The Golden Ring of Russia is a ensamble of historic Russian cities located northeast of Moscow and southeast of Saint Petersburg.
All cities are located close enough to each other that the distances between them can be covered in 2 to 4 hours. Their architecture, history, and crafts make them popular with all tourists traveling to Russia.
It should be noted that the dominant aspect of this route is religious, but in each one of the cities or towns that are visited, there is a lot of nature, rivers, picturesque forests and a lot of color. In addition to nature, each city of the Russian Golden Ring stands out with its gastronomy, people, crafts, markets and much more.
The official list of the cities of the Golden Ring of Russia:
- Ivanovo
- Kostroma
- Plios
- Pereslavl-Zalessky
- Rostov el Grande
- Sergiev Posad
- Suzdal
- Uglich
- Vladimir
- Yaroslavl
To visit the Golden Ring of Russia, it takes at least 2 weeks, although we at Tours in Russia recommend visiting only part of it.
In particular, you cannot leave Russia without visiting the city and the Sergiev Posad Monastery. It is also highly recommended to visit Vladimir and Suzdal and if there is one day available to go through Yaroslavl and Rostov the Great.
Unlike the usual order of cities in general, we are going to change it according to the recommendation to visit.
Sergiev Posad, the jewel of the Golden Ring of Russia
Sergiev Posad is called the pearl of the Golden Ring and the center of Russian Orthodoxy. It is located 75 kilometers from the center of Moscow.
City of Sergiev Posad is named after Saint Sergius, known as Sergius of Radonezh, who was born in Radonezh (a city located near Zagorsk).
In the 14th century, he founded a monastery on the present location of the city, which became one of the largest and most majestic in Russia.
The heart of Russia’s Golden Ring
Currently, the monastery is called the Lavra of the Holy Trinity Saint Sergius and is considered the “Russian Vatican“.
One of the most important architectural and religious components is the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
The wooden monastery where Sergius of Radonezh was buried was destroyed by the Tatars shortly after his death, but the tomb survived and in 1422 work began on the construction of the Trinity Cathedral where the incorrupt body of the saint was transferred.
Although the Russian capital was moved to Saint Petersburg, the cathedral remained the center of the Russian Orthodox Church until 1920, when it was closed by the Bolshevik government.
Stalin allowed the monastery to reopen as part of the Victory celebrations in 1946, and from then on it was the residence of the Russian patriarch until 1988, when the honor was bestowed on the Danilov Monastery.
Every day the monastery receives thousands of pilgrims from all corners of Russia and also a number of tourists that varies according to the seasons of the year.
In our agency we organize private and group excursions to the Monastery of St. Sergius and to a large part of the golden ring of Russia.
Suzdal, the most beautiful of the Golden Ring of Russia
The population of the city of Suzdal is 12,000 person. Tourism is high here not only because of the historic value of the area, but also because Suzdal has retained a picturesque timelessness that visitors find interesting and relaxing.
In the XII-XIV centuries it was one of the most powerful cities of ancient Russia. On the territory of the city, more than 70 monuments of ancient Russian architecture dating from the middle of the XII-XVIII centuries have been preserved:
- Kremlin
- The Spaso-Evfimiev Monastery
- Intercession Monastery
- The Museum of Wooden Architecture in the open air
The Kremlin is located on the winding bank of the Kamenka River, in the heart of the old city. Several of the most important monuments of ancient Suzdal are located inside the Kremlin:
- Cathedral of the Nativity (13th-16th centuries)
- Bell tower of the cathedral (1635).
The Intercession Monastery was founded in 1364. Its buildings date from the 16th-17th centuries, and the walls from the end of the 17th century. In the crypt are the tombs of royal and high-ranking women. In the place they are buried:
- Nun Alexandra – daughter of Ivan III.
- Solomonia Saburova – wife of Vasily III.
- Anna Vasilchikova – wife of Ivan IV (the Terrible).
- Evdokia Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter I, who spent nineteen years of her life in the monastery.
Vladimir
Vladimir was the capital of the old Russian state for more than 250 years and played a very important role in the history of Russia.
Until 1432, the grand dukes of Russia were crowned in the Cathedral of the Assumption, built between 1158 and 1160 by order of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. The world-famous frescoes by Andrey Rublev have been preserved there to this day.
The cathedral was supposed to become the main church not only of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, but of the whole of Russia.
In September 1164, they brought there the most revered icon in Russia, the Miraculous Icon of the Mother of God. Since then, the image began to be called the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.
The Golden Gate is the only extant monument of ancient Russian military engineering architecture, built in 1158-1164 under Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky.
Demetrius Cathedral was built in 1194-1197 during the reign of Prince Vsevolod III, who dedicated it to his heavenly patron Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki. Previously, it was part of the buildings of the princely court and was one of the most beautiful and original cathedrals in ancient Russia.
Rostov the Great
Another of the jewels of the golden ring of Russia is Rostov the Great, it was mentioned for the first time in the annals of 862. The first episcopal faculty and the first Cathedral of the Assumption were founded there (991).
The city was a constant participant in all political events related to the activities of the Grand Dukes, Tsar Ivan the Terrible and the House of Romanov.
Rostov was repeatedly invaded, destroyed and burned. The last destruction occurred at the beginning of the 17th century. After that, an intensive restoration of the temples, monasteries, public and residential buildings that have survived to this day began.
Most majestic preserved sites are the Rostov Kremlin and the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery.
The Rostov Kremlin, a pearl of Russian architecture of the 17th century, built by the artist Pyotr Dosaev.
Cathedral of the Assumption, with five onion-shaped domes, is the oldest building in the city’s historic complex, dating back to the 16th century, while the bell tower appeared in 1682-1687. All the buildings are surrounded by stone and towers, which makes the metropolis look like a fortification.
The Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery
It is another significant landmark of Rostov the Great, which should not be missed by all who come to the city for the first time. It plays a particularly important role in the panorama of the city, during its existence architects of several generations skilfully combined buildings of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
Currently, the Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery is a male monastery. On the territory of the monastery you can see three temples:
- Dmitrievsky Cathedral
- Church of Jacob of Rostov
- The Cathedral of St. Anne’s Conception.
Yaroslavl
The city of Yaroslavl was founded in 1010 by Yaroslav the Wise, and its historic center is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Yaroslavl developed rapidly due to its favorable location along the Volga trade route. In 1218 it became the capital of the independent Yaroslavl feudal principality and only in 1463, the principality was merged with the Muscovite state.
In the 17th century, Yaroslavl became a port and ranked third after Moscow and Kazan as a center of trade.
The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery founded in the 12th century and the Church of Elijah the Prophet are the places of most historical and tourist interest in the city.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is a stone monastery, founded in pre-Mongolian times and rebuilt on the order of Prince Konstantin Vsevolodovich around 1515-1516. He combined the traditional forms of ancient architecture with the Italian style.
The Church of Elijah the Prophet is the second landmark of Yaroslavl, located in the city center on Sovetskaya Square, and an outstanding monument of the 17th century school of architecture. Founded in 1647-1650, it has fully preserved its decoration and style. Currently, it became part of the Yaroslavl Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.
Pereslavl-Zalessky
Pereslavl-Zalessky is one of the ancient cities of the Golden Ring of Russia. It was founded in 1152 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky and is located about 130 km northeast of Moscow.
In 1688-1693, Peter I built his famous “funny” flotilla on Lake Pleshcheyevo for his own entertainment. The Peter the Great Ship Museum tells the story of the first Russian fleet and houses one of the original ship models.
One of the main attractions of the city is the Transfiguration Cathedral, founded in 1152. The construction was started by Yuri Dolgoruky, but it is not known exactly when it was completed. Some sources claim that the construction was completed under his command, others that the construction was continued by Dolgoruky’s son Andrei Bogolyubsky in 1157-1160.
Metropolitan Peter Church is one of the few churches built before the 17th century and a monument on the territory of the former royal palace. The foundation of the church dates back to 1584. It is located in the historic center of the city, 250 meters southeast of the old Transfiguration Cathedral.
In addition to the Church and the cathedral that we have mentioned, the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky is also known for other historical buildings, such as:
- Holy Trinity Danilov Monastery (16th-18th centuries)
- Nikitsky Monastery (16th-19th centuries)
- Feodorovsky Monastery (16th-19th centuries)
- Goritsky Assumption Monastery (XVII-XVIII centuries)
Kostroma
The city of Kostroma, founded in 1152 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, is located on the bank of the Volga. The pride of the city is the Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery, known to be patronized by the Romanov dynasty. In this place, in 1613, the young Mikhail Romanov was blessed to become Tsar of Russia.
The Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery, founded in the early 14th century in honor of Trinity and Saint Hypatia, is one of the main sights in all of Russia. The building is located in a picturesque place where the Kostroma River flows into the Volga.
Church of the Resurrection on the Debre River is the only ancient church in Kostroma that has survived to this day and fully reflects the past.
In Soviet times, until 1964, corn and vegetables were stored in the church. The name of the church “Debre” is closely related to the ancient forest that existed in the area at that time. It is worth noting that it was built in the 12th century by Prince Vasily Yaroslavovich of Kostroma (1248-1276).
Ivanovo
Ivanovo, another jewel of Golden Ring of Russia, was founded in 1871 and until 1932 it was called Ivanovo – Voznesensk. In the mid-18th century, the city acquired a reputation as the center of the country’s textile industry. Cotton fabrics were especially popular not only in Russia, but also in England and Persia.
In addition to the textile industry, the city was famous for its theatrical life, since since 1873 the performances of famous Russian writers – Gogol and Ostrovsky – were staged there.
Such remarkable architectural monuments as the wooden Church of the Assumption and the Shchudrovskaya store, an example of industrial design, have survived to this day.
Guests of the city can visit the local art museum, which features 18,000 exhibits, including ancient Russian icons and miniatures from Palekh, as well as the House-Museum of B. I. Prorokov.
The Palekh State Art Museum is located 65 km from Ivanovo in the city of Palekh, there, tourists can visit the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, iconography of the XIV-XIX centuries, the House-Museum of II Golikov and exhibits at the Museum of lacquer Miniatures.
Uglich
Uglich is a historic city located on the Volga River on the border of the Golden Ring of Russia. It was founded in 937 as a border fortress of the Moscow principality.
For the city, the end of the 16th century was remembered as a moment of utmost importance, since after the death of Prince Dmitry, the Rurik dynasty was replaced by the Romanov dynasty, whose first members came from Uglich.
The Kremlin in Uglich
The Kremlin in Uglich is located in a strategic location on the banks of the Volga River. Not far from the Kremlin is the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Resurrection Monastery, the ensemble reflects the ancient architecture of the XV and XVII centuries.
In the territory of the Kremlin visitors can see:
- The Palace of Tsarevich Dmitry
- Church of Demetrius on Blood
- Museum of History and Art
- The Transfiguration Cathedral
- Many other points of great historical interest.
Other jewels of the Golden Ring of Russia
The Church of Dmitry on Blood is the most famous and historical building in Uglich. It was built by special order of Peter I on the place where Tsarevich Dmitry died, which explains why the church is called “On Blood“. For the same reason, the building was painted red to commemorate the place where the martyr’s blood was shed. The church has important historical significance as it symbolizes the life story of the young Tsarevich Dmitry in chronological order. Currently, the church and the first floor have been converted into a museum.
The Palace of Tsarevich Dmitry is the oldest building in the city of Uglich. Founded in 1480, it is one of the few Russian palaces that have survived to this day. The palace partially reflects the life of Dmitry, who lived there from 1584 to 1591, and was an important residence. Today it is a magnificent museum.
Plios
Plios is the administrative center of the Privolzhsky district of the Ivanovo region, located on the right bank of the Volga River, about 70 kilometers northeast of Ivanovo. The city was founded in 1410 by Vasily I as a frontier post control.
A heavenly place like something out of a fairy tale. For centuries, it has inspired artists to create masterpieces of art, an example of this, the artist Levitan created more than 40 paintings of the most beautiful corners of the city.
The city of Plios has preserved many landmarks and architectural monuments that have survived to this day. Among them are such famous architectural masterpieces as:
- The Church of the Resurrection of Christ (1817)
- Wooden Church of the Resurrection (1699)
- The Cathedral of the Assumption (1699)
- The Trinity Church (1808)
- Vvedenskaya Church (1828)
- The Church of Santa Barbara (1821)
In 1982, the State Museum of History and Art was founded, uniting three other museums: the Levitan Museum, the Landscape Museum, and the “Public Places” Museum and Exhibition Complex.
Visit the Golden Ring of Russia
As mentioned before, we recommend all travelers to visit at least part of the Golden Ring of Russia, especially the city of Sergiev Posad, Vladimir and Suzdal.
With our guides in Moscow and the Golden Ring of Russia, we will assure you a very interesting visit itineraries, and that touches on all the aspects that anyone who wants to travel to Russia wants to see and enjoy.
Contact us to prepare your travel plan to Russia.
