March 20th, 2012
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Valentina Khlystova, a resident of Sochi, Russia, is comforted by her daughter Tatyana Samokhval, after her house was bulldozed to prepare for the construction of the Olympic Village on September 19, 2012. The 2014 Winter Olympics will allow Russian President Vladimir Putin to show the world that Russia is able to organize major events and marshal resources to build world class venues.
via Bulldozing homes for the 2014 Winter Olympics « Hungeree.
In this beautiful capture, we see the entranceway to the Saint Petersburg Mosque in St Petersburg, Russia. When the mosque opened in 1913, it was the largest in Russia. Its minarets reach 49 meters (161 ft) in height and the impressive dome rises 39 meters (128 ft) high. The mosque is situated in downtown St Petersburg and can accommodate up to five thousand worshippers.
Worshippers are separated by gender during a worship service; females worship on the first floor, while the males worship on the ground floor. The Mosque was closed to worshippers from 1940 to 1956, and was even made into a warehouse during the Second World War. [Source: Wikipedia]
The proper name for this particular opening is a ‘portal‘. It is a general term describing an opening in the walls of a building, gate or fortification, and especially a grand entrance to an important structure. Doors, metal gates or portcullis in the opening can be used to control entry or exit. The surface surrounding the opening may be made of simple building materials or decorated with ornamentation. [Source: Wikipedia]
Picture of the Day: Entrance to the Saint Petersburg Mosque.
South Bridge, Kiev | Photograph by Vadim Mahorov @ dedmaxopka.livejournal.com
Russian photographer Vadim Mahorov goes to death-defying heights for the perfect shot. While the thrill of scaling buildings, towers and monuments is part of the allure, the dramatic aerial landscapes Vadim captures are absolutely breathtaking. Although many are quick to lump Vadim with other youths simply looking for the rush of infiltrating places they shouldn’t be, Vadim shows a clear passion for photography.
Some of the images below show the dizzying heights he and his friends scale, while other shots show the beautiful scenes he captures from his unique vantage points not many photographers will ever reach. This gives his work a unique perspective of cities around Russia. Vadim runs a very active blog at dedmaxopka.livejournal.com where he shares all of his work and travels. All of the images are full screen and it’s inspiring to see his photography skills develop over the last few years.
Please enjoy the selection below that are being shown with permission on the Sifter. Keep up the amazing work Vadim, and be careful!
On December 10, 2011, an estimated 50,000 people converged on Bolotnaya Square, Moscow, to protest against the ruling party and alleged electoral fraud. Demonstrators were demanding a rerun of the election and freedom for anyone arrested in protests earlier in the week. This fascinating polar panorama really captures the sheer size of the crowd gathered at the square. For a full 360 degree panorama of the protests and to really get a true sense of the size of the rally, check this out.
via Picture of the Day: Polar Panorama of Protests in Moscow, Russia.
The Parade of Prams 2011 takes place In Tyumen every year. Hundreds gather in the streets with a chance to really kick-start their baby’s legacy via a dominant stroller. Gotta love Russia.
via My baby stroller could kick your baby stroller’s ass (24 Photos) : theCHIVE.
