The Republic of Singapore is a city-state in Southeast Asia, situated on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of the Indonesian Riau Islands. The name Singapore was derived from the Malay word singa (lion). Singapore was originally a small Malay settlement until 1819, when the British started a trading post that developed into an important commercial and military imperial base. #singapore #asia #malaysian #lion #settlement  

Once an ancient medieval fortress later converted into a sumptuous Renaissance villa, through the genius of the architect Baldassarre Peruzzi. In 1508 it became the sumptuous residence of Pope Julius II while in the following centuries it welcomed his descendants and more recently the friends and relations of the Ricci family in its patrician halls surrounded by lush gardens and a splendid church, stables and farmhouse. 

During most of the 20th century, Yalta was the principal holiday resort of the Soviet Union. In 1920 started the transformation of the city and the entire region from a fairly exclusive resort area into a recreation facility for tired proletarians, all of that by the decree “On the Use of Crimea for the Medical Treatment of the Working People”, which was issued by Vladimir Lenin. Numerous workers’ sanatoria were constructed in Yalta and around the surrounding district. #yalta #soviet #union #resort #crimea #sanatoria #district