Habitat 2023, March

Why is cheese called Dutch and not Dutch, artists are called "Little Dutchmen", and the island in St. Petersburg is called "New Holland"? For most of the inhabitants of the Earth, Holland and the Netherlands are synonymous words, but is it really so? Not so - there is a difference, and for many residents of this European country it is very fundamental

Before the release of the action-packed historical thriller "The Mummy Returns" in 2001, only Egyptologists and fans of William Golding's books knew about the existence of such a historical character as the King of Scorpio. At the same time, the personality of this pharaoh was presented in such a way that he looked more like some kind of fictional mystical creature than a real ruler of the Egyptian state. Nevertheless, the Scorpio King actually existed. Moreover, in egypt

Each country has its own rules and regulations, which may be radically different from what is accepted in Russia and other countries of the post-Soviet space. In fact, many do not even think about how badly it can damage the reputation, and sometimes become the cause of criminal punishment, non-compliance with generally accepted norms in the United States. At the same time, in the domestic open spaces, in certain situations, no one even pays attention to this

Some conspiracy theories don't go away no matter how much time passes or how much evidence to the contrary exists. One of the most famous examples is the flat earth theory. Its supporters do not calm down and continue to find new ways to "prove" that planet Earth is not a rotating sphere at all. All people are simply deceived! (I wonder who?) Darryl Marble, one of the flat-earth adepts, is absolutely sure that the earth is flat. Moreover, he even proved it

Elon Reeve Musk's life story is a real lesson in how a few simple principles, applied relentlessly, can produce amazing results. A small introverted boy who spends all his time reading books and a computer, which his classmates constantly made fun of. He was regularly beaten by cool bullies until he was strong enough to defend himself. How a clumsy South African botanist could become an internationally renowned entrepreneur

The great-niece of Leo Tolstoy from childhood was distinguished by an independent disposition and a desire for independence. Alexandra Tolstaya, born in the city of Poole on the English coast of the English Channel, has always been distinguished by determination. She longed to achieve success in the profession and became a brilliant TV presenter, wanted to travel to her historical homeland in Russia and achieved her goal. But all her dreams of simple female happiness were suddenly broken, and after two marriages she was left alone

Houses on legs are a very unusual phenomenon in the Moscow architecture of the Soviet period. Such residential buildings in the capital can be counted, perhaps, on one hand, because most of the Soviet high-rise buildings were boxes of the same type. Each house "floating in the sky" immediately became an urban architectural sensation. Such buildings may seem ugly to some, but there are also many fans of such architecture. Yes, and living in such a house is great and unusual

There is a very beautiful mansion on Novaya Basmannaya Street: the Stakheev House. It is built in the neo-Greek style, and several styles are collected inside at once. This is perhaps one of the most striking examples of architectural eclecticism in Moscow. And one urban legend is also associated with this chic building, according to which the owner of the house on Novaya Basmannaya many years ago became the prototype of Kisa Vorobyaninov (Ippolit Matveyevich) from "12 chairs"

Royal weddings are always exceptional. Even in the age of information technology, everyone wants to see with their own eyes a dream come true and a fairy tale come true. Royal families usually do not disappoint their fans and show the world bright wedding ceremonies. However, surprise is often mixed with the joy of the birth of a new "social unit"

For a long time, she was considered almost the personification of evil, ruining the life of Princess Diana. All four of John Spencer's children were unanimous in their hatred of the woman who became their father's second wife. The British press also did not stand aside, accusing the lady of a lack of taste and a desire to live at someone else's expense. It took many years for people to know the truth about who Lady Raine Spencer really was

Getting married is one of the most significant and exciting events in a girl's life. I would like everything to be perfect on this day: dress, hairstyle, makeup and the holiday itself. But the fragrance is what the bride chooses for herself. This perfume will then always be associated with the scent of happiness. In this case, princesses are no exception, but what perfumes they choose for their wedding - further in our review

Their story was similar to the plot of the famous movie "Roman Holiday", only its ending was happy. A princess from the ancient Sri Lankan clan Farida Moddalige fled from her parents' house on the eve of her own wedding, preferring to marry an aristocrat to live with a simple Russian, Mikhail Bondarenko. She had to endure a long break with her family, learn to iron shirts and cook borscht. But she never once regretted the decision she once made to become happy

On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana passed away, who tragically died in a car accident. And for more than 20 years, Lady Dee's sisters Sarah McCorkodale and Jane Fellowes rarely appear in public. However, William and Harry, sons of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, as it turned out, always maintained a relationship with their mother relatives. Both sisters of Princess Diana appeared in the official photo taken on the day of the christening of the son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

From the outside, the life of a member of the royal family can seem fabulous. Moreover, in public, representatives of the monarchy demonstrate the image of an ideal life, family and relationships. They are invariably friendly, politely smile at others and create a positive image in all available ways. It's just that outside the walls of the palace, sometimes a completely unfriendly atmosphere reigns, and Prince Harry even considers upbringing in the royal family to be traumatic

The relationship between mother-in-law and son-in-law often becomes a topic for anecdotes, and sometimes one of the reasons for the breakup of a young family. It is usually not easy to build relationships for a young married couple, but the situation is complicated many times when relatives from any side begin to "help" in this difficult matter. And the royal families are no exception in this regard. Did Princes William and Harry manage to win the hearts of their wives' mothers?

In some areas of Cameroon, Nigeria, as well as in other countries of Central and West Africa, a barbaric tradition is still practiced: teenage girls undergo painful breast ironing during puberty. Using hot objects or tight bandages, the breasts are “smoothed” to prevent growth. Mothers believe that in this way they will save their daughters from early sexual intercourse, rape and sexual harassment. Further in the review - shocking

At the mention of Fyodor Shekhtel, Moscow mansions in the Art Nouveau style immediately appear, but not only the capital can boast of the masterpieces of the great architect. Take, for example, Sharonov's mansion in Taganrog - one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. There is something to marvel at, moreover, this house is called a mini-copy of the capital's Yaroslavl railway station. To be in Taganrog and not see this gorgeous house is a big omission, because it is simply impossible to take your eyes off it

The legendary and outrageous architect Frank Gehry surprised the world with a new project. This spring it is planned to open the building of the cultural center in the French city of Arles. The high-rise made of stainless steel has a very original look: the facade consists of “wavy” edges, and the building itself seems to be composed of metal bricks, as a constructor. The building is called a steel tree, a lighthouse, and a metal rock, but it is possible that after its opening they will find some more accurate nickname. In any case, this is h

Some modern buildings fascinate us with ingenious architectural solutions, but not everything that is unusual is ingenious. Facebook has an English-speaking community called "Exactly, I'm a shame on architecture." In it, users from all over the world publish photos of the most ridiculous and tasteless, from their point of view, houses. It seems that this is just a prank, but all the buildings presented in the group really exist

Danila, the master from Bazhov's fairy tale, may not have been easy to create a stone flower, but the architect, who decorated the facades of St. Petersburg at the beginning of the last century, did it very well. Walking along the streets of the northern capital, past the former tenement houses and other pre-revolutionary buildings, not everyone will peer into the details. However, it is worth doing - you can see a wide variety of plants on the facades - from lotuses to sunflowers

The architecture of the old city of Irkutsk delights with wooden architecture and Siberian Baroque, however, in addition to this, you can find many strange buildings here, as if anticipating the time with their originality. The style of these houses is non-rutalism, or, as it is also called by local lovers of architecture, “Irkutsk Renaissance”. Such buildings were built in the city mainly in the 1970s and 1980s: then non-rutalism was in vogue in our country. True, there is still controversy about whether they are beautiful

We are used to celebrating military victories pompously. But there are enemies that are common to all mankind and victory over them is much more important. Diseases. Epidemics that threatened humanity with complete extinction. For example, such as the plague. A very terrible disease that decimated most of the population of medieval Europe. We are fortunately unfamiliar with it, but when traveling across Europe, you can often pay attention to the unusual structures built in the city centers on the squares. This is the so-called

What geometric shapes come to mind when a person thinks of a residential building? Of course, rectangles and squares. However, a family in Ipswich, Australia does not think so. She lived for almost 30 years in a house made of concrete balls. Is it convenient? The married couple says yes. These "bubbles" are quite comfortable. In addition, the spherical house looks fantastic both outside and inside. It seems that you live on some other planet

Now in the English estate of Fonthill-Gifford in Wiltshire, there is a small four-story tower. A two-story wing directly adjoins it. Nothing out of the ordinary. But earlier this place was one of the most unusual houses ever built. Fonthill Abbey, better known as Beckford's Caprice, was a building of fantastic proportions. The most fascinating thing was not the structure itself, but its unusual creators. The Surprising History of the Creation and Decline of the Most Eccentric Building in England

What today is denoted by the foreign word "handmade" in the Soviet Union was simply called "needlework". Considering that the choice of goods in the stores was small, homemade vases, boxes, hanging curtains in the doorway and small knick-knacks always found a suitable place for themselves in the apartments. It is interesting that with a huge selection of auxiliary materials, only a few models gained nationwide popularity

Lovers of luxury and pretentious household items will undoubtedly appreciate the discreet chic of modern designer furniture. Some of the pieces are indeed works of art and cost millions of dollars, although they don't look incredibly comfortable. Some are created, as if, with the simple goal of surpassing the previous price record

The armchair in the shape of a woman's body, created by Italian designer Gaetano Pesce, has been reproduced and copied hundreds of times, without thinking about the meaning of the designer himself. Brawler and provocateur, Pesce always knew how to tell sad stories in the most extravagant way, declared that "masculine thinking" is unacceptable in modern design, and architecture should be pleasant … to touch

Good design is about finding that very subtle yet pleasing balance between form and function. Much, of course, depends on what exactly you want to get at the end. There is one golden rule - keep the design simple. First of all, it should be understandable, as practical as possible and, naturally, extremely aesthetic. Some people think they don't need all those boring rules. Down with all restrictions! The following are the craziest and weirdest design ideas in the review

Can you imagine something slightly odd and flashy at the same time? The brainchild of fashionable Italian designer and sculptor Marcantonio Raimondi Malerba, giraffes holding chandeliers in their teeth. Someone will say that this is bad taste, while someone will like a unique and original piece of furniture. So what is hiding behind the kitsch in the works of an ironic artist, subtle style or hack?

When a UK shipping magnate, Frederick Richards Leyland, bought a house in 1876, he had no idea how it would turn out in the future. American artist James McNeill Whistler, who was immensely respected and appreciated by Leyland, was invited by him as a designer. Whistler happily set to work. In the process, he became so carried away that he created a real masterpiece, which is now housed in the Freer Gallery of Art in Washington. Why was the tycoon so unhappy with the job?

We are all familiar with the Scandinavian style - light shades, natural wood, comfort and democracy, interiors that have come down from the pages of IKEA catalogs. But several centuries before the advent of IKEA, the Swedish monarch Gustav III wanted to create a local Versailles - but the treasury was empty, and the natural conditions were harsh. It was then, in the distant 18th century, that the prototype of the fashionable Scandinavian style appeared - the "Gustavian style"

Woodworking is one of the first crafts that a person mastered. Wood is a very pliable material for the instrument, it is strong, light and beautiful. It is not surprising that wooden products have long been included in the life of people and enjoy their constant love. The masters of this complex business are very much appreciated, because this skill requires a lot of patience, knowledge, the right tools and, of course, a lot of experience. It does not matter at all whether you are a craftsman or just a connoisseur of this craft, you will undoubtedly be delighted with the work

Joe Columbo was a designer and visionary. Back in the sixties, he started talking about polyamory, working from home and other phenomena of today. He created futuristic projects, addressing them to us - people of the future. It was Joe Columbo who invented plastic chairs and modular upholstered furniture, for which in those years he was nicknamed the futurist

She created all the furniture that became the masterpieces of Le Corbusier - and he sent her at first to embroider pillows. She studied traditional technology in Vietnam and made armchairs from metal tubes. Her creations were kidnapped, glorified and elevated to a cult

Many ancient cities and houses are known in the world, but the overwhelming majority of them have survived to this day either in the form of ruins or in a greatly altered form. And very few of these buildings and settlements were able to retain their original appearance and remain inhabited. It is very difficult to identify the most ancient of them, but nevertheless such attempts are constantly being made. The oldest residential buildings in the world are very attractive, because they are silent witnesses of a century or even a thousand years of history

There are a lot of places that attract and scare at the same time in India. The endlessly beautiful nature and the ancient history of this country, rooted in the depths of the centuries … To visit India and not to visit the most famous places for its mysticism is just a crime! The age-old secrets of abandoned cities and fortresses, where captivating mysteries are hidden and potential danger tickles your nerves. So, here is a list of places in India that are beautiful, mysterious and alluring. Just, attention, here's a pass

Change is a natural part of life, both in the everyday and in the planetary sense. However, we all want such changes to be positive, and not vice versa. Alas, the compilation prepared by Google Earth reminds us that humanity still has a long, very long way to go to compensate for all the harm that we, humans, have done to our planet. However, seeing all these changes with your own eyes, you begin to doubt whether it will be possible to fix something at all

The pandemic has put our lives on hold in the most unprecedented way. The worst thing is that many have lost the opportunity to travel, visit museums, and see the famous sights. Now people are just waiting for the opportunity to escape from the annoying walls somewhere. There is an unspoken list of world sights that everyone must see. In the list below, in the opinion of many tourists, places that are too overvalued and not worth the time spent on them, si

Socotra is a Yemeni-owned island located in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Somalia. It is one of the most isolated islands of continental (non-volcanic) origin. Many millions of years ago, it broke away from the mainland, and this event preserved the unique nature of the island. Its flora and fauna turned out to be, as it were, "conserved" from any external influence. The island does not look like a fragment of the earth's land, but like a fragment of another planet. Everything seen there often does not resemble at all

Have you ever dreamed of running away somewhere? Not just a change of scenery, but radically change your life by moving to a more attractive place? So, if on self-isolation no one has yet managed to engage in self-education and start learning a foreign language, then it's time to do it. Right now! And you need to start with the romance group. Specifically from Italian. After all, it is there, in the beautiful, enveloped in the romance of Sicily, that they offer to buy housing for just $ 1