Russia of Long Ago

Explore turn-of-the-century Russia in photographs by Prokudin-Gorskii . . . online.

It is well-known that Tsar Nicholas II loved photography. It seems, from history books, that he was more concerned with snapping pictures of his family and their outings than he was with ruling the Russia. Taking photos of the Empire was left to photographer Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii. Prokudin-Gorskii traveled the Empire recording lifestyles of Uzbek nomads, peasants at work, views of mosques, and even stretches of the Trans-Siberian Railroad.

To see Prokudin-Gorskii's photos digitally reproduced in color, visit The Empire That Was Russia. Beautiful, timeless, and evocative, these photos take you back in time.