Unknown Russia

Anna Korob is a Russian documentary photographer. Abandoned churches, fading estates, and ghost towns are the main subjects of her reports. For five years, Anna has been traveling across the country in search of forgotten historical monuments lost in the... Russian provinces. A hobby has turned into a research project that aims to draw attention to the dying objects of cultural heritage. Throughout our country, there is a vast number of historical monuments. A significant amount of Russia's cultural heritage is currently under threat. Every year, hundreds of objects representing cultural or historical value irretrievably disappear, many of which have not yet been studied by historians and archaeologists. It is hard to imagine now, but 150 years ago, any small town or tiny village was unthinkable without an Orthodox church. Before falling into disrepair, each of them welcomed thousands of parishioners for centuries. Majestic estates of the Russian aristocracy, where life once thrived. Meanwhile, the Russian estate and its culture represent the richest and unique layer of historical heritage, a forgotten world created by our ancestors over two centuries. The charm of Russian estates is reflected in all forms of art - they have been described in novels, made into films, and celebrated in poems. Today, these buildings are in ruins, but their walls preserve the memory of times gone by. There is a kind of haunting and astonishing beauty in these forgotten architectural monuments. These reminders of a once-rich culture are stored in many cities and villages across Russia. Once revered, they have been abandoned.