Before 1918, distances in Russia were measured not in kilometers but in verstas. Interestingly, the difference between them is minimal: one versta equals five hundred sazhens or 1,066.8 meters. On roads, versta markers were installed so travelers could know how far they were from their destination. These markers were commonly referred to as "verstas." Such markers were also used to measure the road from Moscow, starting at the Kaluga Gate, to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich’s residence in Kolomenskoye. These solid stone markers were clad in marble and adorned with eagles. What set them apart from regular markers was their height—they were significantly taller than standard indicators. Thus, the expression “Colomensky Versta” originated. Over time, the term began to describe very tall, slender people. In Alexei Tolstoy's novel Peter the First, even the emperor, known for his remarkable height, was described this way: “He was already fourteen years old. He had grown as tall as a Colomensky Versta.” Incidentally, it was under Peter the Great that versta markers with distance indications began to be installed along roads. Later, during Alexander I’s reign, these markers were painted with diagonal stripes to ensure visibility even in bad weather.