This is a panoramic view of the country long hidden by the Iron Curtain, struggling to reinvent itself once again. Russia's heartland, the region of the old Tsarist empire, offers a cultural landscape redolent of fresh discoveries. Moscow is only one of the country's centers: Russia's history is also closely bound with proud city republics such as Novgorod, the medieval cities of the Golden Ring, like Susdal, and the Romanovs' brilliant St. Petersburg. Combining beautiful photographs and an informative text, the book gives a portrait of a country that is large, complex, and utterly fascinating.



