Ice Slides
These were a popular wintertime amusement in Russia since the 1500s. Basically just large wooden structures with stairs and a big sloping slide that they covered with thick ice. They rode down them on blocks of ice. They were much more steep than today’s roller coasters, and quite dangerous. There were always lots of injuries.
By Catherine the Great’s time these were quite popular, both with the common people and with the upper classes, even the nobility. Catherine loved them and visited them often.
In the 1700s they put sides onto the slides so that the ice blocks wouldn’t slide off the edges. They could be 80 feet high! But still, these rides were dangerous, but the nobility still loved them. Holes were drilled into the ice block and a rope was tied through the hole so that you had something to hold onto as you flew down the slide.
They’d carve out a ‘seat’ in the ice block and fill it with straw so you wouldn’t freeze during the short but exciting ride. When the nobles rode the, the straw would be replaced with fur, but it was still dangerous.
Experienced riders figured out how to ‘steer’ the ice block with the rope, and if you were a new rider, or a lady or just a bit afraid you could pay a small fee to these ‘experienced riders’ and they would go down with you, ‘steering’ and making sure you had a safe ride.
Experienced riders figured out how to ‘steer’ the ice block with the rope, and if you were a new rider, or a lady or just a bit afraid you could pay a small fee to these ‘experienced riders’ and they would go down with you, ‘steering’ and making sure you had a safe ride.
Below, a typical ice slide during Catherine’s time. One straight, steep drop.
Original blueprints for the roller coaster:
It was over 1500 feet long!
A virtual recreation of Sliding Hill that some Russian engineering/design students made:
A short virtual animated recreation of the ride can be viewed at https://youtu.be/daPnZx-aZa8
The roller coaster structure itself at Sliding Hill no longer exists, but the three story building that was connected to it that served as the stairs to get up to the top of the ride still exists:
