Coach Hill - Russian Mountain 

‘Though another tyrant, the Empress Catherine was a liberal in other ways, including her lovers. Probably, this is why she made a garden in the English style. It has a small temple, a solitude for dinner parties, a magnificent bath, a coach-hill, picturesque ruins and a small town to commemorate Catherine's annexation of the Crimea.’ This is a quote from The Claudians: gardens, landscapes, reason and faith: John Claudius Loudon and Claudius Buchanan, Tom Turner (Kindle, 2024).

The Legacy of Russian Mountain Roller Coasters

Now called Rollercoasters, they have been known as Russian Mountains, Coach Hills or Katyusha Hills (Katyusha is a diminutive of the name Catherine). They consisted of wooden tracks with inclines and descents powered by gravity. The cars were often small and open with one or two passengers. They were built on private estates and in public gardens, amusement parks, fairs, festivals etc. Roller coasters are now called ‘Американские горки’ (Amerikanskiye gorki) in Russian. This translates as ‘American hills.’

The Evolution and Cultural Impact of Roller Coasters

Russian Mountains, have significantly influenced amusement park culture. Originating in 18th-century Russia, these early roller coasters featured gravity-powered wooden tracks with steep inclines and thrilling descents. Their design and popularity spread across Europe, evolving into more complex structures and amusement rides. Today, roller coasters, often referred to as "American hills" in Russia, continue to captivate audiences worldwide with their advanced engineering and high-speed thrills, reflecting the enduring legacy of these historical amusements in modern entertainment.

A Russian Mountain in Paris https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1899-0713-181