Rostov Kremlin from above

In former times, the architectural complex served as the bishop's (or metropolitan) courtyard, that is, it was the residence of the first persons of the Rostov-Yaroslavl diocese. Later it began to be called the “Kremlin”. This is a rather controversial designation, since the walls and towers that have survived to this day were not originally intended for defense. This is evidenced by the overly wide gates, as well as windows with platbands located on the towers. However, the bishop's courtyard was built in accordance with the traditions of Russian defense architecture, and therefore it is considered a monument to military architecture of the pre-Petrine period.

The territory of the Rostov Kremlin has the status of a museum-reserve and is divided into three parts. In the center there is the bishop's courtyard, to the north of it is the cathedral square, and to the south is the picturesque metropolitan garden. The oldest building of the Rostov Kremlin is the Assumption Cathedral, which appeared here at the beginning of the 16th century. Most of the other buildings date back to the second half of the 17th century. They were erected under Metropolitan Ion Sysoevich.

Festival in the Rostov Kremlin

People come to Rostov not only to admire the architectural monuments. On the territory of the Kremlin there are about ten interesting museums, telling about the history of the city, church relics and the famous Rostov enamel. In the museum halls you can see rare works of ancient Russian art, ancient icons and church utensils. And from the walls of the Kremlin there are beautiful views of the city blocks and Lake Nero.

The architectural complex is aimed at receiving tourists. Thematic and sightseeing tours. Here you can listen to bell ringing concerts, take part in a bell ringer’s master class and attend a performance by a vocal ensemble. A hotel and restaurant are open to travelers, as well as a museum cinema and a multimedia center.

Plan of the Rostov Kremlin

History of the Rostov Kremlin

The construction of fortifications near Lake Nero began when Finno-Ugric tribes lived on its shores. In the 10th-11th centuries, these lands were settled by Slavs who came from the north-west. The center of their settlement was located where the Assumption Cathedral stands today.

New residents brought Christianity with them, and in 991 the first wooden temple was built in the city. Until the beginning of the 13th century, the center of Rostov was a wooden fortification fortified with earthen ramparts and ditches. Inside it stood the Assumption Cathedral and the Grigorievsky Shutter monastery that appeared here at the beginning of the 13th century.

For a long time, Rostov fortifications remained earthen and wooden. They could not provide sufficient defense against enemy troops, but the city was located far from the borders, and neither the Crimean Tatars, nor the Swedes, nor the Lithuanians reached it, so there was no need to build a stone fortress.

When Russia was going through the difficult Time of Troubles, the city was plundered by the troops of False Dmitry. Rostov Metropolitan Philaret was taken prisoner, and the ancient Assumption Cathedral was destroyed. By the middle of the 17th century, the fortifications were not in better condition, so it was decided to build a large stone residence for the Rostov Metropolis instead.

The inspirer and organizer of the large-scale construction project was Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich, who came to Rostov in 1664. And after Jonah’s death, work on the construction of the Kremlin was continued by his successor, Metropolitan Joasaph. The beautiful architectural ensemble was erected in about 30 years. All temples, chambers and towers were connected by covered passages and galleries.

In 1787, the metropolitanate moved to Yaroslavl, and the territory of the Rostov Kremlin was empty. Without proper care, the buildings and churches fell into disrepair, services were not held here, and at the beginning of the 19th century the question arose about the demolition of the bishop's courtyard.

However, these plans were not destined to come true. Rostov merchants collected the necessary funds and restored architectural monument and in 1883 they opened a museum of church antiquities in it. At the beginning of the last century, by decision of the State Duma, money for the maintenance of the Kremlin was allocated from the Russian treasury.

What can you see in the Kremlin


The Kremlin territory is surrounded by a high stone wall and has 11 towers covered with a ploughshare: 5 corner, 2 lookout and 4 gate. The architectural dominant of the ensemble is rightfully considered the large Assumption Cathedral. Not far from it stands a belfry. The cathedral square is surrounded on three sides by a fence. In addition, it is limited by the wall of the bishop's courtyard. There are two ways to get here. The Holy Gate leads from the city to the square, and from the museum-reserve there is a passage through the lower tier of the Resurrection Church.

The front yard of the Rostov Kremlin is surrounded by religious and civil buildings. Among them, the two-story Court Order stands out, which at one time managed all the affairs of the diocese. Next to it stands the gateway Church of the Resurrection. This temple is built on a two-tier basement, it has one light and four decorative domes and is richly decorated with brick patterns, as well as picturesque tiles.

On the other side of the courtyard you can see the complex of metropolitan choirs, which is more often called the “Red Chamber”. The porch leading to the chamber, which is crowned by two tents, looks very colorful.

Behind the Red Chamber of the Rostov Kremlin stands the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands (or the Savior on the Senya), which served the Metropolitan as a home church. On its lower floors there used to be utility services and a bakery. Wall paintings made by Russian isographers in 1675 have been preserved inside. The Rostov Metropolitan held ceremonial receptions in the White Chamber. This single-pillar structure has large windows, and due to this, the interior is well lit.

The Gate Church of St. John the Evangelist (1683) is considered one of the most picturesque buildings of the Rostov Kremlin. It is elongated upward, has elongated drums and small domes, and these features give the structure grace and lightness. Frescoes from the late 17th century have also been preserved on the walls and vaults of the temple.

The summer church in honor of the Hodegetria icon of the Mother of God was built in the Moscow Baroque style, popular at that time. This happened in 1693, when the diocese was ruled by the successor of Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich, Joasaph.

In memory of the ancient Grigorievsky monastery, which existed on the territory of the Rostov Kremlin in the Middle Ages, a separate temple of Gregory the Theologian was built. Inside, the five-domed church is decorated with frescoes painted at the end of the 19th century by an artel of artists led by N. M. Safonov.

Southern part architectural ensemble occupies the green metropolitan garden, which was founded during the time of Jonah Sysoevich. Nowadays it has been reconstructed in accordance with the traditions of the second half of the 17th century. The garden is very beautiful, and apple trees, plum trees, pears and cherries are grown in it. In the north of the green area there is a bosquet, indicating the cell building of the Grigorievsky monastery. The foundation of an ancient building was found at this site during archaeological excavations.

Assumption Cathedral

The oldest building in Rostov is the huge Assumption Cathedral. The temple that has survived to this day is the fifth cathedral on this site. The first wooden church was erected in 991 during the reign of Prince Vladimir. And the first stone cathedral appeared in the city in 1162, when Andrei Bogolyubsky ruled the Rostov lands. According to legend, at the end of the 12th – beginning of the 13th century, the priest of this temple was the father of the epic hero Alyosha Popovich.

The cathedral that can be seen today was built of white stone and brick at the beginning of the 16th century. Together with the cross, it has a height of 60 m and is crowned with a powerful five-domed dome. Architectural features The temple suggests that the builders were well acquainted with the Assumption Cathedral, which is located in the Moscow Kremlin. At first, the cathedral in Rostov had helmet-shaped domes, but in the 18th century they were replaced by onion domes. Inside, a rich carved iconostasis, installed in the temple in 1736, after another fire, has been preserved.


 Assumption Cathedral and Gate Church of the Resurrection

Belfry


To the southeast of the ancient Assumption Cathedral there is a picturesque belfry, which was built in the 80s of the 17th century. The belfry building stretches from north to south and is crowned with four domes. The belfry and the old cathedral form a harmonious architectural ensemble, although their construction is separated by more than a century.

The first floor of the belfry building is occupied by the Church of the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and utility rooms, and on the top floor there is a four-bay platform with an arcade, where 15 bells are mounted. You can get there via a narrow staircase inside the wall. There are many voids in the belfry, so it serves as an excellent resonator. The largest of the bells was named “Sysoy” in honor of the father of Rostov Metropolitan Jonah. It was cast at the end of the 17th century and weighs 32 tons.

Museums

The Rostov Kremlin houses several museum collections. There are so many exhibits collected here that it is simply impossible to see all the museums in one day! On the ground floor of the Red Chamber there is a museum living room equipped with multimedia screens. It was created to make it easier for tourists who came to the city to find the necessary attractions and information. In the living room you can make virtual trip to any part of the city and region, look at maps in detail and find out about the opening hours of museums and exhibitions.

In eight halls of the Samuilovsky building of the Rostov Kremlin there is a permanent exhibition dedicated to ancient Russian art. Ancient icons and valuable liturgical utensils, skillfully made embroideries, metalwork and fine wood carvings are exhibited here.


Those who look into the Temple of Hodegetria find themselves among real wealth! The collection kept in this church is called “Gold and Azure Shines.” There was a place here for unique icons, sculptures and a large collection of ancient church utensils. And in the White Chamber they recreated the exhibition of the old museum of church antiquities, which operated in the Kremlin at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.

The history of Rostov land is presented in two museums at once. One of them introduces archaeological and paleontological finds, and visitors can see the remains of fossil animals and tools used by primitive people. The second floor of the Red Chamber exhibits exhibits related to the history of the city from the 7th to the 15th centuries.


An unusual medal cabinet has been opened in the Kremlin, where commemorative medals and coins are kept, as well as an interesting collection of ancient bells and bells. But most of all tourists come to the enamel museum, which began operating in the Rostov Kremlin more than 15 years ago. Its popularity is explained by the great interest in traditional Rostov craft. In the halls of the enamel museum you can see beautiful products created by the skillful hands of local craftsmen, and in the store at the museum you can buy your favorite enamel crafts.

Useful information for tourists

  • Museums located in the Rostov Kremlin receive visitors daily from 10.00 to 17.00. They are closed only on January 1st.
  • For viewing museum collections, displays and exhibitions they sell individual tickets, as well as a single discount ticket, which gives the right to visit all museums.
  • On the territory of the Kremlin, paid concerts of bell ringing are held, as well as interesting master classes on decoupage, creating museum postcards, painting ceramics and the secrets of making enamel.
  • In the Rostov Kremlin you can stay at the “House on Cellars” hotel, where there are single to triple rooms with all amenities.

How to get there

From the city bus station and railway station People usually get to the walls of the Rostov Kremlin on foot. The journey takes 15-20 minutes (1.5 km). If desired, this distance can be covered by taxi.

The Rostov Kremlin, whose history began in the sixteenth century, is an impressive and grandiose structure. It is very beautiful with its five churches, powerful ancient fortress walls and the Assumption Cathedral. The Rostov Kremlin also has a second name - the Bishop's (or Metropolitan) Courtyard.

History of the Rostov Kremlin

In 1670, construction began on the structure, the customer of which was Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich. According to his project, the complex of buildings was supposed to duplicate paradise in the world according to the biblical description. In literature it was presented as a garden surrounded by walls with towers. A picturesque pond was to be located in the center of the buildings. The Rostov Kremlin was finally completed only in 1683.

Stagnant times for the Kremlin

Since 1787, it almost ceased to be used, as the metropolitanate moved to Yaroslavl. Gradually, the Rostov Kremlin began to decline. Divine services in the cathedral ceased to be held. The Metropolis even wanted to sell the entire complex for scrap. But the city merchants intervened in the fate of the architectural ensemble.

"Stone Phoenix"

It allocated funds for the restoration of the magnificent complex. In 1883, the Rostov Kremlin was reopened. The Museum-Reserve of Antiquities, which the complex became, in 1886 came under the patronage of the last Emperor of Russia, Nicholas II. In 1910, the pre-revolutionary State Duma finally assigned the Rostov Kremlin all-Russian status.

The country's budget began to regularly allocate funds for maintenance architectural complex. In 1953, there was a strong hurricane, as a result of which the Rostov Kremlin was badly damaged. Many buildings have undergone restoration. And after a short time, the architectural ensemble again rose in its splendor.

Assumption Cathedral

It consists of three main zones: the Bishop's Courtyard, Cathedral Square and the Metropolitan Garden, in which fruit trees are planted. On the territory of the complex there is the 5-domed Assumption Cathedral of the Rostov Kremlin, the history of which dates back to the twelfth century. From one of those temples, only the Leontief chapel, otherwise called the Cave chapel, remained. It contains the relics of Bishop Leonty.

In 1314, Bartholomew was baptized in the cathedral, who later became St. Sergius of Radonezh. Since the 1660s Painted frescoes made by the hands of Guria Nikitina appeared on the walls of the temple. From the first creations to the present day, only fragmentary fragments have survived. From above, the original frescoes were covered with new layers. The external decorative details give the cathedral special expressiveness.

Belfry

The belfry of the Rostov Kremlin was built between 1682 and 1687. It is located on Cathedral Square. Thirteen unique bells, differing in weight and size, are suspended in the belfry. They were cast from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries. Almost all bells have names. "Sysoy" is the largest. Its weight reaches almost 32 tons. “Sysoy” was named in honor of Metropolitan Jonah.

The second large bell is called “Polyeleos”. They rang it, gathering people for church holidays. The weight of “Polyeleinoe” is almost sixteen tons. There are bells with the names of animals and birds: “Goat”, “Swan” and “Ram”. During Lent the “Hunger Man” was used. Now the entrance to the belfry is paid, and ringing the bells is prohibited.

In the lower tier of the belfry there is a souvenir shop and a workshop called “Black Polished Ceramics”. This fishery was developed (and became traditional) on Rostov soil back in the sixteenth century. Ceramics are fired in a smoky flame without an influx of oxygen. As a result, the products acquire a coal-black color, which is then painted with other paints. The workshop also shows the process of making souvenirs.

Rostov Kremlin: description of internal buildings

Administrative buildings were built in the Metropolitan Courtyard, one of which housed the Judgment Order. In the seventeenth century, a 2-story building appeared on the territory of the complex, next to which the Church of the Resurrection of Christ was built. It rests on high basements with openings cut into them for asymmetrical gates.

They are double - pedestrian and travel. Under the church there is a luxurious front Holy Gate. To the left of the temple stood the Clock Tower. Now only the foundation remains, since back in the nineteenth century there was a danger of the building collapsing.

The Rostov Kremlin had special buildings for clergy to live in. The rooms were called metropolitan mansions. At first they were two-story, then a third tier appeared. Over time, the building was externally decorated. Today, the mansions are recognizable only by the ornamental belt and narrow windows on the ground floor. Its own brewery and bakery were built on the territory of the complex.

Another majestic building is the Red Chamber. It has two porches and ends with two tents. Emperors and kings stayed there upon arrival. Another unique complex of buildings is the Church of the Rostov Kremlin of the Image of the Savior Not Made by Hands. The lower basement was erected in 1675. Household services were located on the floor, and the Church, Refectory and Salvage chambers were located on the second tier.

The church is somewhat unusual. At the end of each of its facades there is a triangular pediment. It turns out that the building is covered with eight slopes. The inside of the church is richly decorated. More than half of the room is occupied by the dais in front of the altar.

Last of all, the five-domed Gate Church of St. John the Evangelist was built. In those days it was considered the best building. It differed from all other buildings in its rich external decor. The Church of Hodegetria became the final point in the construction of the grandiose Rostov Kremlin.

External walls

The Kremlin walls and towers were erected after the completion of the main architectural ensemble. They have real loopholes and wide window openings, which is completely uncharacteristic for a fortress. The Kremlin walls became, rather, an external decoration of the Rostov Kremlin rather than defensive fortifications. This can be seen in the general decor. Loopholes were added to maintain traditions.

The Rostov Kremlin, a museum-reserve of architecture, has firmly entered the history of Soviet and Russian cinema. It was on these fortress walls that the chase of the famous actors of the popular comedy film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession” was filmed. In 2010, the filming of the series “Raskol” took place in the Rostov Kremlin.

Today the Rostov Kremlin has become a museum of national importance. It houses the largest collection of enamel. Several rooms have been allocated for the art gallery. Some display noble exhibits. Inside the White Chamber (formerly the dining room for priests) there is an exhibition of antiquities.

Rostov the Great – old City on the shore of Lake Nero. It saw many battles, was burned more than once, but survived and was restored and flourished again and again. The heart of the city is, of course, the Rostov Kremlin, or rather the former residence of the Metropolitan, where today the museum-reserve is located. This is where thousands of tourists who travel to Rostov strive to get.

Rostov the Great (or Yaroslavl) has a long history. The first to come to these lands were not the Slavs, but the Finnish peoples; in the surrounding area there are even remains of the ancient settlement of Sari. But already in 862, there was the city of Rostov. This date is the earliest mention of Rostov, but not even as a settlement, but as a city.

In 911, the first Christian church was already erected here, mind you, because Rus' was baptized only in 988-990. But the old faith firmly held the minds of Rostovites, and local priests had to flee for their lives, and some died at the hands of the townspeople, such as Bishop Leonty, who was later canonized.
The oldest stone church in the city is the Assumption Cathedral, built in 1162. True, the first version of the temple burned down, and the one that has survived to this day was built in 1411, and among the masters who designed the cathedral was Dionysius. There are many beliefs associated with this temple. Bartholomew was baptized here, known to the world like Sergius of Radonezh. John of Kronstadt served here. And in 1913, the last Russian Tsar prayed here.
And remember the modern cartoon “Alyosha Popovich”, where people were hiding in the church from Tugarin the Snake. It's here in this temple. And Alyosha himself, by the way, was the son of its abbot.


It is worth noting that the city did not have good defense for a long time, so it suffered more than once from raids by the Tatar-Mongol yoke, was burned out during the period of unrest and suffered serious damage during the Lithuanian intervention. Rostov was fortified with earthen ramparts and a fortress, but since by that time Rostov was already in the middle of the country, and the need for a fortress had disappeared, therefore in the 17th century it was decided to build a stone residence of the metropolitan, which we know as the Rostov Kremlin. Construction began in the 1660s, when Metropolitan Jonah arrived in Rostov and spent thirty years building his brainchild.

It was a magnificent building, the amazing panorama of which still amazes today. The Rostov Kremlin is beautiful from all angles: from the remains of the city ramparts and from the shores of Lake Nero.


Churches, outbuildings, a belfry, a bailiff, a guest courtyard, metropolitan chambers, the White Chamber, eleven towers, etc. - all this is a single complex, connected by passages and covered galleries.

Of particular note is the belfry. It was built at the end XVII century and had thirteen bells. Each of them had its own name: “Swan”, “Polyeleos”, “Hunger Man”, which rang only during the period of fasting. But the largest was “Sysoy”, named after the father of the founder of the Rostov Kremlin, Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich.


But very soon the bishop’s court was moved to Yaroslavl and the Kremlin, as pilgrims began to call the court, which was attracted to Rostov by the relics of St. Demetrius, remained empty. All other years, the Kremlin existed on the donations of pilgrims and believers.

In 1883, a museum was opened on the territory of the Kremlin. Expositions were displayed in the chambers, and the institution itself was taken under the wing of Tsarevich Alexei and the future Tsar Nikolai Alexandrovich.

Today the Rostov Kremlin is State Museum-Reserve and one of the most visited attractions not only of the city, but of the entire region. And how can one not visit a place that is already familiar to everyone who has ever watched the legendary film “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession.” Yes, it was along these passages that the thieving Prince Miloslavsky ran, it was here that the “Soviet” Ivan Vasilyevich ate, and what can I say, they feasted here on “overseas, eggplant caviar.”

If you are traveling on your own, you will need at least half a day to visit the Rostov Kremlin. And if you want to visit all the exhibitions, then one day may not be enough.


What's the cover charge

At the entrance to the Kremlin there are ticket offices where you can purchase tickets to exhibitions.

A single full ticket (including viewing and museum cinema) for all exhibitions costs 400 rubles.

You can also buy individual tickets for exhibitions and master classes. Full price list can be viewed on the museum website.

Just wandering around the Kremlin costs 50 rubles.

We offer the purchase of tickets for such an interesting event as the Bell Ringing Concert. This pleasure is not cheap - 1,500 rubles per person. You can listen to the ringing of bells (a shortened version) for free, you just need to check at the ticket office what time the bells ring.

Exhibitions of the Rostov Kremlin

In the former bishop's chambers, there are several permanent exhibitions, but in addition, the museum is constantly changing and adding a whole series of portable exhibitions that are dedicated to different dates. These are exhibitions dedicated to the Great Victory, this year they are represented very widely, exhibitions of Rostov enamel and much more.
Among the permanent exhibitions, tourists can visit the Medal Cabinet exhibition. All originals and copies of medals are presented here, from the very first ones that were awarded to the soldiers “For the Battle of Poltava 1709” to the last awards of the Sochi Olympics.


In the White Chamber (the same one where Ivan the Terrible-Bushma received ambassadors and feasted) there is an exhibition of church antiquities. It contains exhibits of church utensils, crosses, ancient books and documents that historians and archaeologists managed to collect. The exhibition tells about the period of the 16th-18th centuries, and there are quite valuable items that are relics.


The exhibition “Ancient Russian Art”, located in eight rooms of the Samuil Building, is slightly similar in theme to it. By the way, it was with this exhibition that the history of the museum began. There are frescoes, paintings, church vestments, and even a gilded censer that is already four hundred years old. Looking at these luxurious exhibits. Decorated precious stones and metals, you understand that people used to spare no money for a church.

The symbol of the Russian troika is the vibrant bells, presented in the “Yam Bells” exhibition. Here you can find out the history of where this tradition came from, what kind of bells there were and how they were distinguished - after all, bell making has become one of the business cards Rostov, well, like the Tula arms factories. And here you can see real sleighs.

water tower

Be sure to climb the steep wooden stairs to the Water Tower. The views from there are such as would be impossible to imagine in a fairy tale!



Museum of Enamel "Rostov Kremlin" must be included in the mandatory program of each excursion. Each one, firstly, because at one time you are unlikely to be able to appreciate the entire collection, which numbers more than three thousand exhibits, and secondly, here you can not only look at beautiful trinkets, but also try to create something yourself -class.


After viewing the exhibition, you can purchase products made from Rostov enamel from the official factory (you can read about where the Rostov enamel Factory is located and what you can buy in the store at the factory here).


Exposition “The Ancient Past of the Rostov Land” will introduce us to mammoths and prehistoric rhinoceroses that roamed this area during the Paleolithic period, as well as to the first people and the way of life in the Stone Age.
Some exhibition halls In the Red Chamber of the State Hall there is an exhibition that tells about the history of Rostov in the period from the 7th to the 15th centuries. It was during this period that the city was born, and even then it was quite large and strategically important. It was not for nothing that the princely heirs of Kievan Rus were sent here so that they learned to rule; by the way, Rostov was a rather “obstinate” city and did not willingly obey.

Here you can see weapons from the 10th century, princely seals of Yaroslav the Wise, ancient figurines and much more.

In the Church of Hodehydria On the territory of the Kremlin there is an exhibition “Gold and Azure Shines”, which tells about the Baroque period in the church. Here you can see luxurious vestments of priests, rich icons, amazing tombstones, which in themselves are unique objects of art.

You can read in detail about the exhibition at the Museum of the Church of Hodegetria here.


And if you get tired of viewing many museum exhibitions and want to relax, you can do this in Gostiny Dvor, located on the first floor of the Red Chamber. Here you can interactively visit virtual exhibitions and find out detailed information about the section you are interested in.

Food on the territory of the Rostov Kremlin

You can also eat on site, for example in a cozy garden house. You can find it on the territory of the apple orchard.


Hotel on the territory of the Rostov Kremlin

Few people know, but on the territory of the Rostov Kremlin there is a hotel called “House on the Cellars”. The hotel has only 24 rooms and they are rarely empty. But if you book in advance, you might be lucky. Here is the hotel website.

Official site Rostov Kremlin Museum

The Rostov Kremlin is that object cultural heritage which every tourist should visit. And once you visit, you will want to come here again and again.

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The “calling card” of tourist Rostov is the Kremlin with its five churches, the Assumption Cathedral and a complex of residential buildings, surrounded by powerful fortress walls. According to its original purpose, the Kremlin was the residence of the bishops of the Rostov-Yaroslavl diocese. It can be divided into three independent parts. The central one is the bishop's courtyard itself. In the northern part there is the former cathedral square with the Assumption Cathedral, and in the southern part there is the Metropolitan Garden.

Bishop's Court

Enclosed by high walls with beautiful towers, decorated with numerous temple domes and tower tents, the Bishop's Courtyard, which is now commonly called the Rostov Kremlin, was founded in the 1660s on the site of the old and much more modest Bishop's House, from which only fragments of buildings have survived.

The first temple built, a kind of cornerstone of the ensemble, was the Church of the Resurrection of Christ above the northern gate. This is not just a church, but a whole complex architectural complex consisting of a five-domed temple, a three-span gate, a gallery and two towers framing the gate. The Church of the Resurrection was supposed to play the role of the Holy Gate in the Bishop's Court complex and was oriented outward, towards the Assumption Cathedral.

Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich did not have time to complete the construction of his brainchild, and his successor, Metropolitan Joasaph, completed the work. The complex turned out to be truly grandiose: two magnificent Holy Gates with gate temples, eclipsing the central temple of the courtyard in their beauty; many stone chambers, a small pond in the middle of the courtyard.

The second gigantic gate church is St. John the Evangelist, located above the western gate of the Kremlin. If the Resurrection Church was the first church of the ensemble, then St. John’s Church was one of the last. Adjacent to St. John's Church is the largest and most famous chamber in the Kremlin - the Red Chamber. Another wonderful temple of the Rostov Kremlin is the Church of the Savior on Senyakh. This is the main, central temple of the Bishop's Court, conceived by Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich as a ceremonial church. Although it is not located in the center, but is slightly covered by the building. The White Chamber, built approximately at the same time as the temple, is closely adjacent to the Spasskaya Church. It is assumed that this complex was built exactly like this, following the model of the Patriarchal Palace in the Moscow Kremlin.

Assumption Cathedral

The existing cathedral is already the fifth on this site; to him in the center ancient city four more churches were replaced. The first was Cathedral Dormition of the Mother of God “from oak trees”, wooden, founded back in 991 under Prince Vladimir, one of the first cathedrals in Rus'.

It is known that at the turn of the 12th-13th centuries the rector of the cathedral was the father of the hero Alyosha Popovich.

Built at the beginning of the 16th century, the Assumption Cathedral is a truly magnificent building worthy of being the central cathedral of Rostov, one of the main cities of medieval Rus'. Its architecture is clearly influenced by the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin - probably the architects who built the cathedral visited Moscow and carefully studied the capital's temple. The powerful walls of the Rostov Assumption Cathedral are divided by blades into three sections from the west and four from the north and south.

Initially, the domes were somewhat different (possibly helmet-shaped), and in the 18th century they were replaced by the current onion-shaped ones, covered with a ploughshare. During the Time of Troubles, the cathedral, like the entire city, was captured and plundered by the Tatars and Cossacks who were in the army of False Dmitry, and Metropolitan Philaret was captured and sent to the camp of the Tushino thief.

The luxurious baroque iconostasis, which has survived to this day, was installed in the cathedral under Archbishop Joachim in 1736 after another fire. The cathedral preserves the burial places of many Rostov princes and clergy, including the builder of the Rostov Kremlin, Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich. During the replacement of the floors in 1884, the cancer of St. Leonty was discovered in the southern apse - a gift from Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky.

The complex of the Assumption Cathedral is a separate part of the current Rostov Kremlin, and much more ancient. However, the architects were able to arrange all the other temples and walls with towers in such a way that they all became a single and harmoniously combined architectural ensemble, one of the most beautiful in Russia.

Belfry

The famous Rostov belfry was built at the cathedral in 1682-1687 in two stages. Of course, before it there was an older octagonal bell tower, the foundation of which was discovered by archaeologists south of the cathedral. The “bell towers” ​​at the Assumption Cathedral were repeatedly mentioned in Rostov chronicles. A little later, an additional pillar was built for the largest bell, and a bell weighing 33 tons was placed in it, named Sysoev in honor of the father of Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich, the customer of the bells. And now in the repertoire of the Rostov ringing there is a special “Ringing with Sysoy”.

Everyone who is even slightly interested in the history of Russia or the Golden Ring knows about the bell ringing of Rostov. The notes of many bells have been preserved and are still performed today: Ioninsky, Georgievsky, Kolyazinsky...

Helpful information

Opening hours: daily from 10.00 to 17.00, except January 1. The frescoes and fortress walls are open for viewing from May 1 to October 1.

Admission: single ticket with a discount for visiting all museum exhibitions - 700 RUB.

Continuing to walk around the ancient Russian city of Rostov the Great, we visit its main attraction: the State Museum-Reserve of the Rostov Kremlin.

It turned out that when we got there in the evening, the museum was no longer open. The museum staff suggested that we just take a walk around its territory, since all the buildings were already closed. Of course, this walk was not free, and we decided to come tomorrow morning to slowly visit all the buildings of the architectural ensemble of the Kremlin in Rostov.

Moreover, today was full of new impressions. We left early in the morning and already managed to visit 2 Rostov monasteries: and.

There was still a lot of time ahead, it was too early to go to bed. Therefore, at our general meeting we made a decision and went to Lake Nero. Walking along the Kremlin wall illuminated by the setting sun,

We went down the steep steps.

To the right, in the distance, domes glittered over the gray waters of Lake Nero.

We walked along the shore of this reservoir, admiring the surrounding beauty, taking photographs of the Kremlin domes in the rays of the setting sun.

On our way back, we accidentally came across a small museum of antiques. It had a loud name: “Art Gallery “Horse” by Mikhail Selishchev.”

In an ordinary village house, several rooms were allocated for exhibition. In general, it was interesting to consider something that is rarely used anywhere these days.

But during this trip of ours to the numerous sights of the Yaroslavl region, we have already seen a lot of ancient rubbish. It was shown to us in and, so it didn’t add any new impressions to us.

But in the courtyard of the museum there was a lot of interesting things for our boys. After viewing the museum exhibits, my nephews were invited to shoot with a crossbow. This action added new impressions. 😆

And then the boys were given rackets to play table tennis.

Their delight knew no bounds! And then you could still relax in a hammock in the fresh air.

So the evening was very active, with jokes and laughter.

Unusual locals

Our next day was devoted to exploring the architectural complex of the Kremlin. We arrived just before the opening, at 9 o’clock. But it turned out that they again made a slight mistake with the museum’s opening hours: all churches and exhibitions are open here only from 10.

We had to walk around the area for an hour. But we were not bored - after all, everything around was so majestic and beautiful!

In the center of the Kremlin, on a pond, we saw a family of ducks.

They were taking a morning walk and, importantly, one after another, walked past us in single file on their urgent business to a small pond to swim and dive. So funny!

My Moscow nephews were absolutely stunned by the opportunity to observe live ducklings so closely!

Yes, why should schoolchildren be surprised, even we adults watched with delight how funny the baby ducks were walking and swimming. So the time waiting for the opening of museums and churches on the territory of the Kremlin flew by for us.

Kremlin

Impressive Features

An hour quickly passed and all the museums opened their doors for us. In general, the name “Kremlin” does not quite fit here. Because at the time when it was built, Rostov was already in the center of Rus' and did not have such an important defensive significance as before. Therefore, during its construction, some features used for protection during a siege were not used.

For example, one could enter the Kremlin through wide gates. The windows, as in ordinary peasant houses, were decorated with platbands, and there were no loopholes in the towers - all this was unacceptable during defense.

But one way or another, the Kremlin became a monument to ancient military architecture in Rus' from early, pre-Petrine times.

The history of the creation of “earthly paradise”

The Rostov stronghold took almost 15 years to build. The Kremlin was built between 1670 and 1683. Metropolitan Jonah Sysoevich himself was the ideological inspirer and leader of this construction.

After the implementation of this grandiose idea, it was expected that a real earthly paradise would appear, exactly as it is described in the Bible: a garden of Eden surrounded by thick walls with towers, and in the center there is a pond with a mirror. clean water. The thickness of the Kremlin walls is 2 meters, and their height is about 12.

About 100 years later, the bishop's see was moved to Yaroslavl, and the Metropolitan Court was left without attention or proper care. Divine services in churches stopped, and all buildings began to be used as warehouses.

After another 100 years, it was restored, and after some time, the future Russian Tsar Nicholas 2 took it under his wing and patronage, and the State Duma decided to regularly allocate worthy sum of money for content.

A unique monument of the past

The entire adjacent Kremlin territory can be divided, conditionally of course, into 3 parts independent from each other. This is clearly visible on the map of the Kremlin (it can be enlarged to better see all the buildings).

The most important central part is the bishop's courtyard. The Assumption Cathedral on the square, which was formerly called Cathedral Square, is Northern part. To the south is the metropolitan garden with apple trees.

The Kremlin includes 11 towers.

Temples of the Rostov Kremlin

The magnificent Assumption Cathedral

It should be noted that the Assumption Cathedral, which we see today, was built back in 1512.

The temple became the 5th building on this site. His cross is located at an altitude of more than 60 meters. And the first, as history says, was the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Mother of God that was built here. It appeared much earlier in 991, during the reign of Prince Vladimir, and became one of the very first outstanding churches in all of Rus'.

Known for this interesting fact, and it is documented that at one time the rector of this particular cathedral was the father of the legendary Alyosha Popovich, glorified in the epics and tales of the Russian hero.

In its architectural plan, the Assumption Cathedral of the Rostov Kremlin is similar to the cathedral of the same name in nearby Moscow. It is likely that the architects who built it often traveled to the capital and took something from there for their work. During the Time of Troubles, the cathedral did not escape the fate of the entire city. It was completely plundered by enemies from the army of False Dmitry, and the Metropolitan himself was captured.

A most luxurious, simply royal iconostasis was installed here back in 1736. Fortunately, it has been preserved in its original form. The founder of the Kremlin, Iona Sysoevich, and many Russian princes and representatives of the clergy of Rostov are buried here.

Resurrection Church

One of the very first grandiose buildings in Rostov the Great that appeared under Ion Sysoevich was the Church of the Resurrection. Its foundation dates back to 1670.

There are pedestrian and travel gates on the façade of the building. This church is above the gate, and the passage under it to the house was guarded.

What immediately catches your eye is its richly decorated gallery. The mural painting of the temple was made in 1675 by Yaroslavl and Kostroma masters.

Unusual arches lead inside the temple premises. They reminded me a lot.

In the Church of the Resurrection of the Rostov Kremlin there is no wooden iconostasis that is familiar to us. Instead, there is a wall of stone that separates the altar and the rest of the temple space.

The windows in the church are large and located quite high. This allows sunlight to enter the temple. Together, all this creates a particularly solemn and majestic atmosphere.

And now there is still an entrance to Kremlin walls. Is it possible to deny yourself the pleasure of walking along the ancient corridors?

From here you can better see the Kremlin buildings. The entire territory is visible at a glance.

Church of St. John the Evangelist

The existing Church of St. John the Evangelist in the Rostov Kremlin is also a gatehouse. It was built a little later than the others, and became one of the last in the beautiful ensemble of the ancient Rostov Kremlin of the 17th century. Probably, by this time both architects and craftsmen had gained enough experience.

Therefore, this temple, in its proportions and external decoration, looks the most elegant compared to the rest of the Kremlin buildings. It looks especially beautiful from the side of the Kremlin courtyard. Here you can very clearly see how the facade is divided - first there is a basement, then an altar, then a temple part and beautiful drums with graceful domes.

Church of Hodegetria

The two-story Church of Hodegetria, built in 1693, is rectangular. It looks very unusual and elegant.

The church itself operated on the upper tier.

Inside, its vaults and walls are decorated with 20 stucco cartouches of unusual shape.

Now it houses a collection of sculptures, icons, silver items from the 17th century, as well as clergy clothing, which was previously used during the liturgy.

Differences between gate churches

The Holy Gate is located in the northern corner of the Kremlin fence. They were built at the beginning of the 18th century, and they led directly to the square in front of the Assumption Cathedral.

Spasskaya Church-tower

In 1675, another Church of the Savior on Senya was built. It was erected on the site of one that stood here before wooden church on a stone basement. In 1671, a strong lightning strike completely destroyed the wooden house. And over time, a temple was erected in its place, which stands here today.

This church is remarkable in that its architecture contains features of the decorative decorations of the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, but without unnecessary pomp.

The Spasskaya Church is different from other churches here - it has one dome. Its light drum is built on a pedestal that also has light openings. The basement looks like it has two floors. Thanks to this appearance, slightly elongated proportions, and the gilded chapter raised high on a thin drum, the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands on Senya looks like a tall, beautiful tower.

And although the outside of the church has rather simple forms, not distinguished by rich details, its interior is striking in its luxury and surprising richness. Among all the other Kremlin buildings, it has no equal in this regard. Probably the whole point is that this building was the home church of the metropolitan.

From the very beginning it was conceived for special occasions: divine services in the presence of a large number of clergy and honored guests. The interior of the church is simply luxurious! The gilded arcade located there is especially impressive. The parapet is richly decorated with frescoes.

Each church is necessarily different in some way from other churches in the Rostov Kremlin. Thus, the Church of Gregory the Theologian in the Rostov Kremlin of 1670 is distinguished by the absence of drums with windows for lighting.

It was originally built on “old stone chambers” and the entire interior was beautifully painted by artists. But a severe fire that occurred in 1730 destroyed the beautiful paintings. Restoring historical monuments, they were replaced by stucco frames with paintings, but not so ancient.

The iridescent bells of Rostov

Famous Belfry

The famous belfry of the Assumption Cathedral, part of the Rostov Kremlin complex, was founded at the end of the 17th century.

By personal order of the Metropolitan, 13 bells of different weights were created almost simultaneously. The first “Polyeleiny” weighed 16,000 kg, the next “Swan” - 8,000 kg. The largest and heaviest bell in the belfry of the Rostov Kremlin is named “Sysoy”. Its weight is 32,000 kg!

Each bell differed from the others in its tonality. The melodies they produced were striking in their euphony and harmony. Each of them had its own interesting name: Zazvonny, Baran, Krasny and others.

At the end of the 19th century, the belfry and its bell collection were replenished with two more ringing bells. All 15 bells still make us happy.

An interesting fact is not only that, despite all the hardships of life, all the bells have been preserved, but also that the notes of special bell ringings are still carefully preserved: Georgievsky, Ioninsky and many others. There is even a special “Ringing with Sysoy”.

Bell Museum

Now there is an exhibition of bells and bells in the Kremlin. During the excursion we were told a lot of new, interesting and surprising things about bells, bells and bells.

There are a huge variety of them presented here! And almost everyone has their own story, their own voice.

Previously, in Rus', bells had many different purposes, because bell ringing accompanied a person practically his entire life. They called on holidays and in difficult times, reported about fires and enemy attacks, and also called for church services.

And smaller bells were used in everyday life. They were attached to horse teams and hung around the necks of animals so that they would not get lost.

We were also allowed to ring some bells. Beauty!

Kremlin Chambers

White Chamber

The White Chamber is a large, almost square building with large windows with colored glass inserted into them. Perhaps the only external decoration is the massive porch in front of the entrance.

This architectural monument was built in 1675 as the dining chamber of the bishop's house.

Previously, the room was decorated with frescoes. But, unfortunately, they were not preserved. A long time ago there was a refectory in it at the Metropolitan's Savior House Church.

Nowadays there is a museum of church antiquities here. Among the exhibits are crosses, crucifixes, and amazingly beautiful icons.

The main museum value is a rare 16th century altar cross.

There are also several types of weapons presented here. For example, these clumsy (in my opinion) cannons on wooden wheels.

As well as furniture and antique interiors

and here is such a funny lion, sticking out its tongue to someone incomprehensible. 😀

The chambers themselves are not particularly luxurious. They are decorated with unusual windows, which end with original arches with weights, and two very beautiful gilded chimneys on the roof of the house.

Under a common roof with the White Chamber there is the Donation Chamber. We can say that it was like a vestibule and used to be a reception area for visitors. There were no special frills here. Everything you need: icons, benches and chandeliers. There were also cabinets with beautifully painted doors. Apparently, they were used to store a variety of dishes and various items for meals.

Red means beautiful

The architecture of the Red Chamber of the Rostov Kremlin is interesting. It is two-tiered and built in the shape of the letter “L”.

Previously, on the lower floor there was a bread room and several more living rooms. There was a dining room above the bakery. Its walls were decorated with delightful fresco paintings.

Because of the beauty of the dining room, the entire building was called the Red Chamber. It is very beautiful from the outside - a decorated porch leading to the upper floor, decorated thick pillars, figured platbands - all this is reminiscent of a beautiful palace from a fairy tale.

There is now a hotel open on the 1st floor where you can relax a bit. And the second floor is occupied by an exhibition of unique items from the past. This, for example, is the seal of Yaroslav the Wise, ancient crosses, a 10th century sword brought from Western Europe and many other very, very old things.

Church unfinished construction

According to its location, the Samuilov complex, if you look at the diagram of the Rostov Kremlin, occupies a central place in the entire architectural ensemble.

Through the hanging gallery one could go anywhere from it: to any residential or warehouse space and to any tower of the Kremlin.

Interestingly, its construction took centuries. As they would say now - unfinished construction. The first floor was built in the 16th century. According to surviving ancient documents, there were 13 chambers-rooms.

And only in the 17th century, a hundred years later (!), the second floor appeared. They were connected to each other by two narrow staircases, which were built into thick walls. Here, on the second floor, there were cells where the metropolitans lived. There were also the Cross Chamber, as well as the Judicial Chamber and vestibule. Bypassing the first floor, one could climb to the second floor along a high porch.

Since then, little has remained here. In the 18th century, the top floor was completely redone under the leadership of Archbishop Samuil of Mislavsky, and a third floor was added. Hence the name - Samuilov complex.

Now it exhibits for inspection objects of art of Ancient Rus', such as icons of the 12th century, covers from the tombs of the Rostov miracle workers, church objects - a water-blessing bowl and a gilded censer from the Assumption Cathedral.

A few more Kremlin chambers

The two-story house on Cellars received this name because it actually stands on cellars.

There are also Hierarchical Chambers, which were equipped specifically for hierarchs to live in. For example, the father of the first of the kings of the Romanov family lived here for some time. Frescoes from the 15th century have been preserved here.

A special decoration of the chambers are the numerous pipes on the roof, which the craftsmen, with their imagination and skillful craftsmanship, turned into small delightful chimney towers.

It is known that the Hierarchical Chambers were built in 1670. They served as a travel palace for Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Naturally, the interior decoration was distinguished by special, royal luxury.

In the wood tower, as the name implies, firewood was subsequently dried and stored.

observation tower

I would also advise you to climb observation deck Water Tower and admire the amazing view from above of the Kremlin and its surroundings. I just want to warn you that entrance here will need to be paid separately.

Yes, you still have to climb narrow ancient stone steps, and then along wooden stairs.

But you immediately forget about physical activity as soon as you find yourself ABOVE the Kremlin! All that remains is delight and admiration.

All the Kremlin buildings seem so small. And you already wonder how it was possible, out of habit, to get lost in such a small area. Oh, how we didn’t think so when we were below trying to understand where we were now and where we should go. 🙂

Only now, when we have risen above all the roofs, can we freely marvel at the beauty of the panorama opening before us: with huge lake Nero and numerous Rostov churches and temples, which are located outside the Kremlin.

Movie, movie, movie

Well, in our time, the Rostov Kremlin has also become famous for the fact that episodes of some famous films were filmed here. The most famous of them is “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession,” a wonderful comedy that probably everyone watched.

And now we also have the opportunity to walk along these same famous walls.

Remember famous fragments of the film.

And capture the same buildings.


How much is a royal life worth?

The State Museum-Reserve of the Rostov Kremlin State Museum is a magnificent monument to the history and architecture of the distant past in Rostov. Upon closer inspection, it evokes genuine admiration for the talent, imagination and skill of Russian craftsmen. Come and you can see for yourself.

Museum opening hours are daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. But the territory is open longer: on Friday and Saturday from 9.00 to 20.00, and from Sunday to Thursday from 9.00 to 17.00.

Single admission ticket costs 550 rubles. But this does not include visiting all exhibitions. You can just buy an entrance ticket for 50 rubles. Well, then buy more in those places where it is interesting to go.

You can check Kremlin sightseeing prices in advance to get an idea of ​​the cost of your upcoming trip in advance. All data is current as of summer 2016.

I was very pleased that children under 16 years old can visit many exhibitions and objects for free. You can also order excursion programs. This is relevant for those who come to the Kremlin on their own.

Kremlin address: Yaroslavl region, Rostov the Great city, Cathedral Square. Coordinates: 57.18445, 39.41517.

You can see where the Kremlin and the buildings on its territory are located on the map (click “+” to zoom in, and “-” to zoom out).

On this trip to Rostov Veliky we stayed at the hotel: . On the website you can find many other accommodation options in the city. You can also look for comfortable and inexpensive living conditions on the website. Here you can find many apartments and rooms in different parts of Rostov. All you have to do is choose!

We walked in and around the Kremlin on July 18 and 19, 2016. Other attractions of the Yaroslavl region, where I was able to visit, are on this map.

And you can see this and other attractions of Rostov the Great with a professional guide by ordering an excursion program.