Archive · Books · Monarchies · Society · Saint Petersburg

"There is no power on earth more absolute than that of the sovereigns of Russia: throughout their empire their will is the only law; obedience the only morality

"There is no power on earth more absolute than that of the sovereigns of Russia: throughout their empire their will is the only law; obedience the only morality. Yet we shall see their pitiable condition, and how their power, having overstepped every limit prescribed to men, has destroyed itself

Books · Society · People

Garibaldi met Cuneo in Taganrog and swore an oath to fight for Italy

Taganrog is the only Russian city that Garibaldi names in his memoirs. And it is no accident that Garibaldi is commemorated in Taganrog by two monuments. Giuseppe Garibaldi arrived in Taganrog aboard a small merchant vessel with the most prosaic of purposes: to buy flour of a variety popular in

NB! · Archive · Society

A French artillery crew during the resoundingly lost Franco-Prussian War of 1870–1871

Architecture · Books · Heritage · Society

Bologna closes Garisenda Tower and cordons off area after abnormal oscillations

The Falling Tower from the "Divine Comedy" Is Under Threat of Collapse. The authorities of Bologna have closed access to the famous leaning tower of Garisenda and cordoned off the area around it, since the instruments monitoring the tower's condition have recorded anomalous oscillations. The Garisenda

NB! · Archive · In the Press · Society

An American Parcel for East Germany with a False Bottom

An American parcel for East Germany with a false bottom. Krokodil magazine, 1953

Observations · Education · Society

A High School Diploma in Oregon Can Now Be Had Even if You Cannot Read, Write or Count

A high school diploma in Oregon can now be had even if you cannot read, write or count. The state's competent authority has ruled that students no longer need to demonstrate writing skills or a knowledge of mathematics in order to proceed to higher education. Officials of the

Geography · London · Moscow · Society

First flights between London and Moscow in May 1959, with a stopover in Copenhagen

The first flight from London to Moscow and from Moscow to London took place in May 1959. The British side assigned a Vickers 806 Viscount, G-AOYS, to the service, the Soviet side a Tu-104A of Aeroflot. The route included a stopover in Copenhagen, and the journey time with

Geography · Maps · Science · Society

Cancellation of Mulovsky's 1787 expedition and transfer of its tasks to the Billings and Sarychev expedition

The "Glory of Russia" Medal Instituted by Catherine the Great Is Linked to the First Russian Circumnavigation. The expedition was conceived "on the occasion of the attempt by English trading entrepreneurs upon the conduct of trade and the hunting of beasts in the Eastern Sea" and

NB! · Museums · Heritage · Society

UNESCO plans to open a virtual museum of stolen artefacts

Monarchies · Society · Paris

The Women's March on Versailles in 1789 over bread shortages and high prices

The Women of Paris Go to Call on the King at Versailles, 5 October 1789. It was the March of the Women on Versailles, or the march of the women for bread, 234 years ago, that became one of the key turning points of the French Revolution. The women of

Faith · Observations · Society · Rome

Pope Francis on the eve of the Synod of Bishops, in which not only bishops and ordinary clergy but also laypeople will take part, among them, for the first time in history, 54 women

Among other things, the World Synod is to discuss the ordination of women to the priesthood and the blessing of homosexuals, and, along with it, to touch upon same-sex marriage as well. But it seems that nobody expects anything good any longer from Pope Francis with his incredible opportunism,

Education · Society

Funding for the "Pushkin Card" proposed to be cut by almost 8 billion roubles

Budget funding for the federal "Pushkin Card" project is proposed to be cut from 16.411 billion roubles to 12.508 billion roubles in 2024, and from 16.411 billion roubles to 12.691 billion roubles in 2025. At the same time, 28.3 billion roubles are proposed