Founded in 862, fabulous Rostov the Great or Rostov Veliky is situated on the shores of the sparkling Lake Nero which is a flowing lake in the Volga River basin.
It is located in the center of the Golden Ring, so from here it is convenient and quick to get to any city of the Golden Ring. Accommodation prices are lower than in most cities of the Golden Ring.
Rostov is located 200 km from Moscow and 53 km from Yaroslavl. You can travel there by train from Moscow. The distance between Rostov the Great (Veliky) and close cities of Russian Golden Ring - Pereslavl –Zalesskiy and Uglich is about 90 kilometers.
The city is surrounded with high walls and towers and look like the Moscow's Kremlin.
The main attraction of the city of Rostov the Great is the Kremlin. It was built in the 17th century. Kremlin served as the residence of bishops of Rostov - Yaroslavl diocese and it was called the Metropolitan or Bishop Court Kremlin. It is separated from the city by high walls with towers.
The oldest monastery in northeastern Russia is Epiphany Abraham's Monastery, founded in the 11th century by Reverend Abraham. It is one of the oldest monasteries in Russia.
In Spaso Yakovlevsky Dimitriev monastery, founded in the 14th century you can see the relics of the Saint of the18th century - St. Demetrius of Rostov Wonderworker.
Rostov is also famous for its bells - in the Cathedral of the Assumption there are 13 bells and the biggest bell weights almost 33000 kg.
You will also be able to see and buy famous Rostov enamel.
The History of the Place
Rostov the Great was founded on land that belonged to the Finno-Ugric tribes. According to the legend it was named after its founder – Rost. It is in Rostov that the first bishopric was established.
The ancient town Rostov was governed by the Vyeche. The residents of the town accepted the rule of princes with reluctance but they left even more inimical to the Christian faith which was being imposed on them.
Prince Andrey Bogolyubskly succeeded in subduing the unruly inhabitants. In 1162 he built the white-stone Dormition Cathedral which has been preserved to our days and one of the unique architectural ensembles.
Sergey of the Radonezh, a noticeable Saint of Russia was born and spent his childhood in the suburb of Rostov the Great.
What you will See on the Rostov the Great Tour
There are many monuments of Old Russian architecture: the Kremlin, the Spasso-Yakovlevsky Monastery, the old Abrahaam Monastery, the Church of St. John the Divine, the Church of the Resurrection.
The guide will tell you about the famous women of Rostov: Princess Darya Rostovskaya and Princess Puzhbolskaya. They put men’s clothes on and fought on the Kulikovo battlefield in 1380.
There is a Wooden fairy-tale of Rostov. There are unique plat bands on the wooden houses of the ancient city. All of them are different and none is repeated. You can feel old Russian spirit here.
- Admire the beauty of “Rostov Kremlin”.
- Abraham’s monastery, the very first Orthodox monastery.
- The place where Alyosha Popovich lived, the epic Russian hero.
- Try the Russian cuisine.
- Enjoy the lake Nero.
- See the modern art of enameling in the gallery “Khors”.
