Two hundred years ago this month, the death of Empress Catherine II brought many things in Russia to an end. Russia said goodbye to its last female ruler, and to the last ruler in its history to be given the title "veliky" (great). The period known as the Golden Age of the Nobility also drew to a close. Nikolai Pavlenko tells the story of the controversial and strong-willed German princess who siezed ppower in a vast foreign country and earned the ardent respect of her subject and outsiders alike.
Of the brave first generation of Russian fashion designers, no one is as flamboyant and extravagant as Valentin Yudashkin. Our correspondent finds out what lies behind the success of this eccentric aesthete.
Forty years ago this month, an uprising in Hungary tested the liberal credentials of the new Khrushchev regime and ended a warming trend in the Cold War. Noted historian Roy Medvedev describes the events of autumn 1956 in Budapest from a contemporary Russian standpoint.
At a time when it would seem Russians have little in the present to glory in, there is ever more reason for looking to the past.
Readers comment and correct.
The latest from the travel front.
All the news that fits from all across Russia.
A look at the too short life and rich work of the 19th century painter Maria Bashkirtseva.
The language of smoking and smokers, all-important in Rus', is handled in this column.
Yaroslavl has always been one of Russia's most attractive and visitor-friendly cities. Now, as our writer discovers, its rich history and cultural traditions are providing the basis for a revival of its fortunes.
Where to get Russian-made gifts without traveling to Russia.
Moscow Solyanka -- a hearty fish and vegetable soup, is the featured recipe in this issue.
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