The Romanovs very name connotes romance, roman (novel) and there was nothing more Russian or romantic than their love of snow. Some people built sand castles- the Romanovs constructed elaborate snow mountains- some as high as four story buildings! The construction was similar to building pyramids or igloos- they worked with firm blocks of hard snow. They enlisted help- see these officers carting in more ice blocks as the Grand Duchesses pause in their digging. Building these amazing fantasy snow mountains or "towers" continued even into captivity. Their last known snow mountain was built in their prison yard in Tobolsk- and they were forced to take it down, as it seemed suspect to the guards- who imagined they might use the mountain to signal to the outside or even to vault over the fence to escape. In any case, all their lives, the Romanovs enjoyed creating snow fantasies and riding sleighs and toboggans...This was part of their truly Russian spirit
The Romanovs very name connotes romance, roman (novel) and there was nothing more Russian or romantic than their love of snow. Some people built sand castles- the Romanovs constructed elaborate snow mountains- some as high as four story buildings! The construction was similar to building pyramids or igloos- they worked with firm blocks of hard snow. They enlisted help- see these officers carting in more ice blocks as the Grand Duchesses pause in their digging. Building these amazing fantasy snow mountains or "towers" continued even into captivity. Their last known snow mountain was built in their prison yard in Tobolsk- and they were forced to take it down, as it seemed suspect to the guards- who imagined they might use the mountain to signal to the outside or even to vault over the fence to escape. In any case, all their lives, the Romanovs enjoyed creating snow fantasies and riding sleighs and toboggans...This was part of their truly Russian spirit