Yuryev-Polsky

As soon as the snow came down from the fields and there was a clear blue sky above your head you just want to go to some interesting place not very far away.

We live in the city of Kostroma. Around Kostroma within 200 km there is a lot of interesting. This is the city of Ples, and the city of Suzdal, and Vladimir, and Yaroslavl, and Sergiev Posad, and Pereslavl-Zalessky and Vologda and many, many other small villages and villages that must be seen.

This time the direction to the town of Yuryev-Polsky was chosen.

It turned out that the movie "Golden Calf" was shot in Yuriev-Polsky. There, Jursky starred in the role of Ostap, Gerdt, Kuravlev (famouse Russian actors). I really like this film. And what a gorgeous Yevstigneyev there is in the role of Koreiko! Although, Evstigneev is always chic. Well, that means we're heading right!

The town of Yuryev-Polsky was founded only 5 years after Moscow - in 1152. Despite the "metropolitan" biography, the relative proximity to Moscow is only 108 km - and the fact that Yuri Dolgoruky founded it is the exact opposite of the capital. Here live about 20 thousand people, there are hotels, with a dozen cafes and restaurants and several unique sights.

It is worth to visit not only those who are interested in pre-Mongolian Russian architecture and history, but also just wanting to plunge into the quiet and measured life of the ancient provincial city, as if behind the times of 50 years.

In the annals of the city was originally called Gyurgev or Gergiev - after the name of its founder Yuri Dolgoruky. The second part of the name - from the word "field" (im Russian the word " field" sounds like "pole" ), the city stands on the "Suzdal opolye" (Suzdal fields) - appeared to clarify the location, because of the existence in this period of other cities with the same name.

We arrived at the very center and parked near the monument to Lenin. In general, no matter how someone treated Lenin, I am against breaking monuments. Let it be worth it. This is history. Even the same monument to Dzerzhinsky in Lubyanka. I think it was impossible to break. He had to stand both as a memory and as an admonition. And as horror. But architecturally - he had to stand there, because without him there was a bald patch.

In addition to the monument, in front of us is the fortress. It offers a beautiful view of the Michael-Archangel Monastery.

Fences and housing inside the ramparts look quite fun and confirm everything that is natural, real.

Inside a number of mini-museums. You can climb the bell tower, which also has an exposition.
It's a beautiful view from the bell tower.

Immediately at the entrance to the monastery stands the wooden St. George Church built in 1718. She was brought from the village of Egorye.

A little further elegant St. George's Cathedral. 1234 year. The last Russian temple, finished before the Mongol invasion. Very beautiful carving. It was partially destroyed and at the end of the 15th century it was rebuilt, slightly changing the proportions, but retaining for us.

Yuriev-Polsky is famous primarily for the unique monument of Russian architecture - St. George's Cathedral. The temple is noteworthy not only because it is the last religious construction erected before the Tatar-Mongol invasion, but also because its construction was managed not by a professional architect, but by an amateur - the prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich. Among the many real, heraldic and mythical creatures carved in the white stone of the cathedral walls, the natural elephant is also hidden, which is proposed to be found for tourists "for luck".

And next to it there is another temple where restoration work is underway.

We walked a bit in the center. Here, too, there are shopping arcades.

In general, despite the fact that the city is very small, I would recommend it to visit. You can add it as a plus to visiting Vladimir. It produces a very pleasant feeling.
At the exit of the city stopped and made a few frames of spring expanse.

Driving amorn Russian vastnesses I can see a lot of views.

Sometimes these pictures touch the heart and despite the fact that the landscape can be gloomy, but expressive.

Small cities are always interesting, because they retain a real history. I will continue to talk about the cities around my Kostroma.