Yaroslavl

Yaroslavl is a city in Russia, located 250 km north-east of Moscow. The historical part of the city is located at the confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosl. Yaroslavl is a giant site of many industrial plants which include tyres and oil. Yaroslavl has some of the most beautiful parks and churches, most notably the Church of Saint John the Baptist. On the other bank of the Volga lies Zavolzhsky city district. Zavolzhsky district is Yaroslavl's quietest and most rural area. In Zavolzhsky, blocks of pre-fabricated Soviet apartment blocks are broken up by beautiful birch and evergreen forests. The region is largely residential and has many beautiful forests.

The city was founded XI century by prince Yaroslav the Wise on confluence of the Volga and the Kotorosli. Main sightseeing is well known for its beauty temples of XVII century, saved since "golden century" of Yaroslavl in the period when skilful architects and icon-painters were working here. Amazing are the frescoes of Il'ya the Prophet church situated on the main square , it is the original museum of Russian ancient paintings. Nikola Nadein church with carving gilded Ikonostasis executed in baroque style and unique fifteen-dome Ioan Predtechi church are among ceremonial monuments of the Yaroslavl architectural school.

The rich Spaskiy monastery stayed for a long time as a main cultural and spiritual centre of Yaroslavl. The rarest monuments of the XVI-XVII centuries are kept in its limits. Wooden walls and towers were elevated in the XVI century. The central part of the Spaskiy monastery ensemble is the ancient building of Yaroslavl. It is Spaso Preobrajenskiy monastery (1503-1516) kept till our days. Exactly here a manuscript "word about Igorev group" was found.

At the present time there is a historic-architectural reserve museum in Spasskiy monastery, created in the result of historic-natural (1864) and historic (1895) museums confluence. Some departments of the museum keep nearly 250 thousands exhibits: historic-natural, ancient Russian and decorative applied arts, other departments have linens, objects of rules of church singing, precious metals (Russian jewelers works of the XIV-XX centuries), ancient Russian literature. An International Festival of choral and bell music is held on the museum territory.

In the centre of the town in the ancient detached house there is a museum house of L.V. Sobinova.

Fifteen kilometers far from Yaroslavl there is Nekrasov' Literature-memorial reserve museum "Karabiha".

Destinies of A.Savrasov, A.Opekushin are connected with Yaroslavl. The first Russian theatre was founded here by Fedor Volkov.

Arts and historic museums of the town have rich collections of paintings and applied arts. Yaroslavl painters, sculptors and jewelers regularly present their works in Yaroslavl Exhibition halls.