The Golden ring

“The Golden ring” is the most famous route in Russia and very well-known outside the county. Nowadays, it is really a strong brand and each guest of Russia tends to see it. The route unites old cities of Russia, the untouched uniqueness of which attracts millions of tourists every year.
The famous Golden Ring tourist route includes the following cities: Rostov the Great, Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl – Zalessky, Yaroslavl, Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma and Ivanovo.

Rostov The Great

The famous historical monument that represents this city is the Metropolitan Court, or Rostov Kremlin, as it is most often called. It was designed and built by decree of the Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich. The white stone walls of the building with small windows and elegant dark green domes contrast against the surrounding nature. The building was built as a grand residence, a kind of heavenly city: powerful walls, behind which lies the garden, in the center of which there is a pond.

Sergiev Posad

The ancient city with many historical monuments of architecture and natural sites. Among them: the church of the introduction into the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Temple of the Martyr Paraskeva, the famous museum-reserve “Abramtsevo”, the medical waterfall Gremyachiy Klyuch and the Chernigovsky skete. But the most famous historical building in Sergiev Posad is the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the spiritual center of Orthodoxy in Russia. This architectural complex was included in the UNESCO heritage list.
Trinity Cathedral is the most ancient landmark of this complex. The relics of St. Sergius are buried here, and Andrei Rublev and Daniel Cherny worked on the wall paintings.

Pereslavl – Zalessky

Particular attention in this city is addressed to the Nikitsky Monastery, one of the favorite places of Ivan IV the Terrible, in the past. He was a frequent guest here and invested a lot in his development. The king’s devotion and love for this historical place is explained in several interesting versions. The first tells that once upon a time he prayed to St. Nikita the Stylite, after which the king had a son. The second version is the representation of the monastery as a reserve fortress, which was designed and equipped in order to successfully repel the onslaught of the enemy. During the Time of Troubles, he stubbornly defended his position in front of the Poles and Lithuanians, who carried out a siege of the fortress for 2 weeks.

Yaroslavl

The city of Yaroslavl is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its vast territory of 110 hectares, where more than a hundred architectural monuments are located. This picturesque city represents its main attraction – the Arrow. From its high bank, located at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl, offers a picturesque view of the surrounding places. Here Yaroslavl itself arose, and in honor of the founding of the city, a monument was erected, which can be seen from afar. And along the embankment p. Volga is a long complex of ancient churches. Notable in these parts are the Arsenal Tower – all that remains of the building of the old fortress, and the Metropolitan’s chambers with a huge collection of ancient icons.

Suzdal

The city with more than 1000 years of history, representing almost all the milestones of the development of ancient Russian architecture – the pearl of the Golden Ring. The city, with a population of 14 thousand people, is unusually atmospheric: pure nature, buildings of architecture, peace and quiet create a picture of Russia as it was in ancient times.
Here are churches and monasteries, whose age is more than 400 years. Lazarevskaya and Antipievskaya churches are the most popular for visiting with tourists. The Savior-Efimievsky Monastery is more than 600 years old, which is not only open for sightseeing, but also operating to this day. The current Holy Pokrovsky Monastery is also rich in its history. Built in the XIV century, it was the place of exile of princes noblewomen and queens. In general, Suzdal is called the city-museum for its extraordinary architecture and for the unique Museum of Russian wooden architecture. This architectural ensemble attracts with its amazing beauty of structures built entirely of wood, with an ax and without a single nail.

Vladimir

Grandiose in its architectural heritage, the ancient city of Vladimir, conveys the greatness and power of white-stone buildings. The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl is one of the most perfect architectural monuments, which is under the protection of UNESCO. It is located on a hill erected by artificial means, made of stones and clay, in order to protect it from the spring flood. The walls of the Intercession have a slight slope inward, which creates the appearance of a higher structure. Another magnificent architectural work is the Golden Gate, which in ancient times served as the main entrance to the city. Its white-stone triumphal arch is 14 meters in height, from which the structure seems even more sublime. Its appearance has changed in comparison with those distant times, due to the frequent raids of enemies and emerging fires. Currently, there is a military historical exhibition of ancient guns, decorations, arrows and spears. Another worth visiting is the famous Assumption and Dmitrievsky Cathedrals.

Kostroma

The history of this ancient merchant city, founded at the end of the XII century, began with the construction of a fortress to protect the Russian land from foreign invaders from the east. Today, Kostroma is, like the rest of the cities in the Golden Ring tourist route, a historical value with many unique churches and cathedrals. The Ipatiev Monastery is one of the most famous and historically valuable monasteries in Russia. He was the holy family refuge and favorite place of the Romanov dynasty, who for some time hid here. The main shrine of the city is the Kostroma miraculous icon of the Mother of God Theodore, located in the God-giving Anastasiin monastery, which was erected thanks to the elder Nikita, a disciple of Sergius of Radonezh.

Traveling through the cities of the unique “Golden Ring” route, you will touch the pages of the history of our state. Every city is a gem of gems! Away from the capital’s elements, there are holy places for the heart – the ancient cities of Russia, which became part of this route: Vladimir, Suzdal, Ivanovo, Kostroma, Yaroslavl, Rostov Veliky, Pereslavl – Zalessky, Sergiyev –Posad. Time flows differently here. Here you come into contact with the beautiful! On the lands of these cities there are many monuments of ancient Russian architecture and antiquity. Having visited these cities, you will be able to get to know Russia for real, you will see all of its beauty and distinctive features. This trip will bring you a lot of impressions. Traveling along this magnificent route, you will see what Russia is Ancient, Princely, Tsarskaya, you will hear the legendary bells, feel the legendary Russian Spirit!