The Motherland Calls, Volgograd

Undoubtedly, the most tragic page in the history of Russia was the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, which took the lives of millions of Soviet people, who defended their motherland. Every inch of Russian land had to be won back with incredible efforts and terrible losses. Entire cities fought to the bitter end, including all peaceful population, and that incredible example of courage and perseverance later brought them the honorary title of Hero Cities of Russia.
If you chose this journey we invite you to visit the splendid Russian cities: Kursk, Smolensk, Volgograd, St. Petersburg, Orel and many others. Each of them keeps the memories of those terrible events displayed in grandiose monuments, memorials, museums and exhibitions ...

The Hero City of Volgograd is known for its most vivid and spectacular revelations of the bloody horrors of the war. Pictures of the past come alive when you visit the Stalingrad Panorama Museum right at the foot of the Mamaev Kurgan.

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The Volga

The Volga (Russian: Во́лга) is the longest river in Europe.

Situated in Russia, it flows through Central Russia to Southern Russia and into the Caspian Sea. The Volga has a length of 3,531 km (2,194 mi), and a catchment area of 1,360,000 km2 (530,000 sq mi).

It is also Europe's largest river in terms of average discharge at delta – between 8,000 m3/s (280,000 cu ft/s) and 8,500 m3/s (300,000 cu ft/s) – and of drainage basin. It is widely regarded as the national river of Russia. The hypothetical old Russian state, the Rus' Khaganate, arose along the Volga c. 830 AD. Historically, the river served as an important meeting place of various Eurasian civilizations.

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The Intricate Wooden Churches of Kizhi Island

Kizhi Island in Russia's Lake Onega, about 300 miles northeast of St. Petersburg, is home to two extraordinary churches constructed in the 18th century.

Built side-by-side, the 22-dome Church of the Transfiguration and the nine-dome Intercession Church both seem to gleam silver in the sun. But it's a trick of the light: each structure is made entirely of interlocking wood, with no metal involved — not even a single nail.

The Church of the Transfiguration, built in 1714, stands 121 feet tall, while the Intercession Church, completed in 1764, is 105 feet. The two buildings are the main drawcard of the Kizhi open-air museum, a collection of wooden houses, barns, and granaries imported from villages around the region.

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? ? Happy New Year ? ?

Wishing you all, have a wealthy and healthy life. ?

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