Architecture · Heritage · Rome

On the pediment of the Palace of Italian Civilisation, built in 1938-1940 by the architects Guerrini, La Padula and Romano, Mussolini's quotation of 2 October 1935 is still inscribed: "A people of poets, artists, heroes, saints, thinkers, scientists…

On the pediment of the Palace of Italian Civilisation, built in 1938-1940 by the architects Guerrini, La Padula and Romano, Mussolini's quotation of 2 October 1935 is still inscribed: "A people of poets, of artists, of heroes, of saints, of thinkers, of scientists, of navigators, of

Oval engraving with profiles of Alexander I, Paul I and Catherine II, Berlin, 1814.

Archive · Books · Monarchies

A book on how Europe turned its gaze to Russia during Napoleon's threat

A triple portrait of Catherine II, Paul I and Alexander I from the German book of 1815, "The Glorious Self-Sacrifice of Russia for the Salvation of Mankind" The book tells how all Europe turned its gaze northwards at the moment of greatest peril from Napoleon to every

Art · Monarchies · People

Table medal commemorating the death of Emperor Alexander I the Blessed, who reposed in God on 19 November 1825

The reverse bears the inscription: Our Angel in Heaven 1812. On the obverse, around the bust of the Emperor in a laurel wreath, a serpent bites its own tail.

Architecture · Faith · Heritage

Late 18th century church where a mammoth bone was reportedly gnawed to cure toothache

The Church of the Exaltation of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross at Nikolo-Berezovets. This church is said to have housed a unique relic: a mammoth bone, which, by custom, was gnawed to rid oneself of toothache. The vaults, as you can see, are in a sorry state of

A polished metal egg with a wavy seam across the middle and three inset stones: one purple, one pink and one striped yellow.

Faith · Art

Egg with coloured stones by the Austrian artist Koloman Moser, 1905

Easter egg of silver and precious stones. The work of the Austrian artist Koloman Moser, 1905

Marble cathedra with mosaic decoration, round inlays of green and red stone, twisted columns and a red cushion on the seat.

NB! · Architecture · Faith · Rome

Episcopal cathedra of 1254 in the Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura in Rome

The episcopal throne of 1254 in the Roman Basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura. The blue-eyed one

NB! · Observations · Humour

Naming: Pyaterochka

A small round pavilion with red walls and a silvery dome stands on a lawn, framed by trees barely in leaf. A branch bends low in the foreground under a clear blue sky.

NB!

Red rotunda with a dome among trees in a spring park

Coming Up · Architecture · Moscow · Science

The People's Observatory in Gorky Park offers sky viewing to all visitors from 1 May

The People's Observatory in Gorky Park: once the leaves come out, it will not be so easy to spot. The first astronomical station was built on this site as early as 1929, the present building went up in the 1950s, and since 2015 two new telescopes, donated by

Museums · Observations · Society · Paris

Six months ago I wrote about the warm-up exercises performed in the Louvre before "The Battle of Arbela", and now it has emerged that the Louvre and four major Parisian museums will take part in the events of the Olympic Games

Six months ago I wrote about the warm-up exercises performed in the Louvre before "The Battle of Arbela", and now it has emerged that the Louvre and four major Parisian museums will take part in the events of the Olympic Games. The Louvre, the Orsay, the Orangerie

Coming Up · Moscow

On the eve of the long holiday weekend, as is customary, I recommend the following theatrical events and concerts in Moscow

📌 29 April, 19:00 Beethoven's great piano sonatas will be heard in the Great Hall of the Conservatoire, performed by Dmitry Katrin and Kirill Kashunin. 📌 29 April, 19:00 The concert "A Journey through the Russian Avant-Garde" will take place in the Small Concert Hall