1. Cultural Characteristics of Russia and Central Asia
Francisci WG.8

2. Diversity
Russia and Central Asia are made up of diverse ethnic groups, customs and traditions.
Some heritage groups include:
Slavic: Indo-European group from Scandinavia that lives in Central Asia
Turkic: People from Southeastern Europe
Mongol: People of Central Asia from Mongolia

3. Diversity Language: Russian (also spoken in Kazakhstan)
Major Religion: Russian Orthodox
God revealed himself in Jesus Christ.
Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead.
It is common for the congregation to remain standing during the mass.
Churches are typically topped by golden domes.
Avoid electric lighting and use candles, creating an otherworldly feel.

4. The Cold War
The Soviet Union and the U.S. engaged in a dangerous war of words and arms build up (1945 to 1991).
It was a dangerous time because both countries had developed nuclear weapons.
Cuban Missile Crisis (1962): 13- day stand-off between the U.S. and the Soviet Union concerning Soviet missiles deployment in Cuba.
President Kennedy and Russian Premier Khrushchev worked out a compromise: Russia would remove its missiles from Cuba if the U.S. would promise not to invade Cuba.

5. Cultural Heritage
Russian Ballet: A style of ballet that developed in Russia in the 1900s and eventually made its way to the western world
Matryoskha Dolls: Russian nesting doll; refers to a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside the other

6. Cultural Heritage Oriental carpets from Asia.
Samovars: Devices traditionally used to heat and boil water for tea.

7. Cultural Heritage Traditional Folk Music
Icons – religious images in Eastern Orthodox Christianity

8. Cultural Heritage
Faberge Eggs: Jeweled eggs created by Peter Carl Faberge from
Only 50 were made; 43 still left

9. Cultural Landscape Russian Orthodox Churches with golden domes
Red Square: city plaza in Moscow, Russia
Houses St. Basil’s Cathedral and mausoleum for Vladimir Lenin

10. Cultural Landscape Mosques and minarets Soviet-style apartment blocks:
Created from 1900 to 1950s
Communal Communist apartments
Two to seven families shared an apartment

11. Cultural Landscape
Kremlin: a major fortified central complex found in Moscow
Houses Russian President Vladimir Putin
Siberian Villages