Almaty · Art · Museums · Heritage · Society

Rioters broke into a museum in Almaty, but the exhibits were left untouched

In Almaty, an attack has been carried out on the Kasteyev Art Museum, the largest in Kazakhstan and one of the biggest in the Asian region. The priceless collection, which includes works by Dürer, Savrasov, Repin, Konchalovsky, Saryan, Sidorkin and Khludov, remains intact. In the photograph: the halls of the

Almaty · Architecture · Observations · Society

The burnt-out akimat building of Almaty, that is, the city hall or municipal administration, formerly, before the capital was moved to Astana, the Presidential Palace

The burnt-out akimat building of Almaty, that is, the city hall or municipal administration, formerly, before the capital was moved to Astana, the Presidential Palace. Originally it was built in 1975-1980 as the headquarters of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Kazakh SSR. At the

Almaty · Architecture · Society

Four Historical Centres of Alma-Ata and the New Square in the 1978 General Plan

Almaty is a city of extraordinary architectural interest. Take the centre, for a start. Not everyone will grasp this, perhaps, but historically the city has had four different centres in the most traditional sense of the word. This became possible because its plan is not radial-concentric, like Moscow'

Almaty · Architecture · Society

Urban history of Republic Square in Almaty amid the unrest in Kazakhstan

One of the centres of the tragic events in Kazakhstan has been the republic's former capital, the city of Alma-Ata. The footage from the world news agencies illustrating the destructive nature of the disorders shows Republic Square. It is the very place where the December uprising of

Mores · Society

After its defeat in the First Greco-Turkish War of 1897, Greece endured great poverty, accompanied by unprecedented usury and a flowering of brigandage

After its defeat in the First Greco-Turkish War of 1897, Greece endured great poverty, accompanied by unprecedented usury and a flowering of brigandage. According to figures for 1899, there were 12,500 registered bandits in the country. The Greek historian Tasos Vournas writes that the government of Georgios Theotokis,

Almaty · Observations · Society

Today one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the lovely Almaty, is gripped by alarming and terrible events

Today one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the lovely Almaty, is gripped by alarming and terrible events. Kazakhstan, which I had always thought the safest place on earth, is shaken by disorder: public and government buildings are being seized, and there is gunfire, banditry, looting and violence

Faith · Observations · Society · Rome

The first papal homily of 2022 took as its theme the humility of the newborn Jesus and his trust in his Blessed Mother, given the poverty and uncertainty in which he was born, and urged us to fill our hearts with love rather than fear

Thus does God come: without so much as a cradle! With what feeling must Mary, knowing that she would bear a son who would be called the Son of the Most High and who was destined for the throne of his forefather David, lay her child, the infant Saviour, in

Faith · Society

Pope Francis condemned violence against women on 1 January 2022

How much violence is directed against women. Enough! To hurt a woman is to insult God. Pope Francis, 1 January 2022

NB! · Monarchies · Mores · Society · Humour

Peter I Tries to Plant European Ways in God-Guarded Little Mother Russia

Art · Observations · Society · Humour

Parshchikov's Suspence series and snowmen at the Just a Shot Away exhibition in the Alina Pinskaya Gallery

Those who are certainly not feeling the cold are Parshchikov's snowmen. Incidentally, this is one of three staged shots at the exhibition Just a Shot Away at the Alina Pinsky Gallery. The curated selection of around 40 works consists mainly of the Suspence series and conveys a mood

NB! · Observations · Society

If you are warm, do not forget to say thank you to the State Plan for the Electrification of Russia (GOELRO), adopted on 22 December 1920, which contained the decision to begin preparations for district heating

If you are warm, do not forget to say thank you to the State Plan for the Electrification of Russia (GOELRO), adopted on 22 December 1920, which contained the decision to begin preparations for district heating. Let me remind you that central heating is by no means to be found

Faith · Observations · Society

Pope Francis restricts use of the old Missal and the Tridentine Mass

Pope Francis has restored restrictions on the pre-reform Latin Mass, commonly known as the Tridentine. It is scarcely noticeable, but a drama of almost schismatic proportions is now unfolding in the Catholic world. What does this mean? No, the Pope has not yet forbidden priests to say Mass in