|
 The Golden
Ring
is the name for a loop of very old towns north-east of Moscow
that were the political and cultural heart of Russia and are
now the most popular tourist route in the Russian provinces.
Depending on the amount of time one has, it is possible to
organize one or two day excursions to Vladimir and Suzdal,
which are the main points of the route. If one wants to make a
more detailed study of the towns that comprise the Golden
Ring, two weeks should be set aside to see the area more
thoroughly
Russian towns of the Golden Ring are renowned for their
architectural masterpieces, unique landscapes and unspoiled
beauty that gives one an idea of the peaceful country life
lived in Russia before its urbanization. Even today, none of
the townspeople are surprised if a herd of cattle will appear
on a main street, causing traffic jams.
The Golden Ring tours usually start in Moscow and go in a
northerly direction along the old Yaroslavl road. The first
stop is Serghiyev Posad, situated about 70 kilometres from the
capital – it is famous for the Trinity Monastery (Laural) of
St. Sergius. The word Laura is of Greek origin and means “the
main and most exalted monastery.” The cell in Serghiyev Posad
was founded by St. Sergius of Radonezh (1322-1392). For a long
time, Serghiyev Posad was considered the country’s spiritual
centre, or “Russian Vatican.” One may visit a friary, seminary
and art museum recounting the history of Russian Orthodoxy in
the monastery complex.
The
next noteworthy site is the city of Aleksandrov situated in
the Vladimir Region, 100 kilometres away from Moscow. A long
time ago, people said that Nikitka Kholop lived here and
attempted to fly after having tied wooden wings to his arms
and jumped from the roof of the cathedral. The Aleksandrov
Settlement was the last site where the famous lost library of
Ivan the Terrible was seen; the librarycontained the largest
collections of 16th century Greek parchments, Latin
chronographs and Hebrew manuscripts. Scientists who were
contemporaries of the Muscovy tsar came to study the
manuscripts and were astonished when they simply vanished into
thin air and disappeared without a trace. To this day,
bright-eyed gold diggers and writers of detective stories are
still fascinated by this mysterious library.
One may get the impression that there are more old churches in
the city of Pereslavl-Zalessky (Yaroslavl Region) than there
are cafes and shops. The city overlooks quiet Pleshcheyevo
Lake, considered to be the cradle of the Russian navy: it is
here that the young emperor Peter the great studied the
elements of navigation three centuries ago. Miraculously, his
small sailing boat has been preserved and can now be viewed in
the local museum. Pleshcheyevo Lake is also famous for its
ryapushka, a unique salmon-like herring which would normally
be found in ocean waters but was probably driven into this
lake by movements of glaciers during the Ice Age – this fish,
a favourite delicacy of the Russian tsars (it used to be
called “tsar herring”), is now emblazoned on the
Pereslavl-Zalessky coat of arms.
Rostov the Great is the oldest town to the north-east of
Russia: the earliest mention of it in the manuscripts is in
the year 862. The city is situated by Nero Lake, whose name
means “muddy” or “swampy.” The bed of the lake is covered with
a 20 metre layer of mud which is used as field fertilizer. The
towers of the Rostov Kremlin, with their spectacular
white-stone architecture, are reflected in the waters of the
Nero.
 Another beautiful town on the Volga that is included in the
Golden Ring tour is Myshkin in the Yaroslavl Region. Legend
has it that once, after going hunting, Prince Ukhotsky lay
down to have a rest on the river bank. He was awakened by a
mouse running across his face. The prince opened his eyes and
saw a viper coming straight toward him. In order to honour the
mouse that warned him and saved his life, the prince ordered a
chapel to be built on that very spot. Myshkin has several
unique museums, including the world’s only Mouse Museum, the
Valenki Museum (traditional Russian felt boots) and the Vodka
Museum created as a tribute to Peter Smirnoff, the inventor of
the famous brand of vodka by the same name, who was born here.
Uglich, a fascinating old town situated on the right bank of
the Volga in the Yaroslavl Region, is historically connected
with a mysterious event of the 16th century – the death of
Dimwit, son of Ivan the Terrible and the youngest member of
the Ryurik dynasty which had ruled over Russia since the end
of the 9th century. The people of Uglich, suspecting that the
tsarevich had been murdered, staged a rebellion which was
mercilessly quashed. The alarm bell which called the people to
arms was punished as though it were a human being: it was
lashed, its ringer was torn out and the bell was exiled to
Siberia. Years later, the bell was acquitted and is now on
display in the Uglich Kremlin.
Yaroslavl
is another old city that has preserved its Kremlin as well as
many beautiful 16th century churches and monasteries. The fine
Volga embankment is the main gathering, resting and walking
place; it is decorated with an openwork cast-iron gate from
the 19th century. The “Music and Time” Museum was recently
opened by John Mostoslavsky in Yaroslavl, with a wonderful
collection of old gramophones, accordions, clocks and small
bells on display, all of them in working order. This museum is
a popular favourite among foreign tourists as they enjoy a
round trip cruise along the Volga from Moscow to St.
Petersburg. Yaroslavl is also considered to be the birthplace
of national theatre. In themed 18th century, Fyodor Volkov
created an amateur troupe here. Later, the group changed its
home to St. Petersburg at the invitation of Empress Katherine
the Great and laid the foundation for the first professional
theatre in Russia.
Kostroma has earned the name “the flax capital of the North” –
in the Middle Ages, excellent linen was produced here. It is
not a coincidence that the Kostroma coat of arms depicts a
golden ship with its sails billowed by the wind: foreign
merchants came to this centre of Russian trade to buy goods.
To this day, Kostroma has preserved the charm that makes it
one of the gems of the Volga.
Like Moscow, the town of yuriev-Polsky (Vladimir Region) was
founded by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky and named after him. The
local fertile soil attracted farmers to the area, thus forming
the Zalesye Princedom. In 1234, the Cathedral of St. George,
one of the pearls of the Golden Ring, was erected here. It is
one of the last examples of white-stone architecture in this
area, with many buildings of this kind having been destroyed
by the Golden Horde. The earthen ramparts of the 12th century
Kremlin, the tallest one of its kind in north-eastern Russia,
are still preserved intact for tourists to enjoy.
 Suzdal is another city with an amazing history. Founded in
1024, the town has experienced many changes in fortune but has
always managed to keep its exceptional appearance right up to
the present day. Over the centuries, Suzdal was a capital of
the princedom and a calm provincial town al line one. For the
last 250 years, even the town borders have remained virtually
unchanged. The town comprises almost 200 architectural
monuments of the previous millennium. Thousands of tourists
come to see Suzdal every year. The town is overflowing with
places to purchase handicraft works, as well as their famous
medovukha (honey-based mead), a mildly alcoholic Russian drink
often mentioned in fairy tales and poetic stories.
At the close of one’s journey through the Golden Ring, one
comes to Vladimir, the former capital of old Russia (12th to
14 centuries). Today Vladimir is a large industrial city, but
it is definitely worth visiting if only to see the majestic
Golden Gate and the frescoes of the Cathedral of the
Assumption which were painted by the renowned Andrei Rublyov
(end of the 15th century), an icon painter of genius.
The Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother on the Nerl
(1165) is situated in Bogolyubovo, about 14 kilometres away
from Vladimir. It stands on a 6 metre manmade hill at the
confluence of the Klyazma and Nerl rivers. The road does not
go near the church, so one must walk about 2 kilometers to get
to it, not the most comfortable of walks. According to a local
legend, due to lack of congregants, there was an attempt to
destroy the church in the 18th century, but a sunbeam
reflected by one of the golden domes so bedazzled the builders
that they assumed this was a sign from the Mother of God not
to ruin the cathedral. And so it stands untouched and
preserved to this day.
There are many towns and villages along the route of the
Golden Ring where folk art craftsmen have lived through the
centuries. To this day, cut glass has been made in the town of
Gus-Khrustaliny (Vladimir Region), wooden boxes are painted in
the village of Palekh (Ivanovo Region), painted metal trays
are sold in the village of Zhostovo (Moscow Region), large
shawls with bright ornaments are sewan in the city of
Pavlovsky Posad (Moscow Region), and delicate jewellery
decorated with painted enamels (finift) is produced in Rostov
the Great (Yaroslav Region). It would be impossible to find a
traveler who cold have resisted the temptation to take at
least one traditional souvenir to have memories of Russia!
|
