r/russian•
rpgmaker

What does "seventh verst" mean?

I just finished reading Crime and Punishment (spanish translation) and there was a particular reference that I didn't understand but still gnaws at me. At some point in the book when the main character is starting to "lose it" he says to himself that in two weeks he will be found at the "seventh verst" and it's not clear what that reference means (maybe at the time it was written it didn't need clarification). Does anyone here has any idea what it means?

PS: Maybe this is the wrong subreddit, let me know if it is.

Posted Feb 9, 2016, 10:46 PM UTC

46
mutalibun•

На седьмой версте от Петербурга, в Удельной, находилась известная больница для умалишенных.

Seven versts from Saint Petersburg there was a renowned psychiatric hospital.

4
Personality_Deficit•

And for anyone who didn't know, verstá = old unit of measure, about 1.067 km

3
rpgmakerOP•

Awesome. But was it called seven versts (or verst) or was it located at the seven verst?

1
mutalibun•

The latter.

3
rpgmakerOP•

Ok, thanks for explaining this to me! It was a curious reference and I didn't find it explained anywhere online.

2
VepsNative•

Does anyone here has any idea what it means?

Easy, it means he thought that he might end in the yellow house.

1