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Author Topic: Russia's Golden Ring Cities - Золотое кольцо  (Read 35950 times)

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Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #150 on: March 30, 2011, 10:41:59 AM »
Museums to visit while in Tutaev:
- The Tutaev branch of the Yaroslavl Arts Gallery "House on Novinskaya" contains a unique display "Museum of the provincial bourgeoisie way of life at the end of the XIX century - beginning of the XX century" and the "Provincial bank of the end of the XIX century", which is the only exhibition of this kind in Russia.
- The Yaroslavl Historical and Architectural Museum Preserve
also has a branch in Tutaev.
-The "Space" museum and the museum of Pavel Nikolayevitch Butchin are open only when volunteers are available to staff the museum.



(photo of Resurrection Cathedral by Sergei Galchenkov)




(front view of Resurrection Cathedral, photo by Sergei Galchenkov)


Tourists can enjoy the riverside beaches, movie cinemas, shooting-range, libraries, billiard bars, sauna & fitness facility and shopping in the town centre. For those most interested in nature there is ample opportunity for gathering mushrooms and berries in the summer, while fishing on the river is possible all year round.

Tutaev is only 38km from Yaroslavl.

The photo below is a winter scene looking back across the river from the Resurrection Cathedral towards the Blagoveschensk Church (built in 1660) on a small hill in town.



(photo by S. Tikhomirov)



Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #151 on: April 04, 2011, 10:11:46 PM »
Rybinsk (Ры́бинск) is the next stop on the tour of Russia's Golden Ring and only 43 km north of our previous stop.



(photo: Mikhail62/Rybinsk city pages)


This is the second largest city of Yaroslavl Oblast and sits at the confluence of the Volga and Sheksna rivers with a population of 213,000. River traffic is important to Rybinsk and the surrounding area and with Moscow 360 km away (730 km to St Petersburg), Rybinsk is part of a river traffic system linking the city to Moscow, St Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, and Archangelsk.





Several trains travel between Rybinsk and other regional cities several times daily. There is a train to Moscow daily at 8:50pm (20:50), #601, which arrives in Moscow at 6:35am (just under 10 hours). Rybinsk also has a regional airport and there are regular trips to Moscow, Saint Petersburg and Yaroslavl daily by small plane. Flights to Moscow are at 7:10am and again in the evening at 8:55pm. Flights take just over an hour and terminate at Domodedovo Airport.

There is also regular passenger boat service from the Rybinsk River Station.





The local government says that the average worker's monthly salary (2010) is approximately 13,800 RUB (343 Euro/488 USD). Local industries include automobile and truck manufacturing, luxury yachts, shipbuilding, and aerospace materials.




 

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #152 on: April 04, 2011, 10:20:24 PM »



Rybinsk is one of the oldest Slavic settlements on the Volga River. From documents dated 1504, the village was mentioned in documents as Rybnaya Sloboda (literally: "the fishing village"). By1071 it was known as Ust-Sheksna, "the mouth of the Sheksna". For the next four centuries, the settlement was referred to alternatively as Ust-Sheksna or Rybansk. 





Parts of the old town, including a priceless ancient monastery, are now submerged under the large Rybinsk Reservoir built during the Soviet era.








Above: Rybinsk Reservoir, April 2010


Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #153 on: April 04, 2011, 11:26:03 PM »
With a population well over 200,000 there are several quality University branches including the flight school of Moscow State University.





Other cities distance to Rybinsk
- Tutayev 43 km (our previous stop)
- Uglich 66 km
- Nerekhta 120 km
- Kostroma 130 km
- Cherepovets 130 km
- Vologda 140 km
- Pereslavl 150 km
- Ivanovo 170 km
- Tver 220 km
- Vladimir 230 km





Perhaps we should mention that in 1984 Rybinsk was for a few brief years renamed Andropov (after Yuri Andropov) however that didn't last very long at all as in 1989 the city was renamed Rybinsk again.



(Rybinsk Museum)





Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #154 on: April 04, 2011, 11:29:27 PM »
The Orthodox Women's Monastery at Rybinsk:
























Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #155 on: April 04, 2011, 11:33:30 PM »








And finally, for Don we have a Rybinsk Lenin from the city square!




Offline el_guero

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #156 on: May 20, 2011, 11:11:14 PM »
Beautiful pictures.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #157 on: May 24, 2011, 08:48:01 AM »
Uglich (Углич)

Good news...our tour of the Golden Ring continues. So, welcome to Углич, the next stop on our tour.

(Wikipedia) Uglich (У́глич) is a historic town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, on the Volga River with a population of 38,260. A local tradition dates the town's origins to 937. It was first documented in 1148 as Ugliche Pole (Corner Field). The town's name is thought to allude to the nearby turn in the Volga River.



(foto: Митрофанов Александр)


Uglich had been the seat of a small princedom from 1218 until 1328 when the local princes sold their rights to the great prince of Moscow. As a border town of Muscovy, it was burnt several times by Lithuanians, Tatars and the grand prince of Tver.


If you haven't sensed it by now, there are two reasons why the Golden Ring is so cherished by Russians: historical and religious. Those two themes are interwoven in the fabric of what is called the "Russian soul."

Some of the important historical and religious landmarks in Uglich include the Transfiguration Cathedral, constructed in the late 1400s and later rebuilt in 1713.



(foto: Akul/Livejournal)




(foto: Akul/Livejournal)

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #158 on: May 24, 2011, 09:50:01 AM »
Unfortunately one of Uglich's most cherished treasures, the Intercession Monastery was destroyed by the Bolsheviks during the campaign of terror against religion.

(Wikipedia) Grand Duke Ivan III of Moscow gave the town to his younger brother Andrei Bolshoi in 1462. During Andrei's reign the town was expanded and first stone buildings were constructed. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible the town passed to his only brother, Yuri. Local inhabitants helped the Tsar to capture Kazan by building a wooden fortress which was transported by the Volga all the way to Kazan.

The Church of the Theotokos of Kazan, pictured below, was erected in 1777 in memory of the victory over Kazan.



(foto: Akul/Live Journal)


After Ivan's death, his youngest son Dmitry Ivanovich was banished to Uglich in 1584. The most famous event in the town's history took place on May 15, 1591 when the 10-year old boy was found dead with his throat cut in the palace courtyard. Suspicion immediately fell on the Tsar's chief advisor, Boris Godunov.

Official investigators concluded however that Dimitry's death was an accident. They cut a "tongue" from the cathedral bell that rung the news of Dimitry's death and "exiled" it to Siberia.

As Dimitry was the last scion of the ancient Rurik dynasty, his death precipitated the dynastic and political crisis known as the Time of Troubles. People believed that Dimitry was alive and supported several False Dmitrys (False Dmitry I, False Dmitry II, False Dmitry III) who pretended to the Muscovite throne. During the Time of Troubles, the Poles besieged the Alexeievsky and Uleima monasteries and burned them down killing all the populace who had sought refuge inside.



(foto: vadaga/Live Journal)


Upon coming to power the Romanov Tsars made it their priority to canonize the martyred Tsarevich (prince) and to turn Uglich into a place of pilgrimage. On the spot where Dimitriy had been murdered the city in 1690 built the small but lovely Church of St Dmitry on the Blood.



(foto: vadaga/Live Journal)


The church was first constructed as a wooden chapel, which later burned during the Polish invasion of Russia. The present building was built in 1692. Supposedly the altar is located just above the spot where the prince was murdered. The current gilded carved Iconostasis was installed in 1867 however the main icons date much earlier; "Our Lady of Smolensk in 1630 and" St. Nicholas "in 1692.

The "exiled" bell was returned from Tobolsk in 1892 where it had hung from 1591 in the belfry of the Saviour Cathedral. It should be noted that there are more than reasonable grounds for believing that the "real" exile bell melted during the great fire of Tobolsk in 1677. Nonetheless, Mrs Mendeleyev says to tour the church as there is a local custom that if you hit the bell and make a wish while the bell sounds, your wish will come true!

This church was not a "parish" church (with a local congregation) since it was a church of the Romanov family, without permanent worship services). One of the amazing features is the iron/metal floor so that you will wear little cloth slippers without shoes so that the floor is not subjected to moisture from outside causing it to rust.


Below, completed in 1481, Prince Dmitry's red-brick "palace" is still standing and now a museum.



(foto: Chatskaa/Live Journal)

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #159 on: May 24, 2011, 07:10:03 PM »
Wayne, I decided to reposition your question and my answer regarding the crosses used in Orthodoxy in the thread on "Her Orthodox faith."  :)

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #160 on: May 24, 2011, 07:37:40 PM »
Uglich is a town of museums. The Russian word for museum is музей (moo-zey), an several interesting музеи (notice the very slight change in the word when the plural is used). Several old houses are of great importance too. It is a fun place to visit.



(foto: SergeiNok/Live Journal)



(foto: SergeiNok/Live Journal)




(foto: Akul/Live Journal)



(foto: Akul/Live Journal)


Offline el_guero

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #161 on: May 24, 2011, 09:26:52 PM »
Wayne, I decided to reposition your question and my answer regarding the crosses used in Orthodoxy in the thread on "Her Orthodox faith."  :)

Dirty trick!

 :smokin:

I thought I was doing like some others on the board and drinking too much .... water ....

 :ROFL:

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #162 on: May 24, 2011, 11:44:10 PM »
Other 18th-century landmarks include the Smolenskaya, Kazanskaya and Bogoyavlenskaya churches. The most important edifice of the 19th century is the cathedral of the Theophany Convent, consecrated in 1853.

Photo below: The Theophany/Epiphany Cathedral was built in 1843-1853 in what was then the official Russian-Byzantine style and is the largest Cathedral in Uglich. During construction of all the domes were adorned with golden stars, like those that can be seen at the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin in Suzdal.

Inside the Cathedral of the Epiphany is a specially constructed chapel in which the venerated icon of the Mother of God, called "watchful eye" is housed. This icon was donated to the monastery in 1848 and revered as miraculous. In 2003 the transferred to the ROC and today is used as a regular parish church.



(Bogovavlenskaya/Epiphany Cathedral foto: Akul/Live Journal)




(Bogovavlenskaya/Epiphany/Assumption Cathedral foto: Vadaga/Live Journal)







Next, the church with green domes is part of the Alekseevskiy Women's Monastery, founded in 1371 by Adrian monk on the orders of the then Metropolitan of Moscow, Alex. In 1439 it was renamed in honor of St. Alexis. Construction of the Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist (green dome visible on the left) was completed in 1681.



(Women's Monastery foto: Ghirlandajo)



Below is the Men's Monastery, Resurrection Monastery chapel.



(Resurrection Monastery for men; foto: Александр Нефёдов)

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #163 on: May 24, 2011, 11:45:50 PM »
The modern town did have a famous watch manufacturing plant now closed, a railway station, and a hydroelectric power station as shown below:



Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #164 on: May 24, 2011, 11:56:33 PM »
Uglich, continued

It is almost time to move along to our next town but first we need to locate at least one Vladimir Lenin photo for RUA member Don up in Canada. Ok, here we go...






Alright, time to get back on the road and we'd best check the local map.






Good news. RUA Chief Moderator/Administrator Manny is paying for our next leg of transportation!

Will it be first class?   :chuckle:












Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #165 on: July 05, 2011, 09:27:33 AM »
Борисоглебский

Borisoglebskiy is a small town but filled with the richness of very early Russian history and home to some of the most important monastery and churches built in the early years of the Russian nation. The Monastery was a favourite of Ivan the Terrible.

It's old--established in 1363.



(foto: Иванов Дмитрий)


Traveling from Uglich towards our destination however means that we're on one of the poorest stretches of road along the Golden Ring. Hang on because at least of this writing, the Uglich - Rostov highway remains as one of the most difficult within the Golden Ring. There is a reward at the end of these potholes and all the shaking and bouncing really doesn't last forward even if it seems that way. The Monastery sits 18 Kilometers off the main road at the mouth of the small Ustye River.



(foto: Monastery Church of Saint Sergius by Kirill kir-lim.livejournal)


Our reward for patience will be the ancient Boris and Gleb Monastery, one of the most magnificent architectural masterpieces in Russia! Sadly however it is also one of the most neglected, and abandoned sites representing what is termed as pre-Petrine architecture in Russia.



(foto: Сидоров Григорий)



(foto: Kirill kir-lim.livejournal)





(foto: Манита Оксана)


Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #166 on: July 05, 2011, 09:34:25 AM »
Борисоглебский, continued



(foto: Kirill kir-lim.livejournal)

Hear those bells (above) in this video: Bells:



(foto: Boris and Gleb Cathedral by Kirill kir-lim.livejournal)




(foto: Kirill kir-lim.livejournal)




Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #167 on: July 05, 2011, 09:52:42 AM »
You can chart our next destination from the map, Rostov Velikiy.


Offline Anteros

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #168 on: July 05, 2011, 01:39:37 PM »
Can you please tell me what is the difference between Velikiy Novgorod and Nizhny Novgorod??
Be careful what you wish for, you might get it.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #169 on: July 05, 2011, 04:51:43 PM »
That is a very good question. For example there are several cities which go by, or have in their names, the word Rostov as just an example. There is more than one city with "Novgorod" in the name, similar to the USA as you have Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh, Kansas, for example.

In this tour we just visited Борисоглебский and there are several places with that in the name so in this example you'd know that the Golden Ring Borisoglebskiy is located in the Yaroslavl oblast (oblast is county/region). As you can see on the map, Yaroslavl is a nearby town.

So, to your specific question...

Both have the term "new city" (Novgorod) in their names. Новгород comes from Новый город or new city.

Великий Новгород or Velikiy Novgorod (Greater New City) goes back to the days of the Kievan Rus, when Kiev/Kiev (modern day Ukraine) was the capital of Russia. It was one of the principal princedoms subject to Kiev and loyal to the idea of a Russian kingdom. It serves as the administrative home to the Novgorod Oblast and sits along the M10 federal highway that connects Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

It is located northwest of Moscow. Usually called just "Novgorod" the city was considered to be the second main city after Kiev in Russia during the mid centuries. Vekikiy Novgorod is on the Volkhov River which flows from nearby Lake Ilmen.



Нижний Новгород or Nizhny Novgorod (Lower New City) is close to the centre of European Russia, and southeast of Moscow. It is the 5th largest city in Russia and the administrative home to both the Volga Federal District (similar to a state) and to the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast (county/region). It is a city of great history in the contributions to the establishment of Russia as a country and in more recent years was named "Gorky" and the home of Russia's Ford Motor Plant before and after WWII.

The Trans-Siberian railroad passes thru Nizhny Novgorod and the city was built along the Volga River. Locals simply call the city "Nizhny" in most cases.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #170 on: July 25, 2011, 11:45:10 PM »
Earlier in our travels of the Vladimir - Suzdal area, we enjoyed a visit to the historic Church of the Intercession on the Nerl and learned of Orthodox saints Boris and Gleb. Well not only was it the church saint days recently for those saints, but as part of his trip to chair the planning for next year's 1150th anniversary of Russian statehood, Dmitry Medvedev took advantage of his time in greater Vladimir and toured the church and looked at the interior decorations this past week.





Director of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum Preserve Svetlana Melnikova accompanied the president to explain the church’s history and its architectural features. The church was built in 1165 at the location where the Nerl River joins the Klyazma River and is considered one of the most beautiful churches in Russia. At the time when it was built, the church represented a major architectural achievement.





Today, this historic treasure is administered jointly by the Russian Orthodox Church and the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum Preserve. It is included on the UNESCO world heritage list.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #171 on: July 26, 2011, 12:40:02 AM »
Ростов Великий (Rostov Velikiy)





Rostov Velikiy sits along Lake Nero and is one of the oldest towns in Russia, with a recorded history back to 862 AD. The town has a reputation for rebellion in the early days was often at war with its neighbors.



(photo: Oleg Domalega)


The city is credited with a critical role in Russian history, having been a major site of siege and revolt against the Mongols in the 13th and 14th centuries, and the birthplace of some of the most influential leaders and clerics of the early Russian state. A Kremlin of earthen ramparts and 17th-century stone walls surround the medieval city.

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #172 on: July 26, 2011, 12:47:22 AM »
One of the less polished stops on the Golden Ring route, but ideally situated for a weekend getaway on the railway line that connects Moscow and Yaroslavl, Rostov Veliky is the one of the country`s oldest documented settlements, celebrating its 1140th birthday this year.

Where Suzdal has rolling fields and a surfeit of monasteries, Rostov Veliky has the vast, still Ozero Nero, or Lake Nero, with fairy-tale clusters of domes and towers scattered about its shores. And the bells that woke me that September morning, I later learned, were the same ones French composer Hector Berlioz traveled the breadth of Europe to hear in the mid-19th century.

The belfry of the Dormition Cathedral (1162), once famous throughout the country and all over Europe, predates Moscow's Kremlin and is hung with 13 bells, including the original grand 32-ton clanger that is only rung on rare occasions -- and, as it happened, during a special recording session on the weekend we visited. The gorgeous melodies played on these great chimes stayed with us throughout the weekend as we explored the town, wandering around the Kremlin and walking along the lake`s quiet shores.


(photo: kpkc.livejournal)




(mclaren2000.livejournal)




(photo: Yuri Augulis)


Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #173 on: July 26, 2011, 12:57:00 AM »
Rostov Veliky would become an independent principality ruled from Suzdal, and an important commercial and religious center until the 18th century, when the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church's Metropolitan was moved to nearby Yaroslavl.



(photo: Oleg Domalega)




(photo: Oleg Domalega)




(mclaren2000.livejournal)




(mclaren2000.livejournal)




(photo: Yuri Augulis)




(photo: Yuri Augulis)




(photo: Yuri Augulis)

Offline mendeleyev

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Re: Золотое кольцо - Russia's Golden Ring Cities
« Reply #174 on: July 26, 2011, 01:09:31 AM »

(photo: mclaren2000.livejournal)


Today, Rostov Veliky's charming collection of buildings are undergoing restoration projects. The town is set amid overgrown gardens and parks and is officially home to 40,000 people.



(photo: mclaren2000.livejournal)



Bells at the Spaso-Yakovlevskiy Monastery: