Russian Travel Guide

The Farm of The Valaam Monastery

The chronicles don't tell us when the first cows appeared on the island of Valaam. We do know when the monastery's farm was built, however - 1881. Today, instead of kerosene lamps there is electricity, and the cows are milked by machines, rather than by hand. Prayers can be heard in the sheds, playing through loud speakers. Only one thing hasn't changed - the cows are cleaned, fed and milked by the monks and novices of the Valaam Monastery. In the 21st century, a cheesemaker also appeared here. How the Valaam Monastery's farm operates, in a film by RTG TV.

Four Fortresses. The Battle for the Borders of Rus

The Baltic Sea and its rivers, which were part of the legendary trade route «from the Varangians to the Greeks», also serve as the North-Western border of Russian land. It is no coincidence that here, starting in the 9th century, several powerful citadels were constructed: Staraya Ladoga, Koporye, Ivangorod and Vyborg Castle. Medieval architects tried their best to design defensive structures that blended in well with the local landscape. This served as a type of camouflage, with nature and its cliffs, steep riverbanks and the Finnish Gulf adding another element of defense. These historic fortresses, located on important and strategic grounds, were passed back and forth between countries and were improved along with the development of wartime tactics and strategy. How did Ivan III trick the Livonian Order? Where is was the Swedish king’s treasure hidden and why is Russian chainmail bette...

Коллекция Russian Travel Guide. Природа. Краснодарский край