Being one of the oldest countries in the world with a very long history, Russia has given birth to so many important and great people that the world know very well. Some even carry their names long after the passed away. Here, in this article, we will take a look at a list of 7 most famous people of all time from Russia in our version. They are known for their contributions not only to their country but also to the world, some things that last a long time and are handed down from generation to generation in term of knowledge.

1. Mikhail Gorbachev

This Russian politician was born on March 2, 1931 in Privolnoye. When he was seating in the office, Soviet Union was still up and running. Gorbachev was the general secretary for the Communist Party from 1985 to 1991. At that time the one-party government was still taking the rule. Looking at his position at that time, it was then became controversial that he himself went against the communism and tried to put democracy forward as the view of his country’s politics. This effort was victorious and he took down the Soviet Union’s postwar domination over Eastern Europe in 1991. For this, Gorbachev was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace. He was very well-known for taking an important role in the breaking down of the Berlin wall.

2. Pyotr Tchaikovsky

In the world of music generally and classical music especially, Tchaikovsky’s name is among the best world’s composers of all time. His compositions are still played everywhere around the globe for all kinds of performances. He was born on May 7, 1840 and passed away on November 6, 1893. He was specialized in opera and since he was born in the romantic era, some of his most popular works include the music for Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and The Sleeping Beauty. These original scores are still used for these ballet performances until today.

3. Grigori Rasputin

Born in a village in Siberia on January 21, 1869, this famous Russian paranormal was actually named Grigori Yefimovich Novykh. He is probably the only Russian who is famous for his controversial, insane lifestyle with no actual contributions to the country except for Emperor Nicholas II for improving the condition of his child at that time. He is remembered as Russia’s self-proclaimed holy man who could predict the future and heal the sick. Rasputin actually means “the debauched one” in Russian, and from that we could tell what kind of man he was. His death was also quite fenomenal. He was shot and drowned in the Neva River to stop him from making more scandals in Russia.

4. Vladimir Lenin

Throughout the history of human kind and politics, Lenin’s name is undoubtedly popular. He is the father of Russian communism whose view was joined by Karl Marx’s which then became the world’s communism view the Marxism-Leninism. He was born on April 22, 1870 in Gorki and passed away on January 21, 1924. He was also a controversial character for building a regime that was responsible for mass killings and political repression.

5. Boris Pasternak

Born in Moscow on February 10, 1890 under the name of Boris Leonidovich Pasternak, this famous Russian poet and novelist is widely known with his work Doctor Zhivago that was first published in 1957. This novel has been used as a part of Russian school curriculum since 2003 and still one of the most-sought books today. Pasternak was also famous in Russia as a translator for great literary works like Shakespeare’s and Goethe’s.

6. Catherine the Great

She ruled the Russian Empire from 1762 until 1796 which was dubbed as the country’s Golden Era. She successfully expanded Russia’s borders and brought the country up as one of the most powerful nations in Europe. Her leadership was more than just political because she also left behind a good legacy for Russia through her art collections that became the seed to Russia’s finest museum. She also put forward literary and education when she ruled the empire.

7. Yuri Gagarin

Born on March 9, 1934 in Klushino, Yuri Gagarin died young at the age of 34 when the training jet he piloted crashed on March 27, 1968. He is the first human ever making a journey to the outer space. Gagarin successfully completed going full around the Earth’s orbit on April 12, 1961. This journey instantly made him famous around the world and awarded so many medals and titles. Vostok was the name of the spacecraft and that was theonly time he ever travelled into the outer space. However, the journey marked a very big milestone in the history of human race and science. That’s why his name is still written in so many school text books and more and will definitely not be forgotten. Many places in Russian were renamed into Gagarin to honor the cosmonaut’s service for the country and the pride he brought.

Those were the 7 most famous people of all time from Russia in our version. If that was the first time you ever read about some of the names, we are glad to get you a new knowledge. Clearly Russia is one of the most powerful and notable nations in the world with a very long list of great and important people that made markings in the history of the world. The country became the place where amazing people were born and raised. You might have different list of Russians you consider popular or famous. Some may come from a very old place in time, some may still be very young today but already making a great difference in the world. One thing for sure, extraordinary people will always be remembered.