While communism, collectivism, worms, dry rot and casual looting failed to destroy the majestic wooden churches of Russia, it may be ordinary neglect that finally does them in. Dwindled now to several hundred remaining examples, these glories of vernacular architecture lie scattered amid the vastness of the world’s largest country. Just over a decade ago, Richard Davies, a British architectural photographer, struck out on a mission to record the fragile and poetic structures. Austerely beautiful and haunting, “Wooden Churches: Traveling in the Russian North” (White Sea Publishing; $132) is the result. Covering thousands of miles, Mr. Davies described how he and the writer Matilda Moreton tracked down the survivors from among the thousands of onion-domed structures built after Prince Vladimir converted to Christianity in 988.

Traveling Chairso n Hakone Road. (Photo by Kusakabe Kimbei)

MAKS – 2011 provides experts and businessmen a rare opportunity to establish contacts at various levels, further development of R&D and production cooperation and search for new business partners.

“Fly cap for a vine snake”. A fly lands on the head of a vine snake in the Choco of Colombia. (Photo and caption by Robin Moore/National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest)

ATTENTION! All pictures are presented in high resolution. To see Hi-Res images – just TWICE click on any picture. In other words, click small picture – opens the BIG picture. Click BIG picture – opens VERY BIG picture.

The second of six C-17 Globemaster III airlifters for the United Arab Emirates Air Force and Air Defence is being assembled at the Boeing assembly facility on May 10, 2011 in Long Beach, California. The UAE will take delivery of three more C-17s this year and two in 2012 as it modernizes its airlift capabilities. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Singer Vlad Topalov and model Victoria Lopyreva wear creations by designer YanaStasia on day 5 of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Russia Fall/Winter 2011/2012 at the Congress Hall on April 4, 2011 in Moscow, Russia. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

Historical re-enactor Andreas Wenzell dresses as Britain's King Richard the third in a living history camp during an anniversary event for the Battle of Bosworth near Market Bosworth in central Britain, August 23, 2015. The Battle of Bosworth took place in 1485 during the War of the Roses between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. King Richard III was defeated by Henry Tudor marking the end of Plantagenet rule and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. (Photo by Neil Hall/Reuters)

A historical re-enactor poses for a photograph in a living history camp as he prepares to take part in an anniversary event for the Battle of Bosworth near Market Bosworth in central Britain August 22, 2015. The Battle of Bosworth took place in 1485 during the War of the Roses between the Houses of Lancaster and the House of York. King Richard III was defeated by Henry Tudor marking the end of Plantagenet rule and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. (Photo by Neil Hall/Reuters)