Patched ring. Cities of the Golden Ring of Russia: a brief description of the complete route

The Golden Ring of Russia is a famous tourist route with a length of more than 1000 kilometers, which passes through the ancient cities of Vladimir-Suzdal and Moscow Rus'. The route includes about 20 cities in the Moscow, Ivanovo, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Tver regions. Historical and architectural monuments of the 12th-18th centuries are concentrated here, which constitute a treasury of Russian culture. These unique sights are protected by the Russian state and UNESCO. The term “Golden Ring” was attached to this tourist route in the 60s of the last century. Then journalist Yuri Bychkov wrote a series of essays on the pages of the Soviet Russia newspaper about eight cities northeast of Moscow, which stand out for their rich cultural and historical heritage. Today this phrase, first used in 1967, is widely known in Russia and abroad. The Golden Ring includes eight main cities: Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Rostov Veliky, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Suzdal and Vladimir.

The idea to “ring” ancient Russian cities belongs to the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Historical and Cultural Monuments. In 1974, the first guidebook “Around the Golden Ring of Russia” was published.

It will take almost a month to complete the entire route. Therefore, it is better to travel around ancient Russian cities on small tourist routes that take 2-3 days. Moscow will be your starting point. The most convenient way, of course, is to travel in your own car. Then you will not be tied to a tourist group and will be able to visit those cities and towns along the way that are not included in the traditional route. We assure you that these places are no less attractive to tourists. In addition, this way you can fully enjoy the beauty of the Golden Ring.

Travelers are amazed by the very atmosphere of Russian provincial cities, the lack of fuss and the regularity of life. Wonderful nature pacifies with its discreet beauty. The picturesque places of the Volga coast, the Kotorosl River, Lake Pleshcheevo, and Lake Nero are especially attractive. The nature of central Russia is attractive at any time of the year. There is plenty of space on the banks of rivers and lakes for walks and picnics. All stages of the development of ancient Russian architecture are represented in cities and villages: majestic white-stone churches of the 12th-13th centuries, tent-roofed buildings of the 16th century, buildings of the 17th century, creations of architectural and painting schools of Rostov, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Vladimir.

Numerous historical monuments - fortresses, monasteries and temples, testify to the great importance of each of the cities of the Golden Ring in the ancient and royal periods of history. Each city has its own unique style of ancient architecture. The myriad of Orthodox monasteries, shrines and temples located in this region attracts a large number of pilgrims. And Suzdal and Rostov the Great are real open-air museums. In Suzdal, for example, there are practically no cars. On the streets of the city you will meet mainly pedestrians and horse-drawn carriages. This is a reserve of old, pre-Petrine Rus' with the Kremlin, Pokrovsky and Spaso-Evfimievsky monasteries, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, and a museum of wooden architecture.

In addition to architecture and holy places, during your trip you can get acquainted with the folk crafts of the Russian people. Museums in many cities contain examples of ancient artistic crafts: wood and bone carvings, products of skilled lacemakers and jewelers, lacquer miniatures and enamel painting (enamel) and much more.

Recently, the tourism business has been intensively developing in the cities of the Golden Ring of Russia, so in almost any city you can find excursion services, an acceptable hotel, cafe or restaurant. They say that the best way to understand and experience great Russia, to feel the real Russian soul, is to drive through the historical places of the Golden Ring, see historical monuments with your own eyes, enjoy ancient architecture, art and painting, and see ancient icons of ancient Russian masters.

Golden Ring of Russia cities, attractions, history, photos

The Golden Ring of Russia is a famous tourist route that includes 8 ancient Russian cities. These are Vladimir, Rostov Veliky, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Ivanovo, Suzdal, Sergiev Posad and Pereslavl-Zalessky.

Such ancient cities as Moscow, Murom, Alexandrov, Gus-Khrustalny and others are also attributed to the Golden Ring, but their involvement in the route is controversial, so only the 8 above-mentioned cities are traditionally considered “golden” cities.

The Golden Ring of Russia is the unofficial name of the famous route. It first appeared in 1967, when journalist Yuri Bychkov wrote a series of essays about the oldest cities in Russia and combined them into one common name, which has since become popular among tourists. The author of the sensational term is no longer alive, but his “brainchild” still attracts millions of tourists every year.

Trips along the Golden Ring of Russia for travelers are an exclusive opportunity to see several magnificent pearls of our country at once. Moreover, bus tours around the Golden Ring of Russia are in greatest demand. Such tours allow you to see not only the sights of amazing Russian cities up close, but also use the services of a guide.

Excursions along the Golden Ring help to better understand the history of such a great power as Russia, to experience it from the moment it turned from a pagan country into a Christian one. Several centuries later, the era of feudal fragmentation led to the Mongol-Tatar invasion, and centuries later the unification of Russian lands contributed to the overthrow of the yoke and the liberation of the country. The princely title changed to royal, royal to imperial. Much water has passed under the bridge over the past millennium, but the sights of the golden eight cities easily restore the chain of events of rich Russian history.

That is why tours along the Golden Ring will be an amazing revelation for tourists, helping them to love and understand all the power and beauty of the country, which acquired the glory of an invincible power and which neither Napoleon nor Hitler could break.

1. Vladimir

The majestic Vladimir was built at the beginning of the 12th century on the initiative of Vladimir Monomakh, who decided that he could not find a better place than on the banks of the Klyazma River to build a defensive fortress. However, Monomakh did not have time to complete the construction of the fortress, so after his death the work was continued by his grandson Andrei Bogolyubsky. Thanks to the efforts of Bogolyubsky, the famous city became not only a defensive fortress, but also the capital of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality. This was the time of growth and prosperity of Vladimir as a large trading and craft city.

During the Mongol-Tatar invasion, the city was burned almost to the ground and rebuilt stone by stone by the Russians. This did not prevent Vladimir from becoming a city with a unique cultural heritage in the form of ancient architectural monuments and ancient Russian architecture, which are very popular among Russian and European tourists visiting Vladimir.

Famous Golden Gate

At the beginning of the last millennium, this gate served as a triumphal arch, served as the main main entrance to the Russian city, and was also part of a defensive fortress that protected the city from enemies. Now they are painted white, but at the time of Andrei Bogolyubsky, who built them, they were golden and shone dazzlingly in the sun.

White stone Assumption Cathedral

Andrei Bogolyubsky also had a hand in the construction of the cathedral. For a long time, the temple served as a place where Russian princes were married. The Assumption Cathedral was erected in record time - literally in three years, but after a fire that happened a quarter of a century after its construction, it was subjected to a thorough reconstruction. After the Mongol-Tatar invasion, the temple again underwent reconstruction. In the 15th century, Andrei Rublev himself restored the frescoes there. However, the restoration of the Assumption Cathedral did not end there: the cathedral was repaired several times and today is not only the cathedral of the Vladimir Metropolis, but also a museum of ancient Russian architecture.

Dmitrievsky Cathedral

The ancient Dmitrievsky Cathedral was built at the end of the 12th century by Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest. The cathedral is popular due to its white stone carvings, which have been preserved almost in their original form. The frescoes of the Last Judgment, painted under Vsevolod, have also survived to this day.

2. Rostov Veliky

The first mention of Rostov dates back to the 9th century, when it was recorded in chronicles. Historians are inclined to believe that the city was named Rostov in honor of a prince named Rost, but this is just a guess. Glory came to Rostov in the 10th century, when Yaroslav the Wise began to reign in the city. It was from the time of his reign that the prosperity and development of the city began. In many ways, the flourishing was facilitated by active trade conducted between merchants.

In the 13th century, Rostov became one of the first cities in which stone buildings began to be erected. But, like other cities of the Golden Eight, it suffered greatly as a result of the Mongol-Tatar invasion and only after the overthrow of the yoke it again turned into a rich and prosperous city.

The Rostov Kremlin is the most striking landmark of Rostov

In the 17th century, during the years of its construction, the Rostov Kremlin served as the metropolitan court, but already in the 18th century it lost its functions after the metropolitan court moved to Yaroslavl and was almost sent for demolition. The iconic building (better known to us from the film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession”) was saved by a miracle.

The Kremlin was restored and turned into a museum in the 19th century. Today the Rostov Kremlin consists of 11 towers and adjacent architectural structures, among which are the Assumption Cathedral, the Church of the Savior on the Senya and other monuments.

3. Kostroma

The Golden Ring of Russia also includes the city of Kostroma. Kostroma was founded in the middle of the 12th century and its formation as a city is associated with the reign of Yuri Dolgoruky. At first, Dolgoruky ordered the construction of a defensive fortress on the Kostroma River, but later a whole city arose next to the fortress, in which trade began to be actively conducted. Kostroma was built entirely of wood and therefore burned more than once. The fires stopped when the Russians learned to build houses from stone.

Kostroma became the refuge of the future Tsar of Russia. In the Ipatiev Monastery, young Mikhail Romanov, who became the founder of the Romanov dynasty, which existed until 1917, hid from boyar disgrace. It was there that the boyars bowed their heads before him and called on him to put an end to the Troubles, forgive them and return to Moscow in the position of God's anointed king.

Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery

The monastery, which became a temporary home for Mikhail and his mother, was built in the 14th century by the Tatar Murza Chet, who, having escaped from the Mongol-Tatars, asked for shelter from the Russian prince and was baptized under the name Zacharias. Zachary was seriously ill, but was healed after he saw a prophetic dream in which the Mother of God herself appeared before him. In gratitude, the man built the Ipatiev Monastery.

The monastery was rebuilt during the time of Boris Godunov, it became stone and acquired a modern appearance. Boris Godunov personally donated villages to the monastery and allocated funds for restoration.

Monument to Ivan Susanin

In the 19th century, a monument to Tsar Mikhail and the national hero Ivan Susanin, who gave his life for saving Tsar Mikhail during the Time of Troubles, was built in Kostroma. During his disgrace, Mikhail and his mother hid in Domnino. A Polish-Lithuanian detachment was looking for them. The young heir to the throne was ordered to be taken prisoner. However, the Poles did not know the exact location of the future king and asked the peasant for directions. Ivan Susanin was not at a loss and led the detachment away from Mikhail’s refuge, having managed to warn his relative about the danger approaching the king. A relative of Susanin conveyed this news to the king. Mikhail and his mother managed to escape and hide in the Ipatiev Monastery. As for Susanin, when the Poles and Lithuanians realized that they had been fooled by an ordinary peasant, they began to cruelly torture and torture him. Susanin was adamant and did not reveal the location of the royal persons, for which he paid with his life.

After the overthrow of the Romanov dynasty, the monument was completely destroyed by revolutionaries, but half a century later it was rebuilt. This time the sculptors erected a monument to only one Ivan Susanin. This monument is the national pride of Kostroma.

4. Yaroslavl

The ancient city was founded in 1010 by Yaroslav the Wise and, of course, was named after this great prince. In the same year, Yaroslav passed away, but the Yaroslavl Kremlin, founded at the intersection of the Kotorosl and Volga rivers, became the beginning of grandiose construction. During the Mongol-Tatar invasion, Yaroslavl, unlike other cities included in the Golden Ring of Russia, was not damaged. This is due to the fact that at the beginning of the Mongol-Tatar yoke, one of the relatives of the Khan of the Golden Horde began to rule Yaroslavl, and the city began to prosper and develop.

Yaroslavl endured the Time of Troubles - the troops of False Dmitry II, who decided to seize power in the country, stayed there, and later the people's troops of the second militia of Pozharsky and Minin were located in the city, which defeated the Polish invaders. After the Time of Troubles, Yaroslavl began to develop rapidly, and various crafts were especially developed.

But during the years of Soviet power, the city suffered greatly: during the civil war, many houses burned down, a large number of people were killed and many historical monuments were destroyed.

The grandiose restoration of the city and economy began after the Great Patriotic War, during which there were also casualties and destruction.

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery

One of the oldest monasteries built in Yaroslavl was Spaso-Preobrazhensky. It was founded in the 12th century and for a long time remained the main spiritual abode of Orthodox Russians. In the 13th century, the Transfiguration Cathedral was built, then the Holy Gate, the Church of the Nativity of Christ, the belfry and other buildings and churches were built. In the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, the people's militia received a blessing when they set out to save the country from the Polish-Lithuanian intervention. In the same monastery, young Mikhail Romanov signed his first letter of consent to become Tsar of Russia.

Now the monastery houses a state museum-reserve.

In addition to the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery and the Yaroslavl Kremlin, “cold churches” built in the 17th century are very popular among tourists - these are the churches of Elijah the Prophet, John Chrysostom, John the Baptist and others. And, in principle, the whole city consists of only attractions - there are over 700 of them in the city, so one day is not enough for tourists to see all the treasures of ancient Yaroslavl.

5. Ivanovo

The young city, famous for its beautiful brides and rich variety of textiles, first made its presence known in 1608, when it was recorded in the chronicle. At that time it was still just a fledgling village, but it had already found itself in the thick of events during the Time of Troubles. A camp of Polish interventionists was located in Ivanovo. During the revolutionary years (at the beginning of the 20th century), a revolutionary camp was formed here. But it was not the rich history that became the adornment of the city, but the engineering enterprises and textile factories that made the city a Russian celebrity.

Shchudrovskaya tent

The Shchudrovskaya tent is one of the oldest monuments preserved in Ivanovo. Appearing in the 17th century as an order tent, the building today is a local history museum. It is an excellent example of stone construction from the 17th century.

Revolutionary monuments

The monument to the fighters of the 1905 revolution and the Krasnaya Talka memorial are the main attractions of the city. Despite their “youth,” the monuments became a vivid reminder of the feat of working youth who decided to overthrow the tsarist government and liberate the country.

6. Suzdal

The founding of Suzdal is associated with the name of Prince Vladimir Monomakh. It was Vladimir who began the construction of a defensive fortress on the Kamenka River, which became the beginning of the construction of a beautiful and amazing city, which received official status only in the 18th century under Catherine II. Vladimir Monomakh fell in love with Suzdal and poured his soul into the majestic Suzdal Kremlin he created. He also built the Assumption Cathedral, which, although restored several times, preserved ancient frescoes from the time of the Mongol-Tatar invasion and the Time of Troubles.

Yuri Dolgoruky continued the work started by his father. Under him, Suzdal acquired the status of a spiritual center of Orthodox Christians. During the years of the Mongol-Tatar yoke and the Time of Troubles, the city was severely destroyed, but quickly recovered from its losses and became a city-reserve.

Suzdal Kremlin

The Kremlin is crowned by the Nativity Cathedral, St. Nicholas Church and the Bishop's Chambers. As already noted, the Suzdal Kremlin was founded by Vladimir Monomakh. At first it was a log fortress with towers, surrounded by ditches and earthen ramparts; later construction of the main architectural structures of the Kremlin began. The stone Suzdal Kremlin and churches, earthen ramparts and ditches remaining from ancient times have survived to this day.

An excursion with a visit to the Shchurov settlement is very popular. This popularity is largely due to the release of Pavel Lungin’s historical film “The Tsar,” which attracted the attention of television viewers to the settlement of the ancient Slavs due to the wooden scenery installed by the film crew during the filming process.

An equally amazing place is the Intercession Convent, which became the refuge of many famous historical figures sent to prison for political reasons. Among the most famous are the wives of Vasily III and Ivan the Terrible, who fell into disgrace due to the fault of their crowned spouses.

7. Sergiev Posad

Sergiev Posad is a city that millions of Orthodox believers dream of visiting. It was founded by St. Sergius of Radonezh back in 1337. As a youth, Bartholomew (the future Saint Sergius of Radonezh) and his brother Stefan settled on the banks of the Konchura River, deliberately making this quiet, deserted place their refuge. Here they built a church in honor of the Trinity and a monastic cell. The chronicles say that Dmitry Donskoy himself, going to the famous battle, came to bow and for a blessing to Sergius of Radonezh. The devotees of Radonezh continued his holy work and today this church has turned into the world famous Trinity-Sergius Lavra. And a whole city grew up around the church, officially receiving city status during the reign of the deeply religious Empress Catherine the Great.

16 years after the death of St. Sergius, the monastery was burned to the ground by the Tatar Khan Edigei and restored under Abbot Nikon of Radonezh. From then on, the monastery began to flourish. Under Ivan the Terrible, the monastery began to grow and turned into a powerful fortress, and under Catherine it became a Lavra. Now the Lavra consists of 50 different buildings.

As for the city itself, it arose thanks to rumors spreading at the speed of light about healing miracles occurring in the monastery. Elders, pilgrims and simply believers began to flock to the walls of the monastery and stay here permanently. The next systematic step was the development of trade and crafts, which brought Sergiev Posad closer to receiving city status.

The main and most significant asset of Sergiev Posad, of course, is the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius with a rich historical past. It includes more than a dozen churches, among which are the Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Assumption Cathedral, the Church of St. Sergius and other buildings. The future Emperor Peter I hid within the walls of the monastery several times: the first time to escape the Streltsy riot, the second time from his sister, Princess Sophia.

Remember the famous matryoshka doll? The birthplace of this wooden doll, beloved by Soviet children, was Sergiev Posad. Meanwhile, although the nesting doll was released only at the beginning of the 20th century, Sergius of Radonezh planed various wooden toys and distributed them to children, thereby blessing the future city for further production of toys.

8. Pereslavl-Zalessky

The fairy-tale city arose on the shore of Lake Pleshcheevo. Its inclusion in the Golden Ring of Russia is not accidental. Yuri Dolgoruky himself (the founder of the capital of Russia - Moscow) had a hand in the construction of this city in 1152. According to the prince's plans, Pereslavl-Zalessky was to become the capital of North-Eastern Rus'. Already in those days, Pereslavl-Zalessky was a city of impressive size, although it was located in a swampy area.

In this amazing city, Alexander Nevsky, the famous commander who repelled the attacks of the Swedes, Lithuanians and Germans, was born and reigned. He also managed to establish peaceful relations with the Golden Horde. The people literally idolized the prince and considered him the defender of Rus'. In memory of him, the Alexander Nevsky Church was erected in Pereslavl-Zalessky.

Red Square

Since Pereslavl-Zalessky was to become the capital, it could not do without Red Square. On Red Square there are famous architectural monuments and churches - the same Alexander Nevsky Church, the Transfiguration Cathedral and others.

The Transfiguration Cathedral, like the city itself, was founded by Dolgoruky in 1152; now it is a museum-reserve. Its main advantage is that it has survived to this day in its original form and this differs from other white-stone churches of Rus'. Frescoes dating back to the second half of the 12th century were also discovered in it, and the icon of the Transfiguration, painted in the 15th century by Theophanes the Greek, was found.

The decorations of Red Square are the monument to Alexander Nevsky and a huge boulder, which is 2 billion years old and was found on the banks of the Trubezh River. The boulder is better known as the Blue Stone, which fulfills the most cherished desires and heals diseases.

All the oldest Russian cities included in the Golden Ring of Russia are united by a unique history, rich cultural heritage, amazing natural beauty and unique charm, which have preserved the remnants of antiquity, greatness and glory of the Russian state.

In 1967, art critic Yuri Bychkov, on instructions from the newspaper “Soviet Culture,” set off in his “Muscovite” to the cities of the Vladimir region to write a series of articles about the trip. In the end, he decided not to return along the same path, but to pass through Yaroslavl, thereby enclosing his route in a ring. A series of his travelogues was published under the title “Golden Ring”. This is how the famous route of 8 cities appeared: Sergiev Posad - Pereslavl-Zalessky - Rostov the Great - Yaroslavl - Kostroma - Ivanovo - Suzdal - Vladimir.

“I fell into a thoughtful state and wandered around Moscow. The weather was in contrast to the five sunny days of the recent trip - the sky was clouded with a gray veil. I raised my eyes upward, and my gaze met the dome of the bell tower of Ivan the Great, melting into the ghostly heights, golden through the curtain of drizzle slowly falling from the sky of rain dust. Like an electric shock: “Golden!” This “golden” immediately connected with the road. It turned out - “Golden Ring”.

Yuri Bychkov

SERGIEV POSAD

The only city in the Moscow region as part of the Golden Ring. Its main attraction is the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. There are about fifty white-stone buildings that were built by the best architects of the country over four centuries. So it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to see them all in one excursion.

The Trinity Cathedral houses the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh, and hundreds of pilgrims flock here every day. The cathedral is famous for its horizontal iconostasis, which was created by a team of craftsmen under the leadership of Andrei Rublev. On one of the doors of the temple there is a hole from a cannonball - a trace from the siege of the Lavra by the troops of False Dmitry II.

In the vicinity of the city there is the ancient Abramtsevo estate. Here Nikolai Gogol read to the owners of the estate, the Aksakov family, the second volume of Dead Souls; Valentin Serov wrote The Girl with Peaches, and Andrei Tarkovsky filmed some scenes of Solaris.

As a souvenir from Sergiev Posad, you can bring a Bogorodsk toy - a carved wooden bear or a colorful bird - which is driven by a secret mechanism.

PERESLAVL-ZALESSKY

In the city on the shore of Lake Pleshcheevo you can see six monasteries and nine churches. Among them is the Transfiguration Cathedral, in which, according to legend, Alexander Nevsky was baptized. The decoration of the temple differs from most Russian churches in its asceticism: practically no decor, a minimum of frescoes. The exception is a copy of the Transfiguration icon by Theophanes the Greek above the marble altar.

You definitely need to visit Lake Pleshcheyevo itself. It was here in the 17th century that Peter I began the construction of the “amusing flotilla,” the ancestor of the entire Russian fleet. Today, the “Boat of Peter I” is open here - a museum where the only boat “Fortune” that has survived from Peter’s times is exhibited. There is also a Blue Stone on the lake - it was used during rituals by the pagan Slavs. When it rains, the color of the stone changes from gray to blue - hence the name. Tourists make a wish at the Blue Stone and, to make it come true, tie a bright ribbon to a nearby bush, and leave a coin on the stone itself.

ROSTOV VELIKY

One of the oldest cities in Rus' was mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years - in the chronicle of 862. Rostov is decorated with the 17th century Kremlin, which was built not to protect the city, but as the residence of the metropolitan. He was made famous throughout the country by Leonid Gaidai: along the passages of the Rostov Kremlin, the main characters of the film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession” ran away from pursuit.

In the Kremlin ensemble there is the Assumption Cathedral - one of the most beautiful churches in Russia. Its architectural style is in many ways reminiscent of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. According to legends, the rector of this cathedral was the father of the hero Alyosha Popovich. The famous Rostov belfry with fifteen bells is also located near the cathedral. The largest of them - and the most major in sound - is “Sysoy”. It weighs 32 tons - it takes two bell ringers to rock this giant.

Rostov the Great is famous for traditional Russian cuisine. A favorite among city guests is the tender dumplings stuffed with pike - the main treat of local cafes and restaurants in the Russian style.

YAROSLAVL

The first thing to do in Yaroslavl is to go to the historical center of the city to the Church of Elijah the Prophet. The elegant facade of this temple with snow-white walls, green domes, carved arches and colorful platbands has survived to this day almost in its original form. Ancient frescoes and a baroque carved iconostasis from the 17th century also survived. However, they are opened for visitors to the temple museum only in the warm season: damp and cold weather can cause irreparable damage to the images.

IVANOVO

“Moscow and Ivanovo... were built anew”, wrote Mayakovsky. In fact, not many ancient buildings have survived in the city, and the oldest of them is the stone Shchudrovskaya tent. The miniature pre-Petrine chambers now house a department of the Ivanovo Museum of History and Local Lore.

There are many more examples of architectural constructivism in the city. For example, the residential “House-Ship”, built in 1930 by architect Daniil Fridman. The shape of the building really resembles a ship thanks to its rounded walls and beveled end. The panoramic glazing of the first floor imitates the water on which the house “floats”.

One of the largest museums in the city is the Ivanovo Calico Museum. Almost half a million textile samples are collected here - from ancient homespun fabrics to the most modern factory samples. The museum also houses an exhibition of works and sketches by the famous Ivanovo-born fashion designer Vyacheslav Zaitsev.

SUZDAL

The Suzdal Kremlin was built back in the 10th century, and, surprisingly, almost all of its main buildings have survived to this day. Including the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary with a special dome of rich blue color with gold stars. The Kremlin ensemble also includes the Bishops' Chambers: in ancient times, these stone buildings were used as residential and utility rooms, and today they house an exhibition dedicated to the history of the region.

The Suzdal Open-Air Museum of Wooden Architecture contains authentic buildings from the 17th–18th centuries. Peasant huts, merchant houses and even mills are open to the public. The museum staff recreated their interior decoration down to the smallest detail.

The Shchurovo Settlement Museum is a reconstruction of the settlement of the ancient Slavs. In 2008, she became the scenery for Pavel Lungin’s film “The Tsar”. Today, in the interactive museum, visitors are introduced to the life of the inhabitants of ancient Suzdal, taught how to bake bread in a real oven, shoot a bow and hold a sword correctly.

VLADIMIR

For two centuries, Vladimir was the nominal capital of North-Eastern Rus'. It was here, in the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that the great princes were married. This temple was built to store the icon of Our Lady of Vladimir, which was considered the patroness and protector of the state. Today the Assumption Cathedral is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its white stone walls are covered with frescoes of the finest work - among them there are works by Andrei Rublev.

The Vladimir Golden Gate was built in the 12th century by Andrei Bogolyubsky. He wanted to show that the city is not inferior to Kyiv in influence and wealth. The gate became not only a beautiful architectural monument, but also a powerful defensive structure. They withstood the onslaught of the Tatar hordes during the siege of the city of Batu.

Also on the water meadows near Vladimir is one of the most famous Russian churches - the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. The elegant temple looks light and weightless thanks to the combination of narrow and elongated decorative elements. The walls of the church are decorated with plot carved reliefs. The central motif of three of them was King David seated on the throne, surrounded by lions and doves.

In my carefree youth, my sister and I spent a lot of time traveling around our country. We always chose cities at random: based on weather conditions and transport accessibility. Just recently, I was surprised to discover that I had not missed a single city of the Golden Ring. I must say that traveling to each of them left me with a lot of pleasant impressions.

Official composition of the "Golden Ring"

So, The Golden Ring of Russia is the cities that managed to preserve ancient artifacts. Surprisingly, it is only recognized 8 cities from 5 regions:

1. Moscow region: Sergiev Posad;
2. Vladimir region: and ;
3. Ivanovo region: Ivanovo;
4. Kostroma region: ;
5. Yaroslavl region: , Rostov Veliky And Pereslavl-Zalessky.

1. Kasimov(Ryazan Oblast);
2. (Kaluga region).

Expanded composition of the "Golden Ring" of Russia

When you think about it, you realize that the list of cities filled with the atmosphere of antiquity does not end with ten from the traditionally accepted list. Personally, about a dozen other wonderful places come to mind: where you can feel the spirit of ancient Rus':

• Plyos;
• Palekh;
• Bogolyubovo;
• Gus-Khrustalny;
• Kalyazin.

Why the ring

In the 60s, a series of notes about ancient Russian cities was published under the single cycle “Golden Ring”. Since then, the designation has stuck and today's Golden Ring- this is a tourist concept. They denote route through ancient cities. Looking at the map, you can see that this route forms a not entirely smooth ring.

What you can see while traveling along the Golden Ring

It’s worth starting with the fact that the cities of the Golden Ring are located in amazingly picturesque places: on the banks of rivers and lakes and are notable for their stunning landscape. But, of course, that's not all! Traveling along the Golden Circle, you will see:

• monasteries and cathedrals, churches and temples, - there will be an incredible number of them,
• ancienturban development,
• interesting, often quite small museums with truly valuable exhibits.
• in addition, in some places they are still preserved craft traditions: Experience true mastery.

It’s a good place to stroll through the cities of the Golden Ring, enjoying the leisurely lifestyle of the Russian hinterland, and looking for interesting objects.

The cities of the Golden Ring of Russia are Rostov Veliky, Sergiev Posad, Yaroslavl, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Ivanovo, Suzdal, Kostroma and, of course, Vladimir. All these cities managed to preserve historical exhibits of Russian culture.

Every person should definitely visit all these great places, see the monuments of Russian history and feel this inspiring atmosphere. Further in the article there will be a basic description of the cities of the Golden Ring and their attractions, which are no less interesting than.

Rostov

This city is the richest in terms of historical values ​​among all the eight cities of the golden ring. It contains important cultural monuments not only of Russian, but also of European history.

The most popular attractions and cultural and architectural monuments are the Rostov Kremlin, the ensemble of the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery, the Rostov Bells and the Avraamiev Epiphany Monastery.

Cities of the Golden Ring of Russia – Sergiev Posad

Historically important buildings of Russian culture were not even erected in the 18th century, but were built throughout the 14th-17th centuries. That is, the Trinity Cathedral and the Lavra ensemble built around it are one of the oldest historical buildings in Russia.

It is also worth visiting such sights of Sergiev Posad as the Assumption Cathedral and the Spiritual Church.

Cities of the Golden Ring of Russia - Yaroslavl

It is the oldest of the cities that were built on the banks of the great Russian river Volga. The main and oldest attraction of this place is called the Spassky Monastery, namely the Transfiguration Cathedral.

It was erected at the beginning of the 15th century. Also an important monument of ancient Russian culture is the Church of the Prophet Elijah.

Pereslavl-Zalessky

This city is one of the best places for creative people, as it is located on the shores of the beautiful Lake Pleshcheyevo. The city is very rich in various monasteries, for example: Nikolsky, Feodorovsky, Sretensky Novodevichy, Nikitsky and Holy Trinity Danilov Monastery.

Diversity is also presented in the form of many museums of architecture, artistic activity and economic culture of Ancient Rus'.

Ivanovo

This city reflects the revolutionary history of Russia like no other. The number of monuments is amazing, as their number is second only to the capital and St. Petersburg. Ivanovo is also famous for its developed textile infrastructure.

The oldest sights of the city are the Shchudrovskaya tent, erected in the 17th century, and the Assumption Church, made not of stone, but of wood, built at the end of the same century, but, unfortunately, it burned down in 2015.

Cities of the Golden Ring of Russia - Suzdal

The peculiarity and highlight of this city, undoubtedly, is the architectural complex of the Suzdal Kremlin. It is believed that the Kremlin itself was built in the 10th century and is called the oldest building in the city.

The Kremlin ensemble consists of such landmarks as St. Nicholas Church, Bishops' Chambers and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin.

Kostroma

The city preserves the memory of the reign of Catherine II, in the form of a construction plan approved by the empress. The main attractions of Kostroma are the ensembles of the famous Ipatiev Monastery and Susaninskaya Square.

The first complex includes the chambers of the Romanovs themselves, as well as the Trinity Cathedral, the Belfry, the Bishops' and Brothers' buildings, the walls and turrets of the Old City. By the way, here all year round you can visit the Terem and the Snow Maiden’s Residence, which all the children are delighted with.

Cities of the Golden Ring of Russia - Vladimir

Undoubtedly, this city can be called holy. Since the number of white stone structures is quite large. The main attractions of Vladimir are the Golden Gate and the Assumption Cathedral. And also the no less important white-stone St. Demetrius Cathedral.

The cities of the Golden Ring of Russia reflect the culture and spirit of Ancient Rus'. To appreciate and feel the greatness of Russian history, you need to personally visit each of these eight cities.