Vasily Zhukovsky

What people wore

Peasant everyday winter and summer clothing

Peasant men wore linen shirts and trousers, while women wore long linen shirts and a checkered woolen skirt called a poneva. In winter, both wore sheepskin coats with the fur turned inward to stay warm.

Getting around

Speedy relay travel for officials

Travelers on official business used a podorozhnaya document to hire horses at relay stations, while emergency couriers could cover up to 125-200 km in a single day.

At the table

Daily Rye Bread Staples

Rye bread was the essential staple, with adults consuming nearly two pounds daily, often stored as a sourdough starter for up to two weeks.

Music

Social work-based gatherings for youth

In urban areas, young people gathered for work-related social events like kapustki, where they engaged in cabbage chopping followed by singing and dancing once the older generation left the room. These gatherings served as important occasions for unmarried youth to socialize and choose a marriage partner.

Daily life

Wooden homes and new urban layouts

In the late 18th century, ordinary urban houses were built of wood, which created a constant risk of devastating fires across entire neighborhoods. New urban houses began to feature central corridors instead of the traditional layout where rooms were arranged directly around a central stove.

What it cost

Food prices in St. Petersburg

In 1793, a pound of beef cost 9 kopecks in St. Petersburg, while a pair of chickens cost 80 kopecks.