Top Of The Pops - 19th Century Russia

Sordid affairs, rampant scheming and heroic death was all the rage for the aristocrats in BBC's epic drama series, War & Peace. But what else was popular in 19th Century Russia? Read on...

10. Ice skating

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When it snows in Russia, it snows hard, especially back in the olden days when everything was y'know, harder. So it's a no-brainer when the back yard is made of ice for half the year you would make good use of it and strap those skates on!

9. Fabergé eggs

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Just imagine you're invited over to the Tsar's palace for Easter celebrations and have no idea what to bring. What does one get somebody who has everything? Thankfully Peter Carl Fabergé created some elaborately bejewelled eggs for such difficult predicaments.

8. Gorodki (Little Towns)

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19th Century Russia experienced its fair share of warfare so it was only natural that some sports of the time drew inspiration from military strategy. The winner of a game of Gorodki was the player who wiped out the most villages. Fun! Undoubtedly popular with dictator types.

7. Gambling

Via petroart.ru

Russians loved a good punt, and would think nothing of staking their estates, including the serfs, on a card game, often losing entire fortunes on a roll of the dice. Gambling on such a scale was an opportunity not to be missed and led to the rise of the oligarchs, the introduction of casinos to the West, and Chelsea Football Club.

6. Fashion

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The Russian aristocracy were lazy fashionistas, allowing the French to dictate their threads. The real Russian hipsters of the 1800s were the poor! Their edgy 'peasant-wear' led to the introduction of terms such as 'prêt-à-porter' (ready-to-wear), and why Gaultier can now be purchased in Target.

5. Vodka

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In Russia, the word 'vodka' means water and every good Russian knows part of a healthy diet requires drinking 8 glasses of vodka, ahem... water, a day. It's basically a national pastime and became the poison of choice in the mid-19th century when it became state-manufactured and affordable for the thirsty masses.

4. Borscht

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Only the Russians could have invented beetroot soup. When the rest of the world was tucking into such delicacies as quail, swan, partridge and pheasant, the Russians got busy cultivating acres of beetroot, cabbage and potatoes, to brew up some good ol' 'borscht'. A dish served best with err... vodka of course!

3. Folk dancing

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An important part of Russian life, dancing kept you warm and fit, which meant that you didn't feel cold OR have to go to the gym, thus killing two birds with one dance. While a huge hit with the lower classes, the wealthy preferred to spectate rather than burn up the dancefloor (they could afford fur coats and gym membership).

2. Literature

readingandart.blogspot.com.au

Prior to the invention of television, reading was super popular, and lucky Russians who could read loved nothing more than curling up with a weighty tome to see out the long winter. One of the biggest books in history is War & Peace by countryman Leo Tolstoy, (who certainly wasn't 'Russian' while writing it boom! boom!)

1. Tchaikovsky

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Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, or P-Tchai, was a 19th century Russian rockstar, dropping killer hits like Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty all while selling out stadium tours across the globe. This music maestro helped put Russia on the cultural map and is totally deserving of the #1 spot.