海角大神

Sochi opening ceremony: from Peter the Great to Putin

5. Troika

AP
A torch bearer rides on a troika during the Olympic torch relay in the city of Penza, some 370 miles southeast of Moscow in Jan. 2014.

Expected to have a star turn during the opening ceremony, Russian troika is a carriage driven by a team of three horses. (The word literally means 鈥渁 trio鈥 in Russian.)

Before becoming a centerpiece of wintry celebrations across Russia, a troika was a key component of the early Russian post system. A special way the horses were harnessed provided for both its speed 鈥 up to 30 miles per hour 鈥 and endurance. Troikas remained an integral part of both urban and rural culture until the early 20th century as key components of religious holidays and weddings.

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