NB! · Architecture · Geography

Venice, Piazza San Marco

NB! · Geography · Maps · Society

France, which capitulated 43 days after the start of the Second World War, oddly enough not only escaped partition at the war's end, but even annexed Italian territories, marked in red on the map

NB! · Archaeology · Geography · Maps

The Spread of Slavic Culture in the 4th to 7th Centuries

NB! · The East · Geography · Maps

The frontiers of Russia (the Fergana Region), China (Kashgaria) and the British possessions (Dardistan) met on a short stretch between the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram range

The frontiers of Russia (the Fergana Region), China (Kashgaria) and the British possessions (Dardistan) met on a short stretch between the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram range. Map of 1909

Medieval miniature of the sun as a fiery circle with a crowned figure holding a torch, and people below gazing upward with hands on their chests.

NB! · Geography · Observations · Nature

Summer solstice on 21 June 2023 at 17:57 Moscow time, the longest day of the year

The summer solstice in 2023 will occur on 21 June at 17:57 Moscow time. A reminder that today is the longest day of the year.

NB! · Archive · Geography · Books · Science

The first issue of the journal of geography, natural sciences, inventions and observations "Vokrug sveta" [Around the World], 1861

The first issue of the journal of geography, natural sciences, inventions and observations "Vokrug sveta" [Around the World], 1861. The journal is still published, with brief interruptions, and is the oldest regional studies and popular science magazine in the country

Map of Europe with countries coloured by train speed in kilometres per hour, Spain and France shown in dark green.

NB! · Geography · Observations

Map of train speeds in European countries, highest in Spain and France

Train speeds in Europe. We are doing decently, but one would like to match Spain, or at least Italy

Relief map of the Mediterranean and Black Seas with French labels, turned so that west is at the top.

Geography · Maps · Observations

The Mediterranean on Sabine Réthoré's 2011 map with west at the top

What If We Turned the Mediterranean Upside Down? Sometimes one simply has to look from the other side

NB! · Geography · Maps · Observations · Society

There is much talk of the communist damage done to East Germany, which still cannot climb out of its economic hole

There is much talk of the communist damage done to East Germany, which still cannot climb out of its economic hole. Meanwhile, on this map the countries of Europe with a GDP per capita lower than that of present-day East Germany are marked in red

NB! · The East · Geography · Observations · Paris

A marker in the paving near the Luxor Obelisk in Paris, pointing the way to Thebes, whence the obelisk was brought in the 1830s

Archive · The East · Geography · Books · Nature · Rome

The greatest tragedy has struck the peoples of Turkey and Syria on Monday 6 February

The greatest tragedy has struck the peoples of Turkey and Syria on Monday 6 February. Two earthquakes, of magnitude 7.8 and 7.7, have affected vast territories in both countries. It is hard to judge as a non-specialist, but the epicentre of the earthquakes seems to lie in

Architecture · Geography · Heritage · Rome

Under Mussolini, Rome's Metro Line B was built a few metres from the Colosseum

In the 1940s the Rome Metro was laid in close proximity to historic monuments. Line B passes a few metres from the Colosseum. Did anyone worry about possible damage to the ancient buildings? Mussolini, at any rate, was untroubled: he proclaimed a policy of the most direct route, that is,