Yoshkar-Ola: Florence in the center of Russia

Yoshkar-Ola is a small provincial town in the center of the European part of Russia. Before the revolution, this city was called Tsarevokokshaisk (Tsaryov city). At the time of Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevokokshaisk was the easternmost city on the border of Russia, and more specifically, the fortification on the border with the Kazan Khanate. In Soviet times, there were many military factories and strategic military missile units located here. After the collapse of the USSR, the city of Yoshkar-Ola became one of the most depressed cities in Russia. In times of high oil prices, the city began to change. At that time, the city of Yoshkar-Ola and the Republic of Mari El were headed by a strange man, Leonid Markelov. Leonid Markelov was a fan of Italy. Therefore, the city began to appear buildings similar to the monuments of architecture of Italy, as well as numerous churches. On the streets of Yoshkar-Ola, sculptures of European aristocrats (Lorenzo de Medici, Grace Kelly, and Prince Monaco Rainier III, etc.) appeared. In addition, copies of the Spasskaya Tower of the Moscow Kremlin and Red Square appeared in the city center. The embankment of the city river Kokshaga looked like the embankment of the Belgian city of Brugge. The city center has become a kind of Disney Land. Leonid Markelov imagined himself the prince of this small region of Russia, he began to confuse personal money with government money and was caught on a bribe. He is still in prison. Nevertheless, during his presidency, he radically changed the face of the city of Yoshkar-Ola, and now many tourists visit the city. My gear: Sony Action Cam FDR-X3000 - Sony SLT-A65V - Sigma 18-250mm DC MACRO HSM -