Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WHAT TO SEE & DO
Vladimir
The
Golden Gates
mark what was once the western entrance to Vladimir when they
were built in 1164, and are a logical place to start viewing the town. The massive arch
supports a church and is flanked by two castle-like structures added later. The enormous
wooden doors that once kept outsiders away are long gone, and the city has grown up all
around the gates. You'll find the gates at the intersection of Dvoryyanskaya Ulitsa and
Bolshaya Moskovskaya streets.
Next, head to the
Cathedral of the Assumption
(on Sobornaya Ploshchad, or Cathe-
dral Sq.;
&
492/222-4263
) overlooking the Klyazma River. The key Russian building
of its era, it was founded in 1158 by Vladimir prince Andrei Bogolubsky (whose name
means “god-loving”). The cathedral suffered massive looting and violence during Tatar
invasions, but was restored in the 18th century. The heavy tiered bell tower and
unadorned white walls dominate the adjacent square. English-language brochures are
available for a small fee. It's open Saturday through Thursday from 1:30 to 5pm. Admis-
sion is 30 rubles.
The
Cathedral of Dmitry
(
&
492/222-4263
), across the square from the Cathedral
of the Assumption, is unlike any other Russian church in the region, and its exterior is
more fascinating than its interior. Detailed carvings climb the cathedral's steep stone
walls on all sides. The images are surprisingly secular, depicting princes of the period at
their various activities. The carvings at the base are more precise and two-dimensional,
while farther up the facade the carvings are cruder but set in deeper relief so as to be
visible from street level. The interior is almost austere in comparison, light and free of
excess. The cathedral is open Tuesday through Sunday from noon to 5pm.
Suzdal
Suzdal thrived between its founding in a.d. 1024 and its sacking by Mongols in a.d. 1238,
and has remained peripheral ever since. Its residents have retained a quiet dignity and
sometimes the town feels untouched by Russia's past century of upheaval. The town centers
around Trading Square (Torgovaya Ploshchad) and nearby Red Square (Krasnaya
Ploshchad), which hosts the town hall and post office. The 11th-century
Kremlin
—the
word means “fortress” in Russian—retains some of its original walls and houses a museum
and restaurant. The Kremlin's rather run-down state reminds you how old it really is.
Suzdal's highlights are its convents and monasteries. The oldest and the first on most
tours is
Rizopolozhensky Monastery
(20 Kremlyovskaya Ulitsa;
&
492/312-1624
),
founded in 1207. Most structures inside date from 300 years later, including the three-
domed Rizopolozhensky Cathedral at the center of the complex. Monks again wander
the grounds, seemingly unperturbed by tourists. It's open Wednesday through Monday
from 10am to 4pm (closed the last Fri of every month).
Your next priority should be
Pokrovsky Convent
(Ulitsa Lenina;
&
492/312-0908
),
which came to be used as a storehouse for the first wives of Russian czars seeking younger
companionship, including Peter the Great's wife Evdokia Lopukhina. The solemn
grounds are again a functioning convent, and include an unusual inn of wooden cottages
open for tourists. In summer, the nuns graze cows at dawn in the surrounding fields. The
convent is open Thursday through Monday from 9:30am to 4:45pm.
Across from the convent is
Euthimiev Monastery-Fortress
(Ulitsa Lenina;
&
492/
312-0746
), which earned political popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries and substan-
tial donations from czars and nobility. Its high, thick stone walls reveal its dual purpose as
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