One of the most unusual things about Russia is that you probably don’t know much about it. Russia has a very long and diverse history that most people don’t know about as the biggest country on the planet.
With Russian Tsars ruling Siberia and communist regimes taking over, there is so much to discover.
Here are 7 interesting facts about Russian history that you (probably) don’t know.
1. The Kremlin is the Biggest Fortress in the World
The Kremlin in Moscow is the world’s largest operational medieval fortification. It has a land area of more than 27 hectares. The walls stretch for almost 2.5 kilometers.
Twenty towers, each with its own unique name, are strewn over the grounds.
It has five palaces, four churches, and the surrounding Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers, and is the most well-known of the kremlins.
The Grand Kremlin Palace, which was previously the Tsar’s Moscow palace, is also located inside this complex.
2. The Trans-Siberia Express is World’s Longest Railway
The Trans–Siberian Railway is the world’s longest railway line. It stretches approximately 9,289 kilometers from Moscow, Russia’s capital and biggest city, to Vladivostok, on the coast of the Sea of Japan.
Between 1891 and 1916, the railway was overseen by Russian Empire government officials directly selected by Emperor Alexander III of Russia and his son, the Tsarevich Nicholas.
The railway drew travelers even before it was finished, who wrote about their travels.
3. Russia Could Never Be Taken Down in Wars
While St Petersburg was still known as Leningrad during WWII, German soldiers encircled the city, closing off all access and departure options.
After conquering the city, Hitler intended to have a celebration luncheon at the Astoria Hotel. Despite all difficulties, he was never able to achieve.
For over 900 days, people were hungry and living in subzero conditions with no access to water or power.
Despite the fact that millions of residents perished, they were resolute to defend their city till the end. The sound of a ticking metronome was broadcast on local radio stations to remind residents that their city’s heart was still beating.
The city’s pulsing heart may still be heard underneath The Monument to the Heroic Defenders of Leningrad.
Napoleon couldn’t do it either!
4. Russia is Mostly Frozen
Permafrost covers 65 percent of Russia’s land surface. 77 percent of Russia is occupied by Siberia!
The climate there is incredibly cold, and the winters are exceedingly lengthy! Siberia is vast, sparsely inhabited, impoverished, and harshly natural.
Hundreds of kilometers of wetlands, hordes of massive mosquitos, and just two months of summer.
It’s crucial to remember that Siberia’s vastness is home to just a few people.
There are many large cities and several smaller communities where individuals spend their lives determining whether or not to stay or go.
In reality, barely 25% of Russians live in Siberia.
5. Russia Didn’t Do Slavery. Well, Kinda
Slavery did not exist in Russia. Serfdom existed in Russia until 1861; it is a specific status enjoyed by many peasants that are close to slavery.
Peasants worked for themselves, simply providing the landlord a portion of their earnings or goods. It was still possible to purchase or lose a peasant’s playing cards, however.
Serfdom was eventually abolished in 1861. At the time, Russia had around 23 million landowner-owned peasants and approximately 29 million government-owned peasants.
