Russia — books & literature

The story of Russia

Russia's story begins with East Slavic tribes of the forest and steppe who, by the 9th century, came under the rule of Varangian (Viking) princes. Chronicles record the founding of Rus' under Rurik at Novgorod in 862 CE, and in 882 Prince Oleg united Novgorod and Kiev to form Kievan Rus', the first great East Slavic state. In 988, Grand Prince Vladimir adopted Orthodox Christianity, permanently shaping Russian art, law, and identity. Mongol invasion in the 13th century fragmented Kievan Rus' and subjected its principalities to the Golden Horde for two centuries, until Moscow emerged as the center of resistance and unification. Ivan IV was crowned the first Tsar of Russia in 1547, and Peter the Great later turned Russia toward Europe, founding St. Petersburg in 1703 and building an empire that stretched across Siberia to the Pacific. The 1917 Revolution ended three centuries of Romanov rule and gave rise to the Soviet Union, a global superpower for seven decades. The USSR dissolved in 1991, and the Russian Federation emerged as its principal successor state. Today Russia spans eleven time zones across Europe and Asia, carrying forward a literary, scientific, and artistic tradition , from Pushkin to Tolstoy to Gagarin , that has shaped world culture far beyond its borders.

Timeline — key moments

1. 862

   Rurik founds the ruling dynasty at Novgorod , the traditional founding of Rus'.

2. 882

   Prince Oleg unites Novgorod and Kiev, founding Kievan Rus'.

3. 988

   Grand Prince Vladimir adopts Orthodox Christianity as the state faith (the Baptism of Rus').

4. 1237-1240

   Mongol invasion shatters Kievan Rus'; principalities become vassals of the Golden Horde.

5. 1547

   Ivan IV ("the Terrible") is crowned the first Tsar of Russia.

6. 1703

   Peter the Great founds St. Petersburg, later making it the imperial capital.

7. 1861

   Emancipation of the serfs under Alexander II.

8. 1917

   Russian Revolution ends Romanov rule and brings the Bolsheviks to power.

9. 1922

   Formation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR).

10. 1991

    Dissolution of the Soviet Union; the Russian Federation is established.

Top 10 things to know about Russia

1. Russia is the largest country in the world by land area, spanning eleven time zones.
2. Moscow is the capital and largest city; the historic Kremlin and Red Square sit at its heart.
3. Russian is the official language, written in the Cyrillic alphabet.
4. Lake Baikal in Siberia is the world's deepest and oldest freshwater lake.
5. The Trans-Siberian Railway is the longest railway line in the world, linking Moscow to Vladivostok.
6. Russian literature produced towering figures such as Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, and Pushkin.
7. Russia spans two continents, Europe and Asia, divided by the Ural Mountains.
8. The Russian Orthodox Church has shaped much of the nation's art, architecture, and culture since 988 CE.
9. The Soviet Union launched the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, in 1957.
10. Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel into space in 1961.

Famous people from Russia

Say it in Russia's language

Did you know?

• ★Russia spans eleven time zones, more than any other country on Earth.
• ★Lake Baikal holds roughly a fifth of the world's unfrozen fresh surface water.
• ★The Trans-Siberian Railway crosses eight time zones on its route from Moscow to Vladivostok.

Russia culture

• Maslenitsa, a pre-Lenten festival, celebrates the end of winter with pancakes (bliny).
• Ballet, especially the Bolshoi and Mariinsky companies, is a cornerstone of Russian performing arts.
• The banya, a traditional steam bathhouse, is a deeply rooted social and wellness custom.
• Tea culture, often served from a samovar, is central to Russian hospitality.

Why read Russia's books

Russian literature gave the world some of its most towering novelists and poets , from Pushkin's founding verse to Tolstoy's and Dostoevsky's epic explorations of the human soul. Reading Russia's books is a journey through empire, revolution, and the enduring search for meaning.