Now on air
14:30
The candle workshop of the Valaam monastery
It is almost impossible to imagine the Russian Orthodox Church without its simple, uneven candles. In the Church the candle is a voluntary donation a believer makes to the church as well as a symbol of their prayers. For centuries monasteries have kept the secret of how these wax sticks are made. The Valaam Monastery has its own traditions and is one of the most famous monasteries in North-western Russia. For the monks, working in the candlestick workshop represents monastic obedience and obligatory monastic work. Despite the seemingly simple technology used in this process, producing these church candles requires the monks to have a surprising degree of skill and experience.
Astrakhan-style fish dishes
The largest river delta in Europe — the Volga Delta - is located in southern Russia and teeming with fishermen almost year-round. RTG TV presenter Igor Maximenko visited the popular fishing spot to cast his rod and learn how to prepare some original dishes from the local catch.
Now on air
14:30
Astrakhan-style fish dishes
Underground World of the Azish-Tau Mountain Range
The Azish Tau Ridge in the Western Caucasus is known for its karst caves, which permeate a group of mountains, creating a complex network of underground routes. Some of them, such as the Great Azishskaya Cave, were first studied and explored many years ago and are nowadays equipped for tourist visits. The majority of these caves however, will only ever be documented and described by scientists and researchers – not tourists. RTG TV host Denis Golovko went along with professional speleologists to help study the underground pathways. Prehistoric animal bones and darkness-loving bats waited for him in the Earth’s depths, where he learned how to explore sunken caves using scuba equipment.
Now on air
14:45