Estonia, 1975: the 18th Festival della Canzone (Üldlaulupidu) presso il “Campo del Canto” di Tallinn (Tallinna lauluväljak), an open–air auditorium built in 1959. In 1987, Estonians gathered here to sing patriotic hymns, in the so–called “Singing Revolution” that led to the overthrow of Soviet rule. (photo: © 1975 Novosti news agency, Moscow – personal collection)
Port of Tallinn, 1975
The port of Tallinn, capital of Estonia, in a 1975 picture. On the foreground one can see the bell tower of the St. Olaf’s Church. The tower is 124 meters tall, it is one of the tallest tower in Europe and a symbol of Tallinn. At that time (and for the whole soviet period, 1944-1991) the church was closed and the Soviet KGB used it as …
Ashgabat Hotel, early 70s
Ashgabat, capital of Turkmenistan, in a early 70s picture. A GAZ-21 Volga (1962 model) passes next to the “Ashgabat” Hotel, built in 1969 in a modernist/brutalist style by drawings of Soviet architets A. Akhmedov, F. Aliyev, V. Vysotin, V. Kutomov. (photo: © 1975 Novosti news agency, Moscow – personal collection)
Surveying in Karakum
A young Turkmen surveyor holding a level staff in 1975, during construction of the Karakum Canal, across the Karakum Desert. The level staff (aka ‘leveling rod’) is a graduated rod, used with a surveying or levelling instrument to determine distances and differences in height. Built between 1954 and 1988 under the Soviet administration, the Karakum Canal is one of the largest irrigation and water supply …
1977 stamp from Romania, 23rd International Conference of The Red Cross in Bucharest
A 1,50 Leu postage stamp from Romania, celebrating the 23rd International Conference of The Red Cross held in Bucharest in 1977. The image shows the three protecting emblems used at that time: the Red Cross, that was adopted in the 1st Geneva Convention of 1864; the Red Crescent and the Red Lion and Sun, both officially recognized in the Geneva Convention of 1919. This latter was used by Persian Empire until Iranian revolution of 1979 and, although never …
Sevan Island, Armenia 1970s
Lake Sevan is the largest body of water in Armenia and the Caucasus region. In this 1975 picture one can see the promontory where is the medieval monastery of Sevanavank: it is called “Sevan Island” because in origin this was actually an island. It became a promontory when the Soviet administration decided to artificially lower the water level by 45 meters to reduce evaporation, …