Extinct Countries USSR
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was one of the largest and most influential countries of the 20th century. Existing from 1922 to 1991, it stretched from Eastern Europe to the Pacific Ocean and consisted of fifteen republics that are now independent nations, including Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and many others. During the Cold War, it was one of the world’s two superpowers, and millions of travellers had the opportunity to visit this unique country before its dissolution.
Our journey took place in 1980, when the Soviet Union still existed as a single nation. It allowed us to experience a country that was very different from the one travellers encounter today in its successor states. Its political system, economy and everyday life belonged to a world that has now become history. Monumental cities, vast public squares, museums, Soviet monuments and a distinctive atmosphere made this journey unlike any modern visit to Eastern Europe or Central Asia.
Among the most famous destinations at the time were Moscow, the Soviet capital, with Red Square, the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral, and Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), renowned for the Hermitage Museum, its canals and magnificent imperial palaces. Many itineraries also included cities that today belong to independent countries, offering a remarkable journey through a vast territory with diverse cultures, landscapes and traditions, all united under a single state.
Our articles about the Soviet Union
This page brings together all the articles we have published on Miranda Loves Travelling about our journey through the Soviet Union in 1980. These are historical travel accounts describing a country that no longer exists, based entirely on our personal experiences at the time. Every article is accompanied by original photographs taken during the trip.
Our photographs
All the photographs featured on Miranda Loves Travelling were taken during our 1980 journey through the Soviet Union. They document cities, monuments, museums and everyday scenes as they appeared before the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, providing a unique visual record of a country that has become part of history.
A journey into a country that no longer exists
Travelling through the Soviet Union meant discovering a world profoundly different from today’s independent nations that emerged after 1991. Our photographs and travel stories preserve the memory of that unique experience, offering a first-hand glimpse into a country that shaped much of the twentieth century. This section of Miranda Loves Travelling is dedicated to preserving those memories and sharing a journey that can never be repeated.
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