Russia

Just in case you mistakenly heard that it was all ice and snow in Russia, take a peek at the Big Bikini Exposition. This is right on the river Moskva in Moscow!Moscow has been the capital of Russia for almost its entire history. The exception is during the period of the Russian Empire, which lasted from 1721 until t...

Вологда

Vologda was first mentioned in Novgorod chronicles for 1147, when Saint Gerasimus found a church and village already standing there. Surrounded by impassable woods, the settlement was inhabited by Novgorodians who pulled the ships from a tributary of theVolga to a tributary of the Northern Dvina, thus making possibl...

Isfahan

History and OverviewIsfahan is located in central Iran, equidistant from the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea. It sits on both the east-west and north-south trade routes which traverse the country.Isfahan has artifacts dating back to the Paleolithic period, and written history going back to ancient Aspandana. At one...

Kaluga Oblast

Kaluga Oblast  is a federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the city of Kaluga. It was created in 1944 out of four other oblasts: Moskva Oblast, Orel Oblast, Smolensk Oblast, and Tula Oblast. It is located at the historical region of the former Kaluga Governorate.

«Malye Korely» Museum of Wooden Architecture and Folk Art

Das Museum liegt am rechten Ufer der Nördlichen Dwina unweit der Einmündung des Flüsschens Korelka, etwa 25 Kilometer südöstlich von Archangelsk. Das beim Museum gelegene Dorf nennt sich in leicht abweichender Schreibweise Malyje Karely. Das Museum nimmt eine Fläche von 139,8 Hektar ein. Das Freilichtmuseum ist eine...

Pskov

Izborsk

Schokland

Schokland is a former island in the Dutch Zuiderzee. Schokland lost its status as an island when the Noordoostpolder was reclaimed from the sea in 1942. The remains are still visible as a slightly elevated part in the polder and by the still partly intact retaining wall of the waterfront of 'Middelbuurt'. As a resul...

Cappadocia

Cappadocia is a part of central Turkey. Eruptions of several volcanoes (e.g. Erciyes Dag, Hasan Dag) had covered the area with tuff. Erosion dug valleys and created an uncountable number of different shaped rocks. The tuff's ability to store water made the valleys much more fertile than the higher surroundings. Afte...