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The city was founded in 1152 by Yury Dolgorukiy and became an important northern retreat for the tsars when Moscow was attacked in medieval times. It then flourished in the 16th century as Dutch and English merchants traded here from Archangel. Perhaps it is most famous, though, for its role in the rise of the Romanov tsars which ended the Time of Troubles, and is often called 'the cradle of the House of Romanovs'. It was here that the first Romanov tsar Mikhail lived in exile in 1612. It was also the birthplace of the peasant hero Ivan Susanin, celebrated in Glinka's opera 'A Life for the Tsar'. The story goes that when asked the way by marauding Polish troops, Susanin pretended to lead them to young Tsar Mikhail, then still in hiding. Instead, he led them far into a deep forest, where they perished in the winter cold. Ever after, Susanin became a symbol of loyalty to the tsar and a shining example of resistance to foreign invaders..
The main wooden medieval city was partly destroyed in the 18th century by a devastating fire, but it was rebuilt in grand style on a radiating street plan, said to have been inspired by Catherine the Great dropping her fan. Many elegant buildings in the city date from this time. The real pearl of Kostroma, though, is the Monastery of St. Ipaty founded by the Tartar prince Chet, ancestor of the Godunovs, on the banks of the Volga. According to legend, on his way to Moscow, Chet fell ill. In his fever, he had a vision of the Virgin Mary, Apostle Theodore, and the martyr Ipaty, and then miraculously recovered. Chet was so amazed by the event that he became a Christian and founded the Monastery of St. Ipaty. The 16th century walls, towers, and belltower of the monastery are still almost intact, and so is the 17th century cathedral. The monastery's greatest treasure is the a 10th century icon called 'Fiodorovskaya Bogomater' (Our Lady of St. Theodore) with which young Romanov tsar Mikhail was blessed by his mother before he went to claim the throne in 1612. It is said that before the Revolution of 1917 the icon went so black that the image was hardy visible. The Romanovs took this as a bad omen…
The highlight of the monastery, the stately five-domed Trinity Cathedral, was built in 1590 by the Godunovs and decorated with almost 80 frescoes by famous Russian church decorator Gury Nikitin. The monastery complex also includes the Romanovs' Chambers, where Mikhail Romanov and his mother lived in exile. It became a tradition for the Romanov tsars to make a pilgrimage to this place in honour of Mikhail.
If you have time, it's also worth visiting the open-air museum of wooden architecture behind the monastery, which holds an array of old wooden churches, houses, barns, and windmills brought from all over Kostroma Region. Among the highlights are the Church of the Synaxis of the Virgin (1552) and the Church of the Transfiguration (1713).
Russian Cruise ships that stop in Kostroma
Kostroma
If you carry on down the Volga on the boat from Uglich, taking in the majestic river views on the way, you soon come to another gem of the Golden Ring cities, Kostroma. Situated at the confluence of two rivers -- the Volga and the namesake Kostroma -- it is as old as Moscow and is packed with magnificent old buildings -- most notably the streets of pretty wooden houses with their decorated facades and fancy balcony railings. Kostroma's picturesque surroundings have, for centuries, inspired Russian poets and artists. 'Rooks Have Returned,' one of the most famous and lyrical pictures by the 19th century master of Russian landscapes, Isaak Levitan, was created here.The city was founded in 1152 by Yury Dolgorukiy and became an important northern retreat for the tsars when Moscow was attacked in medieval times. It then flourished in the 16th century as Dutch and English merchants traded here from Archangel. Perhaps it is most famous, though, for its role in the rise of the Romanov tsars which ended the Time of Troubles, and is often called 'the cradle of the House of Romanovs'. It was here that the first Romanov tsar Mikhail lived in exile in 1612. It was also the birthplace of the peasant hero Ivan Susanin, celebrated in Glinka's opera 'A Life for the Tsar'. The story goes that when asked the way by marauding Polish troops, Susanin pretended to lead them to young Tsar Mikhail, then still in hiding. Instead, he led them far into a deep forest, where they perished in the winter cold. Ever after, Susanin became a symbol of loyalty to the tsar and a shining example of resistance to foreign invaders..
The main wooden medieval city was partly destroyed in the 18th century by a devastating fire, but it was rebuilt in grand style on a radiating street plan, said to have been inspired by Catherine the Great dropping her fan. Many elegant buildings in the city date from this time. The real pearl of Kostroma, though, is the Monastery of St. Ipaty founded by the Tartar prince Chet, ancestor of the Godunovs, on the banks of the Volga. According to legend, on his way to Moscow, Chet fell ill. In his fever, he had a vision of the Virgin Mary, Apostle Theodore, and the martyr Ipaty, and then miraculously recovered. Chet was so amazed by the event that he became a Christian and founded the Monastery of St. Ipaty. The 16th century walls, towers, and belltower of the monastery are still almost intact, and so is the 17th century cathedral. The monastery's greatest treasure is the a 10th century icon called 'Fiodorovskaya Bogomater' (Our Lady of St. Theodore) with which young Romanov tsar Mikhail was blessed by his mother before he went to claim the throne in 1612. It is said that before the Revolution of 1917 the icon went so black that the image was hardy visible. The Romanovs took this as a bad omen…
The highlight of the monastery, the stately five-domed Trinity Cathedral, was built in 1590 by the Godunovs and decorated with almost 80 frescoes by famous Russian church decorator Gury Nikitin. The monastery complex also includes the Romanovs' Chambers, where Mikhail Romanov and his mother lived in exile. It became a tradition for the Romanov tsars to make a pilgrimage to this place in honour of Mikhail.
If you have time, it's also worth visiting the open-air museum of wooden architecture behind the monastery, which holds an array of old wooden churches, houses, barns, and windmills brought from all over Kostroma Region. Among the highlights are the Church of the Synaxis of the Virgin (1552) and the Church of the Transfiguration (1713).
Russian Cruise ships that stop in Kostroma
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