Rustic Russia

It’s quite impossible to explain Russia in just a few words. One will need a whole lifetime (or two) to get to know a large country that has gone through so much over the centuries. The largest country in the world doesn’t just come with a wide geographical area. It has a colorful history and a rich culture that make for an interesting attraction. The country receives millions of tourists from all over the world every year. Its art and culture brings together the best of the East and the West as it is sprawled over Eastern Europe and northern Asia. It goes over eleven different time zones and is made of topography of different land forms and environments. Suffice to say, Russia is a world of its own, diverse and unique.


Historical profile

Russia’s glory began with the reign of Peter the Great in the fifteenth century. He established St. Petersburg as the country’s “new window to the West” by moving his seat of government there. The Russian empire was at its greatest in 1914. After the Russian Revolution in 1917, the capital was brought back in Moscow with the Bolsheviks overthrowing the monarchy. From then, Russia has gone through different stages of government. It adopted a communist type of ruling then transitioned to a socialist republic.

The country was formerly a part of the Soviet Union, the first ever communist state in the world. Currently, Russia is transitioning to a federal republic after the Union was dissolved. It enjoys a rapidly developing economy that is mainly attributed to its rich natural resource. In fact, the country boasts of a flat income tax rate for all its citizens which is at thirteen percent.

Culture and people

As earlier mentioned, it is quite difficult to describe the whole of Russia, let alone, its culture in a few words. In essence, the country has one of the most interesting cultural identities in the world – a product of centuries of being under different types of governing bodies and being exposed to various political and social ideologies. The country gave birth to some of the most notable musical composers in the world including Rachaminoff, Prokofiev and Scriabin. It was also the home of the famous composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky – creator of the ballet musicals Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Sleeping Beauty.

Russian literature is also widely renowned for its creative geniuses including Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, Ivan Goncharov and Nikolai Leskov. Artworks have been preserved throughout the centuries depicting the history of its people. But you don’t even have to visit a museum just to view masterpieces. The architectural landmarks and buildings in themselves are works of art.

St. Petersburg and Moscow are just two of the many popular tourist destinations in the country. Russia is especially famous for its many interesting landmarks such as the St. Basil’s Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow. The structure was built during the 1500s to celebrate Ivan the Terrible’s conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan. Other notable landmarks include the Great Kremlin Palace, the Monastery Town in Corbis, and the Russian Imperial Summer Home to name a few.

Hotels in Russia

This page has the following sub pages.