where did the sport of figure skating originate
History of figure skating The history of figure skating stretches back to prehistoric times. Primitive ice skates appear in the archaeological record from about 3000 BC. Edges were added by the Dutch in the 13th - 14th century. International figure skating competitions began appearing in the late 19th centuryâ€”in 1891, the European Championships were inaugurated in Hamburg, Germany, and in 1896, the first World Championships were held in Saint Petersburg, Russian Empire. At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, England, figure skating became the first winter sport to be included in the Olympics.