PLACES OF INTEREST - Russia

Beslan

I walk around with a lump in my throat and walk to the school itself where in 2004 a huge hostage-terror-attack took place. Through the windows I see a coat hanging on the coat rack and on a blackboard something is written as if it happened yesterday ...  . Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2014 | Travel Story | Sight

Elista

The people here are originally Mongolian and it is striking when you suddenly see a European Russian face among these Asians .... You can also visit a Buddhist temple in this desolate corner in Russia. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2014 | Travel Story | City 

Kaliningrad

Located in the Russian enclave (little Russia) , this former Prussian capital (Konigsberg) is on the rise; symbol is the old red brick cathedral and the old German harbor including the fire tower. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Places of Interest | City

Kizhni (Petrozavodsk)

Beautifully situated on an island, Kizhi with its wooden church buildings, chapels and houses is one of Russia's most picturesque places. Downfall it’s very touristic and only to reach by boat from Petrozavodsk. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Places of Interest | Sight

Kursk

Kursk is maybe (in)famous because of the name of the big tank battle between nazi-Germany and the Red Army but actually the battle was never fought over here. The city has god a big cathedral and north in town is a big park with several monuments. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2014 | Travel Story | City 

Moscow

Everyone knows about the Red Square, Lenin's Mausoleum and the Moscow Kremlin, but this capital and metropolis of Russia has more to offer. One of the must see things is the metro but you can also visit the Borodino battlefields. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2001 en 2014 | Places of Interest | City

Novgorod

Novgorod is one of Russia's oldest historical and cultural cities and is best known for its beautiful Kremlin. Don’t get this town mixed up with his sister-city “Niznhny Novgorod” which means the “new” Novogorod. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Places of Interest | City

St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg is with its architecture from the 18th and 19th century, its canals, its long straight streets, gardens, parks and palaces a big tourist attraction visiting Russia. Biggest draw must be the Hermitage and the Summer palace. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2001 en 2016 | Places of Interest | City

Prokhorovka

Only war buffs know the city of Prokhorovka were the biggest tank battle in history took place during WW2 in  the summer of 1943. There are two big museums and in the backyard you can visit a reconstructed piece of battlefield including wooden trenches and some pieces of artillery. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2014 | Travel Story | Sight 

Pskov

Pskov not far from the Baltic States has been besieged, occupied, attacked and destroyed for more than 700 years by, among others, the Swedes, Poles, French and Germans. It’s one of Russia’s most European cities with a very impressive Kremlin. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Places of Interest | City

Shlisselburg (Fort Oreshek)

Ironically has Shlisselburg still a German name; it was here, on a small island that the Russian army would fight a heroic fight with the mighty German Army that kept an iron fist on the Russian city of Leningrad. The fort here in the infamous Ladoga Lake stayed Russian. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Travel Story | Sight

Smolensk

The city has been immortalized by Tolstoy's Love & War telling the story from the battle between the French and the Russian army’s. But Smolensk also has got Russia's most beautiful cathedral and a very impressive city wall. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Places of Interest | City

Staraja Roessa

We now walk eastwards back to the river to see the city's biggest attraction; the red-white Resurrection Church with its beautiful domes ...  . Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Travel Story | City

Suzdal (the Golden Ring)

I walk up the old ramparts of the fortified section and have a beautiful view of the courtyard with an old wooden church and of course the beautiful church of the Blessed Virgin Mary with its implausible blue onion-domes adorned with golden stars ... . . Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2014 | Travel Story | City 

Trans-Mongolia-express

One of the most train journeys is the Trans Mongolian Express from the capital of Russia, Moscow towards the Baikal Lake in the far east and then to Ulan Bator (capital of Mongolia) to Beijing, China. Three countries and several time-laps. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2001 | Travel Story | Traintrip 

Tsjernjachovsk

This second city of the enclave of Russia (little Russia) what was once Eastern Prussia; Tsjernjachovsk has got some old fashioned wooden Prussian houses, a ruined castle Insterburg and some old forts to wonder around. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Travel Story | City

Tver and Rhzev

Two rather big Russian cities in the west of the country. Both on the Wolga with a few touristic sights; some beautiful cathedrals, impressive monuments but also grimm looking Soviet-style apartment blocks. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2016 | Travel Story | City

Volgograd

Most famous is the city as the famous Battle of Stalingrad which meant a big turning point in WWII. The 100km long city has numerous museums, monuments and memorials that commemorate the battle. Read more >>>

Russia | Travel 2014 | Places of Interest | City