The so called "Golden Ring of Russia" is a symbolical ring connecting historical towns and cities to the North-West of Moscow. They represent 1 000 years of rich Russian history written in stone and wood, from a 850-year old church in Rostov to a 19th-century log house in the Suzdal's open air museum. Each of the "golden" Russian towns once played an important role in the history of Russia and was conected in one way or another with famous historical figures such as Alexander Nevsky, Ivan the Terrible, Peter the Great and many others. If you would like to see true, patriarchal Russia, to experience the grandeur of nature and the magnificence of ancient towns then a Golden Ring of Russia tour is well worth taking. It is one of the most popular routes among Russian and foreign lovers of old Russian history and architecture.

The cities and towns of the Golden Ring of Russia are listed here in alphabetical order: ALEKSANDROV, BOGOLUBOVO, GOROHOVETS, GUS-KHRUSTALNY, KHOLUY, KOSTROMA, MSTERA, MUROM, PALEKH, PERESLAVL-ZALESKY, PLES, ROSTOV VELIKY, SERGIEV POSAD, SUZDAL, TUTAEV, UGLICH, VLADIMIR, YAROSLAVL, YURIEV-POLSKY

ALEKSANDROV

Founded in 1530, population 68,000. This Golden Ring town is situated 100 km from Moscow on the crossway of ancient roads from the largest historic centers of Russia - Vladimir and Suzdal, Rostov and Yaroslavl, Sergiev Posad and Pereyaslavl-Zalessky. In 1564- 1581 the town was the residence of Ivan the Terrible. In Aleksandrov the tsar proclaimed the establishment of his select, terror-inspiring corps, the Oprichniki and signed the harsh conditions of the truce with Poland and Sweden after losing the long war with Livonia. From Aleksandrov Ivan the Terrible led his army of Oprichniki to strike at the big Russian trade centres of Novgorod, Pskov, Klin and Tver. Here the cruel tsar killed his son in a rage and soon after that left Aleksandrov forever coming back to Moscow. The very first in Russia publishing house was established in Aleksandrov in 1576. One of the leading textile manufacturing centres in Russia in the 19th century. 
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: Pokrovsky (also called Troitsky) Cathedral (1515), created by the best Russian and Italian masters, became the first pearl in the Tsar Vasily's III (Ivan the Terrible's father) country residence. The Trinity Cathedral of the Dormition Monastery (1513) - a palace church of the Tsar residence is the most grandiose and majestic structure of Alexandrova Sloboda and the oldest church on the monastery grounds. Ivan the Terrible married his two wives in this cathedral. The cathedral is decorated with white-stone carvings and interior frescoes of the 16th century. One of the most impressive features of the church are the Golden Gates—massive oak doors covered with copper plates incised with gold. Since 1336 they had adorned a church in Novgorod until Ivan the Terrible looted the town and brought them to Aleksandrov in 1570. The Intercession Church (16th century) with its well preserved frescos was used as the home church of Ivan the Terrible. The Assumption Church (16-17thI century) - is the home church of the Great Princess, with basement that served as a safe treasure depository of the Moscow Princes Vasily III and his son Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). The Crucifixion Church-Belfry (16th century) is the dominant of the palace complex of Alexandrov. It is connected with one of the most beautiful legends of Alexandrov Kremlin - about a serf Nikita who made wooden wings and flew up as "a free bird". A prominent part of Aleksandrov is the tall tent-shaped Bell-Tower set over the heavy column of an early sixteenth-century belfry.

BOGOLUBOVO 

Founded in 990, population 4,000. A tiny quiet town of the Golden Ring near the city of Vladimir. The town was named after the Russian prince Andrey Bogolubsky (God-loving) who built the first fortified settlement here in 1165. It was a strategically important point overlooking the Kliazma River.
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: Remains of the Andery Bogolubsky's residence including some residential chambers (1165) and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin (1165, collapsed, rebuilt in 1751) connected with each other by a passageway. Some craftsmen sent by the German King and Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa took part in the construction work at the castle. The place witnessed the murder of Andrey by people closest to him including his wife in 1174. You need to walk for 1 mile (1.5 km) from the residence to get to the Church of the Intercession of the Virgin on the Nerl (1165) which is considered to be one of the finest specimens of old Russian architecture. It is a small, single-domed church built on a man-made little island in the delta of the Nerl river. The church has very fine exterior carvings, it was built to commemorate the death of Bogolubsky's oldest son who was killed in a battle.

GOROHOVETS 

Founded in 1239, population 30,000. This Golden Ring of Russia town was founded under Vladimir prince Andrey Bogolubsky. This Golden Ring town is picturesquely settled on the high bank of the Klyazma River. Played role as a fortified forepost until 1600-s. Reached its developmental pick in the 17-th century as a local centre for blacksmithing, textile-making and making of leather and also as an agricultural trade centre for grains and flax.
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: Three monasteries. The Monastery of the Sign (1598) is the oldest monastery in Gorohovets, located behind the Klyazma River. The Monastery of the Trinity and St. Nicolas with its remarkable Cathedral of the Trinity and St. Nicolas was founded during the reign of Tsar Mikhail Romanov (17th c.), the first tsar of the Romanov dynasty. The Monastery of the Presentation in the Temple (1658) is located on the town's central square. Its Cathedral of the Presentation in the Temple appears as one of the most outstanding architectural monuments of Gorohovets of the 17th century. Close to the monastery there is the strict and modest Annunciation Cathedral (1700) with five domes and a bell-tower. In one line with the monastery wall on the northern slope of a hill is the festively decorated Church of St. John Lestvichnik (1716). There is a local museum of history, nicely built and well-preserved merchants' houses of the 17th century.

GUS-KHRUSTALNY 

Founded in 1756, population 80,000. Over 200 years ago a Russian merchant built here the first workshop of glass casting. Today the town of the Golden Ring of Russia is one of the district centers of Vladimir region, well-known in Russia and abroad as the national center of glassmaking. The name Gus-Krustalny can be literally translated as Chrystalline Goose. The old part of the town is a workmen's settlement of 1900-s. with its own Church of St. Joachim of 1816.
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: The St.George Cathedral (1903) is a refined building with beautiful combination of red brick color with white-stone ornaments on the outside and an open-spaced, exquisitely decorated with mosaic and painted canvas interior. Since 1983 the cathedral houses a permanent exposition of the Museum of Crystal Glassware. There are over 2,000 exhibits in the museum. It is a collection of the samples of mass production of the glass factory dated from the 18th century till modern times, and also some unique creations of glass artists. Many of the applied art works were demonstrated on Russian and international exhibitions.

KHOLUY 

Founded 1650, population 1,000. The village of Kholui did not begin producing lacquered miniatures until the 1930s, and though iconography had been an important trade in the region in previous centuries, Kholui was never bound to any particular artistic tradition. Rather, Kholui miniatures share some traits with both Palekh and Mstera art, yet maintain a distinctive lyrical quality of their own. As in Palekh and Mstera, Kholui artists use egg tempera paints. Kholui paintings tend to be brighter than Mstera's, though like Mstera, the pigments used are opaque and the background is usually fully painted. Sometimes, as with Palekh miniatures, Kholui miniatures will include some fine gold and/or silver ornamentation within the painting, and Kholui artists can create fantastic border ornaments on par with those of Palekh. Since 1960-s products of Kholuy's 200 artists have been widely represented and promoted internationally.

MSTERA 

Founded in 1628, population 6,000. The Golden Ring's town takes its name from the little Msterka River, which flows through it merging with the Kliyazma. It is in Vladimir Region, but not far from the border with Ivanovo Region, south of Palekh and Kholui, in breathtakingly beautiful countryside - the one that forms the backdrop to its paintings. Mstera was a respected center of icon production until the trade was banned after the Revolution of 1917. Since then its artists has been creating world-famous masterpieces in the form of lacquered miniatures. In keeping with the traditions of iconography, egg tempera paints are still used. The landscape is of central importance to the painting with people and objects integrated to the setting. Mstera paintings are frequently larger than those from the other schools but some fine miniatures are also produced and because of their rarity are highly prized. Typical themes include exquisite floral designs with lacy gold ornamentation, the traditional fairy tales, traditional activities and events such as a winter festival, and sometimes portraiture.

MUROM 

Founded 862, population 145,000. One of the oldest Russian cites stretched along the left bank of the Oka river. This Golden Ring's town's name originates from"muroma", one of the Finno-Ugric tribes lived here 15 centuries ago. Every Russian knows the name Ilya Muromets. He was a mythical epic hero defending people of Russia and later became a synonym of superior physical and spiritual power and integrity, dedicated to the protection of the Homeland. There is a monument to Ilya Muromets built on a river bank of the Oka river in Murom. This Russian town survived three Mongol invasions. In the 17th century Murom became an important centre of various crafts - building, painting, sawing. There are three working monasteries in Murom. 
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: The Saviour Monastery, one of the oldest in Russia (1096), with churches and buildings of the 16th-19th centuries. The Trinity Monastery was founded by a Murom's merchant in 1643. The convent's Cathedral of the Trinity, the Church of the Virgin of Kazan, the Belfry, walls and towers and the wooden Church of Sergey Radonezh (18th century) are well worth visiting. In 1553 the Russian tsar Ivan IV the Terrible ordered to build the Monastery of the Annunciation which is now one of the best-preserved and impressive monasteries in Murom. Convent of the Resurrection was founded in the 16th century. The Church of St. Nichola Naberezhny (1717) and the one of St. Kosma and St. Damian (1565) are magnificent examples of old Russian architecture. The local museum of Murom is often called "a little Hermitage" for its unique Russian and West European art collections containing over 50 thousand of exhibits.

PALEKH

Founded 1600, population 6,000. The village is situated about 400km (250 miles) from Moscow in the Ivanovo region. In the 15th century it was one of the first centers of icon drawing trade. After the 1917 communist coup, when the icon business went down, Palekh masters tried to decorate wooden toys, dishes, porcelain and glass. But the most interesting way turned out to be painting black-lacquered boxes made of papier-mache. These days the name of Palekh is nearly synonymous with the art of Russian lacquer. Palekh artists are generally regarded as the most highly trained of the Russian miniature painters. Famous for highly detailed miniatures with elaborate ornamentation, the village of Palekh has a long artistic tradition. Like their icon painting forebears, today's Palekh artists use egg tempera paints and paint in the Byzantine style. Favored themes are the Russian fairy tales, the famous Russian troika (three horse sleigh), and scenes of life in the countryside. The art of Palekh miniatures expresses the true national character. Many examples of Palekh art have received recognition at international exhibitions and have become world-known.

PLES

Founded in 1410, population 4,000. This quet little historical Russian town is located on the bank of the mighty and beautiful Volga river. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible Ples was one of the largest river firsh suppliers to the kings' court. In the 18-19th centuries the town became known as a popular resort and was often called "Russian Switzerland" for the beauty of its scenery. Numerous Russian artists including the famous master of landscapes Levitan used to come here to work.
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: Museum of Levitan who worked here in 1888-1889 and created over 40 paintings in Ples. Art gallery. Town's history museum. The Dormition Cathedral (1790), the Resurrection, St.Barbara's and Trinity churches and many stone buildings of the 18-19th centuries.

TUTAEV 

Founded in 1283, population 45,000. This old little town of the Golden Ring sprawling on both banks of the Volga river. Tutaev (formerly known as Romanovo-Borisoglebsk) is divided by the Volga river into two parts. The former town Romanov is located on the left high bank of the river, the former town Borisoglebsk is on the right sloping one. Romanov was called after the Russian prince Roman of Uglich who was the founder of this town, Borisoglebsk got its name in connection with the Church of St. Boris and St. Gleb erected there in the 15th century. These Russian towns were united under the new name Romanovo-Borisoglebsk in 1822. In 1918 the town's name was changed to Tutaev in honour of the Red Army hero who was killed during the Civil war .
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: In Borisoglebsk part of the town - large and splendid Resurrection Cathedral (1670) lavishly decorated with ornamental brick-work and tiling, with well-preserved wall frescoes inside and a low, tent-shaped Bell-tower closeby. Later, in XVIII century Kazanskaya-Preobrazhensky Church (1758) was built in the Romanov part of the town. Modest Cathedral of the Exaltation of the Cross (1658), Church of the Annunciation (1660) and Church of the Intercession (1674) are the oldest existing stone buildings in Tutaev.

UGLICH 

Founded in 937, population 38,000. This Golden Ring's town was built on a major trade route. In its history Uglich has survived destruction by the Mongols andlived through the devastation of fires and plagues. Uglich is famous for Russia's darkest secret - the death of young Prince Dimitri, son of Ivan the Terrible who is often called Tsarevich (a heir to the throne) Dmitry. The Tsarevich, a sickly boy, was the last of the Rurik dynasty. While playing with a knife in the yard he stabbed himself by accident or was stabbed by an assassin allegedly sent by Boris Godunov, his competitor for the throne. The center of Uglich also is a historical and architectural landmark. The streets are wide, with various churches standing side by side along the road. These Uglich churches vary in size and have domes and belfries of different shapes and designs, all of which add to the charm of this small town. Uglich is known in Russia for simple-designed and reliable watches. The local factory, which makes beautiful women's watches decorated with special "Finift" paintings on porcelain which are incorporated into the bands of the watches.
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: The Uglich fortress, or "Kremlin", stands on the bank of the Volga River. Several ancient churches are located within the Kremlin walls, the highlight of which is the beautiful Dormition Church of the 17th century. The Duke's chamber of the 15th century and the Resurrection Monastery is also located within the Kremlin. Church of Prince Dimitri On the Blood (1692) is built on the place of Tsarevich Dmitry's death (that is why it is called "On the Blood") with a cluster of five domes over the square-shaped body of the main part. The church itself and the ground floor below it have now been turned into a museum. The Cathedral at the Uglich Kremlin was constructed in 1713. The bell-tower, added in 1730, is the tallest building in the Kremlin. The tall and simple-designed Palace of Tsarevich Dmitry is the oldest building in Uglich and of the greatest historical value. The Resurrection Cathedral, the Bell-Tower, the Refectory Chambers together with the Church of the Virgin of Smolensk all stand in line forming a single ensemble of the Resurrection Monastery (1680). In the heart of Uglich there are also some good examples of old domestic architecture including stone and wooden houses of famous Russian merchants of the 18th century. The Alexeyevsky Monastery, oldest in Uglich, was founded in 1371 by Alexius, Metropolitan of all Russia, an important political figure in the state of Muscovy. It was sacked and burned down during the Polish and Lithuanian invasion early in the seventeenth century. The monastery was rebuilt in the 1620s. One of the churches on the monastery premises is the small and simple-designed but very elegant and perfectly propotioned church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (1628) that has been known for centuries as "Divnaya" (Wondrous) and has always been dear to the hearts of the people of Uglich. Its slender triple-spired silhouette can be seen from every part of town. It is said that people used to stand in front of the magnificent building and exclaim "Divnaya!".

YURIEV-POLSKY 

Population 20,000. Was founded in 1152 by the Prince Yury Dolgoruky (who also founded Moscow in 1147) and named afterhimself. The second word "Polsky" means in Russian "among the fields" as it is situated in the heart of fertile and flat Suzdal land. These beautiful landscapes inspired the great painters and writers such as Repin, Tyutchev, Odoevsky, Soloukhin. Local textile centre since the 18th century. 
MAIN POINTS OF INTEREST: The massive stone-walled Monastery of the Archangel Michael was founded in the 13th century by the Russian Prince Sviatoslav whose burial vault is located in the St.George's Cathedral (1234, rebuilt in 1471), the monastery's finest feature with its helmet-shaped shining cupola covered with glazed green tiles. The exterior walls of the cathedral are richly decorated with carved stone plates. Refectory and the Bell-tower(1625), the five-domed Church of St. John the Divine (1670). There is also the Museum of History, Architecture and Art which is housed in the monastery buildings, its exhibitions relate the history of local peasantry and agriculture; show rare examples of artistic woodcarving, there is also an art gallery.