Before the revolution Bolsheviks had no define policy in regard to sexuality. The “sex issue” was for them mainly economic and sociopolitical and essentially boiled down to the problem of emancipating women and overcoming gender inequality. Sexuality was mentioned only in passing, especially in relation to the family.

Soviet legislation and social policy on issues of marriage and procreation in the 1920s were the most daringly progressive in the world. As early as 1918, women were accorded full equal rights with men in all and privet areas, including marriage and family relations. Women had the right…

Unfortunately, the realities of life that confronted the Bolsheviks immediately after revolution  were much more difficult than they had anticipated…

And the costs associated with the subsequent breakdown in marriage and family patterns – unwanted pregnancies, fatherless children, prostitution, the spread of venereal diseases – were great and provoked mounting concern…

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National Altai holiday El-Oiyn -”national games, national celebration” – sprang up at the end of 1980s in a wave of the revival of national culture as a direct heir of the meetings of ancient Altai tribes. Absorbed the best elements of ancient national traditions the El-Oiyn is a young holiday at the same time, that meets modern conception about a national festival.

Initially the El-Oiyn was intended not only as a peculiar local “Olympic games”, a championship for national sport games, but as a national festival that contributes to revival of cultural-historic traditions.

The first El-Oiyn took its place in 1988 near a village Elo of Omgudai region, and it included such national sport games as “kuresh” (sash wrestling), “shatra” (national Altai checkers), “kodurger tash” (rock lifting), archery, equestrian sport, theatrical show, and performance of national singing and dancing bands.

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The State Hermitage is one of the world biggest art and culture museum.
Founded in 1764, the Hermitage comprises eight departments: the Primitive Culture, the Culture of Antiquity, the Culture of the East, the History of Russian Culture, the Numismatics, the West European Culture, the Department of Science and Education, and the Restoration Department.
There are over 350 halls in Hermitage. The museum keeps about 3 million monuments of culture and art. Empress Catherine II initiated the collection of the Hermitage. In the end of the 19th century the museum was opened to public.
Paintings of such great masters as Leonardo da Vinci, Titian, Raphael, Rembrandt, Poussain, Manet, Renoir are in the ownership of the Hermitage. The Hermitage is famous its collection of Scythian golden articles.

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Maslenitsa is one of favorite holidays by Russians and people from other FSU countries. The history of the Maslenitsa lies in the pagan time of Russia. The Orthodox Church could not take the Maslenitsa away from people therefor just adapted the holiday for Orthodox calender. Read more about Maslenitsa week

venigorod is not too far from Moscow – in fact, it is very close. It was even in medieval times, due to its location on the Moscow River that enabled easy travel. Its prime location has dictated the town’s lifestyle since Moscow emerged as the center of power – but chances are that Zvenigorod is even older than Moscow itself. Read more

Though the name of the town means “New Town,” Novgorod is the oldest major Russian city. Read more

“In Russia there are many such women. They flourish and perish, and flourish again like flowers upon the roadway of existence. They are the strength behind the Russian nation, the spirit of its beauty”.

“Strong women rear them: strong men look down upon them”.

“During all their life they never forget God, they never sully themselves, they are never tempted by evil. Simply and tranquilly they live, their eyes full of light because their hearts are pure”.

“Because of them Russia is strong. Because of them the sun shines freshly and the birds sing. Because of their holiness men are allowed to be secular”.

“Russia herself, as has been observed, is a woman-nation. She is the Western-man’s wife, the womb of nations. Because of her holiness and simplicity, we may be worldly wise and live in towns”.

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The New Jerusalem Monastery, also known as the Voskresensky Monastery is a male monastery, located in today’s town of Istra in the Moscow oblast, Russia.

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See the photo of the Great Imperial Crown

Diamond Fund is the treasure house of the Kremlin. It is an amazing exhibition of diamonds, jewelry, precious minerals and stones.

The items on display date from the 18th century to the present. Highlights of the collection are the great imperial crown of gold, silver, diamond and pearls made by Swiss native J. Pauzie for the coronation of Empress Elizabeth, the daughter of Peter the Great; the giant Orlov Diamond (189.6 carats), a present from Count Orlov to his mistress, Catherine the Great; the Shah Diamond (88.7 carats), which was given to Tsar Nicholas I by Shah Fath ‘Ali in 1829 as a gesture of condolence after the assassination in 1829 of Alexander Griboyedov, the Russian ambassador to Persia and a well-known poet; and the largest gold nugget to have been preserved in the world, weighing 36kg.

Click to see the photos

Click to see the photos