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Winter hasn’t arrived yet, but in Russia everyone is already preparing for the first snow. Tire shops are crowded, and road crews are busy stocking de‑icing materials in anticipation of icy streets.
Winter and icy roads aren’t just a local problem. Around the world, people have found some surprisingly creative ways to deal with ice.
In Iowa, for example, road crews once ran out of regular salt during heavy snowfalls. Local spice producers stepped in with several tons of expired garlic salt, which worked as a temporary solution.
Agricultural waste can also help. Grape skins and other winemaking byproducts, when mixed with salt, can melt ice more effectively than salt alone, although the sugar content can make roads sticky and even interfere with some breathalyzers.
In Idaho, engineers tested Solar Roadways, smart panels that combine solar cells, LED lights, and sensors. In winter, the panels can melt snow automatically, while in summer they generate electricity. The downside? These roads are extremely expensive, and some early prototypes, like a similar installation in France, broke down after only a few years.
In countries like Iceland and Japan, some roads are heated using geothermal energy. Pipes beneath the pavement carry steam from underground sources to keep the surface ice-free. The catch is that this only works in areas with volcanic activity or other geothermal resources.
For all our technology, we still share one simple remedy for winter's peril with every generation before us: the patient arrival of spring.
P.S. Officer, I swear, it’s the grape-salt fumes!
🍇🧂❄️
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained
Winter and icy roads aren’t just a local problem. Around the world, people have found some surprisingly creative ways to deal with ice.
In Iowa, for example, road crews once ran out of regular salt during heavy snowfalls. Local spice producers stepped in with several tons of expired garlic salt, which worked as a temporary solution.
Agricultural waste can also help. Grape skins and other winemaking byproducts, when mixed with salt, can melt ice more effectively than salt alone, although the sugar content can make roads sticky and even interfere with some breathalyzers.
In Idaho, engineers tested Solar Roadways, smart panels that combine solar cells, LED lights, and sensors. In winter, the panels can melt snow automatically, while in summer they generate electricity. The downside? These roads are extremely expensive, and some early prototypes, like a similar installation in France, broke down after only a few years.
In countries like Iceland and Japan, some roads are heated using geothermal energy. Pipes beneath the pavement carry steam from underground sources to keep the surface ice-free. The catch is that this only works in areas with volcanic activity or other geothermal resources.
For all our technology, we still share one simple remedy for winter's peril with every generation before us: the patient arrival of spring.
P.S. Officer, I swear, it’s the grape-salt fumes!
🍇🧂❄️
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained
Imagine a subway station painted by Pablo Picasso with bold geometry, vivid colours and unexpected shapes. That is the atmosphere of Estação Olaias in Lisbon.
Opened in May 1998 for Expo 98, the station sits on the Red Line and quickly became one of the city’s most striking modern landmarks. Designed by Portuguese architect Tomás Taveira, it features work from several artists whose styles blend into a vibrant, theatrical space.
The stained glass ceilings made from richly coloured panels cast shifting light across the station. The walls echo these tones with geometric patterns that create a sense of movement and depth. Massive metal-like columns rise through the hall and look as though they were lifted from an old industrial plant.
The result feels is fantastical. The dramatic height, the vivid palette and the mix of materials transform a simple transit point into an immersive underground world. It is a rare example of infrastructure that doubles as an art experience and remains one of Lisbon’s most memorable metro stations.
P.S. Warning: You may forget to board your train.
🖍💥🎫
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Transport #PS_NPS_Art
Opened in May 1998 for Expo 98, the station sits on the Red Line and quickly became one of the city’s most striking modern landmarks. Designed by Portuguese architect Tomás Taveira, it features work from several artists whose styles blend into a vibrant, theatrical space.
The stained glass ceilings made from richly coloured panels cast shifting light across the station. The walls echo these tones with geometric patterns that create a sense of movement and depth. Massive metal-like columns rise through the hall and look as though they were lifted from an old industrial plant.
The result feels is fantastical. The dramatic height, the vivid palette and the mix of materials transform a simple transit point into an immersive underground world. It is a rare example of infrastructure that doubles as an art experience and remains one of Lisbon’s most memorable metro stations.
P.S. Warning: You may forget to board your train.
🖍💥🎫
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Transport #PS_NPS_Art
In 1881, London opened the Savoy Theatre, the first public building in the world lit entirely by electricity. With its success, the owners built the luxurious Savoy Hotel in 1889, which soon became famous.
At the turn of the century, a grey-bearded visitor from France checked into this hotel. It was the painter Claude Monet. He probably spent little time exploring the hotel. Instead, he worked at the window of his sixth-floor room, overlooking a sharp bend in the Thames. He could see bridges in the distance, shrouded in London’s shifting mists.
Monet had once written that London would not be beautiful without its fog. He believed it gave the city its depth and mystery. For months, he returned to the same spot, capturing the river and the bridges in changing light. This is how his famous London Series was created, with 35 paintings of Charing Cross Bridge and 41 of Waterloo Bridge.
The views Monet painted have disappeared. A new Waterloo Bridge was built in 1945. Charing Cross Bridge has been transformed into the Hungerford Bridge. London’s fog is far less common, and the trees along Victoria Embankment now rise high enough to block the sixth-floor view. Monet’s paintings preserve a landscape that no longer exists.
P.S. Monet turned bad weather into masterpieces. Try that with today’s drizzle.
🪷🌂🎩
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_History #PS_NPS_Art
At the turn of the century, a grey-bearded visitor from France checked into this hotel. It was the painter Claude Monet. He probably spent little time exploring the hotel. Instead, he worked at the window of his sixth-floor room, overlooking a sharp bend in the Thames. He could see bridges in the distance, shrouded in London’s shifting mists.
Monet had once written that London would not be beautiful without its fog. He believed it gave the city its depth and mystery. For months, he returned to the same spot, capturing the river and the bridges in changing light. This is how his famous London Series was created, with 35 paintings of Charing Cross Bridge and 41 of Waterloo Bridge.
The views Monet painted have disappeared. A new Waterloo Bridge was built in 1945. Charing Cross Bridge has been transformed into the Hungerford Bridge. London’s fog is far less common, and the trees along Victoria Embankment now rise high enough to block the sixth-floor view. Monet’s paintings preserve a landscape that no longer exists.
P.S. Monet turned bad weather into masterpieces. Try that with today’s drizzle.
🪷🌂🎩
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_History #PS_NPS_Art
Construction of the first Moscow - Saint Petersburg high-speed rail line marks a major step toward strengthening Russia’s technological leadership. At a panel session during Transport Week, Nikita Terentyev, CEO of NPS//ST, spoke about the unique engineering solutions that GC NPS has developed for the country’s first high-speed railway.
🤗 Next-generation ballastless track
Existing foreign high-speed rail track designs do not meet the requirements of the Russian project. They are intended for lower speeds, milder climates, and a narrower gauge. GC NPS developed its own system based on an innovative concrete rail slab that can withstand temperature extremes from minus 50°C to plus 50°C. Its service life is at least 50 years.
🤗 Robotic manufacturing plants
The slabs will be produced at two GC NPS plants in the Novgorod and Tver regions. Automation throughout the process will ensure an accuracy of about 0.5 millimeters.
🤗 Track foundation and soil stabilization
Large parts of the high-speed rail route pass through waterlogged and weak soils. The project requires that track settlement remain within 15 millimeters over 50 years of operation. Meeting this requirement calls for unprecedented engineering solutions. More than one million piles will be installed to strengthen the subgrade.
🤗 Bridges and elevated structures
The total length of bridges and other engineered structures along the route will be about 180 kilometers. The bridges will use unique 700-ton beams. To produce them, GC NPS will build 10 dedicated production sites operating around the clock.
P.S. For those keeping track.
🏗️ 🚆👷🏻
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_News #PS_NPS_Projects
Existing foreign high-speed rail track designs do not meet the requirements of the Russian project. They are intended for lower speeds, milder climates, and a narrower gauge. GC NPS developed its own system based on an innovative concrete rail slab that can withstand temperature extremes from minus 50°C to plus 50°C. Its service life is at least 50 years.
The slabs will be produced at two GC NPS plants in the Novgorod and Tver regions. Automation throughout the process will ensure an accuracy of about 0.5 millimeters.
Large parts of the high-speed rail route pass through waterlogged and weak soils. The project requires that track settlement remain within 15 millimeters over 50 years of operation. Meeting this requirement calls for unprecedented engineering solutions. More than one million piles will be installed to strengthen the subgrade.
The total length of bridges and other engineered structures along the route will be about 180 kilometers. The bridges will use unique 700-ton beams. To produce them, GC NPS will build 10 dedicated production sites operating around the clock.
“High-speed rail requires specialists who can work where multiple engineering disciplines meet and who understand the system as a whole. A modern construction professional must be confident in using digital tools such as BIM models, GIS systems, and laser scanning. The project demands exceptional precision, adaptability, and the ability to find nonstandard solutions,” said Nikita Terentyev.
P.S. For those keeping track.
🏗️ 🚆👷🏻
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_News #PS_NPS_Projects
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What if Martians really did visit Earth? In Stockholm, there is a subway station that creates exactly that impression.
Solna Centrum opened in 1975 as part of the Blue Line of the Stockholm Metro. The station is carved directly into bedrock, and its rough stone surfaces became the canvas for artists Karl Olov Björk and Anders Åberg. Their original design centered on an illuminated red cavern-like ceiling meant to resemble a twilight sky, while the green lower walls evoke the shadowed depths of Swedish forests.
The artists also added small scenes and installations that highlight key environmental and social concerns of the 1970s: deforestation, industrial expansion and the disappearance of rural communities. These elements turn the station into something between an art gallery and a surreal cave.
Walking through Solna Centrum feels like moving through a glowing extraterrestrial chamber. It’s a routine stop for commuters, but its atmosphere makes it feel like the entrance to another world.
P.S. Who needs a spaceship when the metro looks like this?
🚀🌌☄️
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport #PS_NPS_Architecture
Solna Centrum opened in 1975 as part of the Blue Line of the Stockholm Metro. The station is carved directly into bedrock, and its rough stone surfaces became the canvas for artists Karl Olov Björk and Anders Åberg. Their original design centered on an illuminated red cavern-like ceiling meant to resemble a twilight sky, while the green lower walls evoke the shadowed depths of Swedish forests.
The artists also added small scenes and installations that highlight key environmental and social concerns of the 1970s: deforestation, industrial expansion and the disappearance of rural communities. These elements turn the station into something between an art gallery and a surreal cave.
Walking through Solna Centrum feels like moving through a glowing extraterrestrial chamber. It’s a routine stop for commuters, but its atmosphere makes it feel like the entrance to another world.
P.S. Who needs a spaceship when the metro looks like this?
🚀🌌☄️
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport #PS_NPS_Architecture
Ploshchad Revolyutsii is one of Moscow’s most unforgettable metro stations, a place where your commute suddenly turns into a walk through an underground sculpture gallery.
It is located right below Revolution Square, near the Kremlin. Opened in 1938 and designed by Alexey Dushkin, the station is lined with 76 bronze statues in the socialist realism style.
The most famous "resident" is the bronze dog beside the border guard. Its nose is polished to a shine because everyone touches it for luck: students before exams, commuters before a long day, tourists just for fun. The tradition is so strong that people don’t even slow down. They tap the dog’s nose in one smooth motion and vanish onto the next train.
Other statues have their own small rituals. Some travelers rub the sailor’s shoe, some reach for the student’s book. Whether you believe in these little superstitions or not, watching them play out on a busy morning is delightful.
That is the charm of Ploshchad Revolyutsii. It is grand but welcoming, artistic but practical. A station where daily routine and a bit of magic meet in the most ordinary moment: a quick brush of bronze before heading into the day.
P.S. The dog doesn’t bite.
🦮🚇🍀
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport #PS_NPS_Art
It is located right below Revolution Square, near the Kremlin. Opened in 1938 and designed by Alexey Dushkin, the station is lined with 76 bronze statues in the socialist realism style.
The most famous "resident" is the bronze dog beside the border guard. Its nose is polished to a shine because everyone touches it for luck: students before exams, commuters before a long day, tourists just for fun. The tradition is so strong that people don’t even slow down. They tap the dog’s nose in one smooth motion and vanish onto the next train.
Other statues have their own small rituals. Some travelers rub the sailor’s shoe, some reach for the student’s book. Whether you believe in these little superstitions or not, watching them play out on a busy morning is delightful.
That is the charm of Ploshchad Revolyutsii. It is grand but welcoming, artistic but practical. A station where daily routine and a bit of magic meet in the most ordinary moment: a quick brush of bronze before heading into the day.
P.S. The dog doesn’t bite.
🦮🚇🍀
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport #PS_NPS_Art
Geocomposites, plastics, polymers… modern road builders use a range of materials to make roads stronger and safer.
Engineers of the past had a much simpler toolkit. Without modern manufacturing, they relied entirely on whatever nature provided: stone, sand, and wood.
The most famous stone roads are those of the Roman Empire. The network stretched for about 90,000 kilometers. These roads outlasted the empire itself and later became the foundation of Europe’s transport system.
Just as impressive were the stone routes built by the Inca, Maya, and Aztec civilizations. The wheel had not been invented in pre-Columbian America, so they were mainly used by pedestrians or pack animals. Some of these ancient roads still survive in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina, including stretches that climb the Andes to nearly 5,000 meters above sea level.
In Russia, wood was the main road-building material for centuries. Builders laid wide planks over long support logs, and when the surface wore out, they simply added a new layer on top. In Novgorod, archaeologists have found as many as twenty-five layers stacked this way, dating from the 10th to the 15th centuries.
A new approach appeared in 1820, when engineer Vasily Gurev introduced wooden paving made from end-grain blocks. The first road of this type was built in St. Petersburg, and the idea later spread to Europe and the United States. These wooden surfaces were quieter than stone but less durable.
P.S. Imagine explaining potholes as a cultural feature.
🪨⛏️🗺
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport #PS_NPS_History #PS_NPS_ExplanationCrew
Engineers of the past had a much simpler toolkit. Without modern manufacturing, they relied entirely on whatever nature provided: stone, sand, and wood.
The most famous stone roads are those of the Roman Empire. The network stretched for about 90,000 kilometers. These roads outlasted the empire itself and later became the foundation of Europe’s transport system.
Just as impressive were the stone routes built by the Inca, Maya, and Aztec civilizations. The wheel had not been invented in pre-Columbian America, so they were mainly used by pedestrians or pack animals. Some of these ancient roads still survive in Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina, including stretches that climb the Andes to nearly 5,000 meters above sea level.
In Russia, wood was the main road-building material for centuries. Builders laid wide planks over long support logs, and when the surface wore out, they simply added a new layer on top. In Novgorod, archaeologists have found as many as twenty-five layers stacked this way, dating from the 10th to the 15th centuries.
A new approach appeared in 1820, when engineer Vasily Gurev introduced wooden paving made from end-grain blocks. The first road of this type was built in St. Petersburg, and the idea later spread to Europe and the United States. These wooden surfaces were quieter than stone but less durable.
P.S. Imagine explaining potholes as a cultural feature.
🪨⛏️🗺
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport #PS_NPS_History #PS_NPS_ExplanationCrew
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Some railways dive through tunnels; others seem to climb straight into the sky.
In Hong Kong, that wonder is the Peak Tram, the famous funicular that carries passengers up to Victoria Peak, the highest point on Hong Kong Island.
One of the oldest funiculars in Asia, it has been running since 1888. The route is short, just over a kilometer, but the climb is steep. In some sections the gradient reaches 27 degrees, and as the tram ascends, the skyscrapers outside appear to tilt along with you.
Each car is equipped with three independent braking systems: main, service, and emergency. Two steel cables, each several centimeters thick, can support loads of more than 100 tons. The tram travels at around 22 km/h, reaching an elevation of 370 meters in about seven minutes.
Two trams run in opposite directions throughout the day. Before every trip, an automated system performs a full safety check with exceptional precision. Fun fact: the Peak Tram was built with a Russian track gauge of 1,520 mm, which is quite rare in China.
P.S. Peak performance, literally.
☁️🌳🚋
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport
In Hong Kong, that wonder is the Peak Tram, the famous funicular that carries passengers up to Victoria Peak, the highest point on Hong Kong Island.
One of the oldest funiculars in Asia, it has been running since 1888. The route is short, just over a kilometer, but the climb is steep. In some sections the gradient reaches 27 degrees, and as the tram ascends, the skyscrapers outside appear to tilt along with you.
Each car is equipped with three independent braking systems: main, service, and emergency. Two steel cables, each several centimeters thick, can support loads of more than 100 tons. The tram travels at around 22 km/h, reaching an elevation of 370 meters in about seven minutes.
Two trams run in opposite directions throughout the day. Before every trip, an automated system performs a full safety check with exceptional precision. Fun fact: the Peak Tram was built with a Russian track gauge of 1,520 mm, which is quite rare in China.
P.S. Peak performance, literally.
☁️🌳🚋
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport
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The city of Porto on the Douro River often finds itself overshadowed by Lisbon. Though it also played a decisive role in shaping Portugal itself. The country’s name comes from the Roman settlement of Portus Cale that once stood here, and the city is also the birthplace of world-famous Port wine. Porto’s bridges are another source of pride and easily hold their own against those in the capital. Seven span the Douro, but three caught our eye.
Maria Pia Bridge (1877)
The Douro cuts through a narrow and steep gorge, which demanded inventive solutions from 19th-century engineers. The city turned to a young French specialist in iron construction, Gustave Eiffel. He completed an elegant arch bridge in 1877 with the longest span in the world at that time, measuring 160 meters. It quickly became a symbol of Porto and helped establish Eiffel’s international reputation. Today the bridge survives as a protected railway monument.
Arrábida Bridge (1963)
By the middle of the 20th century metal structures had gone out of fashion, and prestressed concrete became the preferred material. The Arrábida Bridge, completed in 1963, set a new world record with a 270-meter concrete arch. It carries six lanes of road traffic and echoes the form of Eiffel’s earlier work.
Infante Bridge (2003)
The Infante Bridge represents a new generation of design in the 21st century. Its most striking feature is the exceptionally shallow curve of its 280-meter concrete arch, which rises only 25 meters from base to crown. The arch reaches lightly from cliff to cliff while the river flows roughly 75 meters below. The bridge was named for Prince Henry the Navigator (Infante of Portugal is a royal title given to a prince who is not the heir apparent to the throne).
P.S. Great engineering, like great wine, only gets better with time.
🗼🖇🌉
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_History #PS_NPS_Architecture
Maria Pia Bridge (1877)
The Douro cuts through a narrow and steep gorge, which demanded inventive solutions from 19th-century engineers. The city turned to a young French specialist in iron construction, Gustave Eiffel. He completed an elegant arch bridge in 1877 with the longest span in the world at that time, measuring 160 meters. It quickly became a symbol of Porto and helped establish Eiffel’s international reputation. Today the bridge survives as a protected railway monument.
Arrábida Bridge (1963)
By the middle of the 20th century metal structures had gone out of fashion, and prestressed concrete became the preferred material. The Arrábida Bridge, completed in 1963, set a new world record with a 270-meter concrete arch. It carries six lanes of road traffic and echoes the form of Eiffel’s earlier work.
Infante Bridge (2003)
The Infante Bridge represents a new generation of design in the 21st century. Its most striking feature is the exceptionally shallow curve of its 280-meter concrete arch, which rises only 25 meters from base to crown. The arch reaches lightly from cliff to cliff while the river flows roughly 75 meters below. The bridge was named for Prince Henry the Navigator (Infante of Portugal is a royal title given to a prince who is not the heir apparent to the throne).
P.S. Great engineering, like great wine, only gets better with time.
🗼🖇🌉
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_History #PS_NPS_Architecture
Did you know that Leonardo da Vinci’s famous drawing of a man inside a circle and a square, the Vitruvian Man, was inspired by the ideas of the Roman architect Marcus Vitruvius Pollio?
Very little is known about Vitruvius, who lived from about 80 to 15 BCE. He worked as an engineer, helped design military siege equipment, and contributed to major projects such as the basilica in Fano, an aqueduct in Rome, and bridges across the Rhine in ancient Gaul (modern Western Europe).
His most important legacy is the work “Ten Books on Architecture.” In it, he described three principles that shaped classical architecture:
Durability (Firmitas)
A building must be stable and long-lasting, with foundations on solid ground and materials chosen wisely.
Utility (Utilitas)
A structure should serve the needs of its occupants, with a layout that supports its function.
Beauty (Venustas)
Architecture should be visually harmonious, with balance and symmetry at its core.
These ideas, known today as the Vitruvian Triad, continue to guide architects and builders around the world.
P.S. Good things come in threes:N P S
🛖🧱🔨
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_History #PS_NPS_Architecture
Very little is known about Vitruvius, who lived from about 80 to 15 BCE. He worked as an engineer, helped design military siege equipment, and contributed to major projects such as the basilica in Fano, an aqueduct in Rome, and bridges across the Rhine in ancient Gaul (modern Western Europe).
His most important legacy is the work “Ten Books on Architecture.” In it, he described three principles that shaped classical architecture:
Durability (Firmitas)
A building must be stable and long-lasting, with foundations on solid ground and materials chosen wisely.
Utility (Utilitas)
A structure should serve the needs of its occupants, with a layout that supports its function.
Beauty (Venustas)
Architecture should be visually harmonious, with balance and symmetry at its core.
These ideas, known today as the Vitruvian Triad, continue to guide architects and builders around the world.
P.S. Good things come in threes:
🛖🧱🔨
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_History #PS_NPS_Architecture
One of Japan’s most beautiful railway routes is the Tadami Line, a 135-kilometre journey through remote countryside and untouched nature. It links the prefectures of Niigata and Fukushima, offering a glimpse of rural Japan far removed from the megacities.
The line opened in stages beginning in 1928. In 2011, an earthquake and heavy rain damaged several sections, leaving much of the route out of service for more than a decade. It wasn’t until 2022 that the Tadami Line was fully restored.
The route is also celebrated for its dramatic seasonal changes. In spring and summer, the Tadami River turns a clear turquoise, autumn brings vivid red and gold foliage, and winter blankets the valley in deep snow. Traditional Japanese calendars divide the year into 72 micro-seasons, making each trip subtly unique.
Its most iconic landmark is the Daiichi Tadami River Bridge, where the combination of steel arches and surrounding nature creates a view sought after by photographers from around the world.
P.S. The journey may matter more than where it takes you.
🗻🗾💺
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport
The line opened in stages beginning in 1928. In 2011, an earthquake and heavy rain damaged several sections, leaving much of the route out of service for more than a decade. It wasn’t until 2022 that the Tadami Line was fully restored.
The route is also celebrated for its dramatic seasonal changes. In spring and summer, the Tadami River turns a clear turquoise, autumn brings vivid red and gold foliage, and winter blankets the valley in deep snow. Traditional Japanese calendars divide the year into 72 micro-seasons, making each trip subtly unique.
Its most iconic landmark is the Daiichi Tadami River Bridge, where the combination of steel arches and surrounding nature creates a view sought after by photographers from around the world.
P.S. The journey may matter more than where it takes you.
🗻🗾💺
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Transport
In June 2025, part of the road in the Port of Famagusta suddenly collapsed, and underneath it a tomb from the 3rd to 2nd centuries BCE was found. Inside, archaeologists discovered human bones, everyday household items, bronze coins, and even very pieces of gold.
These ancient finds remind us once again how many different peoples and countries have struggled for control of this port city on the eastern coast of Cyprus throughout history.
Famagusta has had several names throughout history, but its ancient Greek name was Ammochostos, meaning hidden in sand. It was built on the ruins of Arsinoe, a settlement founded in the 3rd century BCE by Ptolemy II, the king of Egypt. From the 12th to the 17th century, the city was ruled in turn by King Richard the Lionheart of England, the Knights Templar, King of Cyprus and titular King of Jerusalem Peter I, the Genoese, the Venetians, and later the Ottoman Turks.
After World War I, Cyprus became a British colony. The British expanded the port and built new stone piers. When Cyprus gained independence in 1960, the new government continued modernizing the harbor and nearly doubled the length of its docks. Famagusta developed into an important center of international trade and a major tourist destination.
The Cypriot government planned additional upgrades to the harbor, but after the military coup of 1974 the city became part of the territory controlled by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
The Greek population was forced to leave, and the buffer zone, known as Varosha, which had once been one of the most luxurious resort areas in the world, was completely closed to residents. A popular tourist destination turned into a ghost city. Only in 2020 did the authorities of Northern Cyprus lift the restrictions on visiting this part of Famagusta.
P.S. Archaeologists are thrilled; the road crew… not so much.
📜🕯🗺
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_History
These ancient finds remind us once again how many different peoples and countries have struggled for control of this port city on the eastern coast of Cyprus throughout history.
Famagusta has had several names throughout history, but its ancient Greek name was Ammochostos, meaning hidden in sand. It was built on the ruins of Arsinoe, a settlement founded in the 3rd century BCE by Ptolemy II, the king of Egypt. From the 12th to the 17th century, the city was ruled in turn by King Richard the Lionheart of England, the Knights Templar, King of Cyprus and titular King of Jerusalem Peter I, the Genoese, the Venetians, and later the Ottoman Turks.
After World War I, Cyprus became a British colony. The British expanded the port and built new stone piers. When Cyprus gained independence in 1960, the new government continued modernizing the harbor and nearly doubled the length of its docks. Famagusta developed into an important center of international trade and a major tourist destination.
The Cypriot government planned additional upgrades to the harbor, but after the military coup of 1974 the city became part of the territory controlled by the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
The Greek population was forced to leave, and the buffer zone, known as Varosha, which had once been one of the most luxurious resort areas in the world, was completely closed to residents. A popular tourist destination turned into a ghost city. Only in 2020 did the authorities of Northern Cyprus lift the restrictions on visiting this part of Famagusta.
P.S. Archaeologists are thrilled; the road crew… not so much.
📜🕯🗺
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_History
Mikhail Posokhin was one of the most influential architects of the Soviet era, playing a defining role in shaping the face of modern Moscow.
Among his major projects were the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, the COMECON building, New Arbat Avenue, the Kudrinskaya Square Building, the Ministry of Defense complex, the Olympiyskiy sports center, and the MGIMO campus.
Over more than two decades as Moscow’s chief architect, Posokhin left an enduring mark on the city’s development. He frequently worked with large creative teams and design institutes.
His architectural reach extended well beyond the Soviet Union. Posokhin’s designs were used for Soviet embassies in Brazil and the United States, as well as for a resort complex in Abkhazia and the USSR pavilions at the 1967 Montreal Expo and the 1970 Osaka Expo.
He also played a significant role in the evolution of Soviet mass housing. Working with Ashot Mndoyants and engineer Vitaly Lagutenko, he helped develop a method for constructing frame-panel residential buildings that became widely adopted.
In the early 1970s, under Posokhin’s leadership, a new master plan for Moscow was drafted. The system of planning zones introduced in this project inspired Moscow’s present-day administrative divisions.
P.S. Moscow should list him as a co-author.
🔖🖋🧰
#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Architecture
Among his major projects were the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, the COMECON building, New Arbat Avenue, the Kudrinskaya Square Building, the Ministry of Defense complex, the Olympiyskiy sports center, and the MGIMO campus.
Over more than two decades as Moscow’s chief architect, Posokhin left an enduring mark on the city’s development. He frequently worked with large creative teams and design institutes.
His architectural reach extended well beyond the Soviet Union. Posokhin’s designs were used for Soviet embassies in Brazil and the United States, as well as for a resort complex in Abkhazia and the USSR pavilions at the 1967 Montreal Expo and the 1970 Osaka Expo.
He also played a significant role in the evolution of Soviet mass housing. Working with Ashot Mndoyants and engineer Vitaly Lagutenko, he helped develop a method for constructing frame-panel residential buildings that became widely adopted.
In the early 1970s, under Posokhin’s leadership, a new master plan for Moscow was drafted. The system of planning zones introduced in this project inspired Moscow’s present-day administrative divisions.
P.S. Moscow should list him as a co-author.
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#PS_NPS #NationalProjectConstruction #PS_NPS_Explained #PS_NPS_Architecture