Krasnodar



Krasnodar

Name: Olya Virich

Age: 26

Profession: Photographer

City: Krasnodar

How long have you been doing photography? I began in 2004 and mainly like to do street photography.

Your website? http://cargocollective.com/olyavirich

Your instagram? https://www.instagram.com/viricholya/

Can you give us a short description of your city? Krasnodar is the capital of the Krasnodar Kray (or, as it is commonly called, the Kuban), Russia's southernmost region. Two-thirds of the Kray is plains, one-third is mountains – the Northern Caucasus. It is washed by two seas: the Black and the Azov. The city's former name was Yekaterinodar, in honor of Tsarina Catherine II, who gave Kuban to the local cossacks and who founded the city here in 1793. Krasnodar is Russia's agricultural kingdom. 

What is something about your area that only locals would know? (1) There is a legend that, when Shukhov's Hyperboloid Tower was filled with water, a local kept a crocodile there. (2) Krasnodar has the world's highest number of malls per capita. (3) In the summer, Krasnodar's taxi drivers charge extra to turn on their air conditioning.

Which places or sites are a must for someone to see if they visit your area? The ship crossing in Adygey. The local VDNKh that has been turned into "Skazka," a collection of children's parks. The skate park in the forest near the Olymp Sporting Center. The ancient Vsesvyatskoye Graveyard in the center of the city. 



Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

About Us

Russian Life is the 31-year-old publication of an award-winning publishing house that also creates books, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955