Welcome to Russian History Retold.

Episode 197, Things You Didn't know about Russia.

Last time we talked about some things you might not have known about the

Soviet Union. Today I'm going to share things you may not know about

Russia, both old and new. It's been a lot of fun researching this episode. I hope you enjoy it as much

as I've enjoyed putting it together.

What I did in my research was to find unusual or fascinating things about Russia and use

multiple sources to verify them.

Now if you find something that isn't really the truth

and you know about it, contact me on our Facebook Russian rulers history page, which

to my surprise is growing every day nine years after it was started.

Lots of great pictures and articles are being shared every week.

The first fun fact is that Russia's most celebrated museum, the one found in St. Petersburg,

the hermitage, employs around 70 cats which guards its treasure against rodents.

The tradition started in 1745 via decree from Empress Elizabeth,

the daughter of Peter the Great.

The museum also has almost 14 miles of

marbled corridors. We all have heard about Red Square in Moscow.

But did you know that it had nothing to do with communism and their use of the color red?

The term Red Square comes from the word Krasny, which in old Russian meant beautiful and now means red.

The present-day Russian word for beautiful is pre-Krasny.

Now when you go to foreign countries, it's important to follow local customs.

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