Golden Ring

This article is about the Golden Ring of Russia. For other uses, see Golden Ring (disambiguation).
The cities of Golden Ring on a map of Central Federal District of Russia

The Golden Ring (Russian: Золото́е кольцо́) is a ring of cities northeast of Moscow, the capital of Russia. They formerly comprised the region known as Zalesye.

These ancient towns, which also played a significant role in the formation of the Russian Orthodox Church, preserve the memory of the most important and significant events in Russian history. The towns have been called "open air museums" and feature unique monuments of Russian architecture of the 12th–18th centuries, including kremlins, monasteries, cathedrals, and churches. These towns are among the most picturesque in Russia and prominently feature Russia's famous onion domes.

Cities included

Kotorosl River in Yaroslavl
St. Euthymius Monastery, Transfiguration Cathedral, and Belfry (Suzdal)
The Resurrection Church of Kostroma (1652) is a superb example of the 17th-century Russian art (color photograph, Sergei Mikhailovich Prokudin-Gorskii, 1910, Library of Congress)

There were eight cities originally included into the tourist route of the Golden Ring, but many more are now associated with it; the eight original cities are highlighted:

Many of these cities are to be found along the M8 highway or can be reached from Yaroslavsky railway station in Moscow.

External links