to see a variety of sights. With this blog post, I want to help you save time during your stay and gather together the most important places to see when visiting this amazing city. The Red Square The Red Square is one of ...

A very Russian institution The St. Petersburg metro is often praised for its beauty but it is also a place full of little stores, nooks and crannies which I found myself looking at yesterday. About everything and anything can be found there from a kitten calendar and the newest Russian romance novels to pens, newspapers ...

Thousands of years ago on the coasts of the Black Sea, the wanderers of the great Sea of Grass met the masters of the Mediterranean. This encounter between Ancient Greece and the ancestors of the Russian-speaking world would be marked by commerce, cultural exchange and war. I will give you a short overview of what culture ...

I am a self-professed history nerd, especially when it comes to modern history of Russia. As I’m now into my final week in St. Petersburg, I find myself looking at the long list of must-see sights I made in my first week and despairing at how few I’ve managed to cross off. The modern history ...

During my time in St. Petersburg so far, I have walked past St. Isaac’s Cathedral and been quietly impressed with it more times than I can say. However, I never took the time to find out about the history of it, but the 249th anniversary of its inauguration today has given me a great opportunity ...