Troika

I didn't read it here so I am asking: is there any photo of Romanovs family using troika, that kind of something between "cart" and more so big sledge (excuse my lack of description) that is in Russian called troika? Maybe some Russians here will know how to describe it better, I just don't know..... I didn't find a mention about it here.....?

That's a good description of the sleigh, cherrysmile. And I want to add that this sleigh is drawn by three horses, the one in the middle facing forward and the two on the sides kind of fanning out to the left and to the right respectively.  Kind of like this:

That's a good description of the sleigh, cherrysmile. And I want to add that this sleigh is drawn by three horses, the one in the middle facing forward and the two on the sides kind of fanning out to the left and to the right respectively.  Kind of like this:

Thanks for kind words-and for new term,sleigh..I didnt know this word in English And yeah,three horses- without that it wouldn´t be called "troika", that means "three"-it is kind of interesting how names are matching functions

After Nicholas I who usually travelled outside Petersburg in Russian-style troika carts and sleighs, the imperial family used it rarely and only for private fun rides. For actual official travel, European-style coaches were used. I wonder if they permitted to be photographed while riding a troika.

Here is a lacquer box showing Alexander II and empress Maria in a troika:

Pair-horse carriages and sleighs were usually used by Alexander III and Maria Feodorovna (paintings by Nikolay Sverchkov):

I have seen a photo of OTMA in a troika....Its a really snowy day and they are wearing furs, i cant find it now but iv seen it many times before....ill keep trying thou

I would be glad to see that, James:)

Btw..how often are troika's in todays Russia, are they used as attraction for tourists coming to some historically-important towns, or did it really fall into oblivion? Does anybody know?

Mike: really interesting paintings. Maybe it was like you mentioned- that it wasn't allowed to photo N&A during their rides in this vehicle, I don't know about it so maybe someone more knowledgable can inform me about situation............I just wondered why I didn't see photos of that over net. :-/

On winter weekends, especially during the Shrovetide week, troika rides are quite common in parks, including Pushkin and Pavlovsk, and available almost everywhere, not just in tourist centers.

Shrovetide week

Mike what is that?

Shrovetide [maslenitsa, from maslo=butter] occurs seven weeks before Easter and lasts for seven days. Traditional Shrovetide outdoor activities include sledding, snowball fighting, storming a snow fortress and burning large straw dolls.

And of course eating a lot of bliny pancakes with butter, sour cream, salted and smoked fish and caviar. Today it's mostly "red" salmon caviar which is much cheaper than the luxury "black"caviar  - but also very delicious.

During the Soviet times a few people knew or cared about Shrovetide's religious meaning, it was viewed as a merry popular custom. Everybody happily ate blinys with tea and vodka (which had to be brought from home and  poured out surreptitiously) at kiosks and imrovised stalls in snowy parks.

Here is Maslenitsa by Boris Kustodiev:

Thanks, Mike. It sounds like fun  !

On winter weekends, especially during the Shrovetide week, troika rides are quite common in parks, including Pushkin and Pavlovsk, and available almost everywhere, not just in tourist centers.

Ah,I knew that thing about Maslenitsa(what is that) but didn't know that thing about troika's in today times Thanks for info;)

Shrovetide..it seem difficult to spell, really-is that pronounced with "sh" as in "shake"? I have it closer to Slavic languages than German ones when we speak about grammar etc. language rules