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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Russia

187 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Russia

Updated March 7, 2025

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  1. Irkutsk
  2. Kazan
  3. Kronshtadt
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  13. Ulan Ude
  14. Volgograd
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Soviet History 28
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Military 18
Sacred Spaces 18
Architectural Oddities 17
Statues 15
Monuments 15

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Stories About Russia

Few folk figures have endured like Baba Yaga, who has been described as witch, mentor, villain, trickster, and now, perhaps, a feminist icon.

Who Is Baba Yaga?

Trickster, mentor, probable goddess—Slavic folklore's most famous villain is so much more than a witch.
by Kris Spisak
Dance performances are a major part of Yhyakh celebrations.

In the Siberian Arctic, New Year Comes in June

Yhyakh is the summer holiday we all need.
by Andrew Coletti
Just how big can the gateway to the underworld get?

Siberia’s Doorway to the Underworld Is Getting Even Bigger

Say goodbye to a million cubic meters every year.
by Jennifer Billock
Taken in 1917 at Tsarskoye Selo, outside St. Petersburg, this is the only known color photo of the original Amber Room.

The Enduring Mystery of the Amber Room, Coveted by Tsars, Nazis, and Treasure Hunters

Crafted from amber and gold, it enthralled all who saw it. Then, near the end of World War II, it disappeared.
by Stefan Bachmann and April Genevieve Tucholke

Podcast: Dyatlov Pass, Part 2

The mysterious tragedy of the Dyatlov Pass Incident gets an explanation—but not necessarily one everyone accepts.
by The Podcast Team

Podcast: Dyatlov Pass, Part 1

The tragedy and mystery of the Dyatlov Pass Incident has captured imaginations for decades.
by The Podcast Team
This photo was taken around 1930 of the Tunguska marshes, the epicenter of the mysterious Tunguska Event.

Podcast: The Tunguska Event

Earth's largest documented impact event happened in a remote corner of Siberia in 1908.
by The Podcast Team

In Early Modern Russia, Witches Were Men and Belief in Magic Was Universal

Terrifying love spells and protective "spells to power" offered the chance for control in a fiercely hierarchical society.
by Valerie Kivelson

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