Golden ring of Russia

GOLDEN RING
The Golden Ring is one of Russia’s most famous tourist routes. It includes some very special towns that lie to the northeast of Moscow. Each town has its own special charm and history.
Golden Ring ЗолотоеКольцо
Route маршрут

SERGIEV POSAD
At the entrance to Sergiev Posad from the top of the hill there is a breath-taking view of the Trinity Monastery of St Sergius. It is the historical centre of Sergiev Posad. It was founded in the middle of the 14th century by Sergius of Radonezh. Since 1744 the Trinity Monastery of St Sergius is a laura. The word “laura” translated from the Greek means “a most important monastery”.
The unusually high bell-tower dominates the whole ensemble. The mass of churches and other buildings creates a joyous, uplifting sensation, particularly on sunny days, and recalls pictures of gingerbread towns on old woodcuts. This is one of Russia’s most important and highly revered monasteries, which still retains its greatness and renown. Here lie the relics of Sergius of Radonezh, that bring thousands of pilgrims here each year to do homage.
In the Soviet period Sergiev Posad was renamed Zagorsk in honour of the revolutionary Zagorsky, but in 1991 it got its old name back.
The population of Sergiev Posad is about 113 000 inhabitants.

Sergiev Posad Сергиев Посад
Entrance вход, въезд
Breath-taking захватывающий
View вид
Trinity Троица
Monastery монастырь
Laura лавра
bell-tower колокольня
Church церковь
Joyous приятный
Uplifting возвышенный
Sensation ощущение, чувство
Particularly особенно
Recall напоминать
Gingerbread пряничный
Woodcut гравюра на дереве
Revered почитаемый
Retain сохранять
Renown слава, известность
Relics мощи
Pilgrim паломник
Do homage свидетельствовать почтение
Zagorsk Загорск

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PERESLAVL-ZALESSKY
Pereslavl-Zalessky was founded in 1152 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky on the banks of the deep River Trubezh that flows into Lake Pleshcheyevo.
The population of this town is about 45 000 inhabitants.
One of the finest pages in the history of Pereslavl-Zalessky is connected with Peter the Great. On the banks of Lake Pleshcheyevo Peter the Great set about building the first Russian flotilla “for fun”, which marked the beginning of the Russian fleet.
Lake Pleshcheyevo is 9,5 km long and 6,7 km wide with a maximum depth of about 30 metres. It is one of the largest lakes in Central Russia. The lake that rocked the first ships of Russia’s sea fleet deserves to be called a sea. What is more the lake really does have the so-called Pereslavl herring, which is actually not herring at all, but a unique sort of whitefish (among other sorts) from the salmon family that specialists regard as a sea relict and still argue about how it could appear in a closed freshwater lake. Then this fish was called the ryapushka. A tender delicacy, it satisfied the most demanding palate and was always on the menu of the tsars and patriarchs during fasting.
There are four monasteries in Pereslavl-Zalessky. One of them is the Goritsky Monastery. It was founded in 15th century. The monastery got its name from its location on high ground by the edge of a slope.

Pereslavl-Zalessky Переславль-Залесский
Prince князь
River Trubezh река Трубеж
Lake Pleshcheyevo озеро Плещеево
set about распространять
Flotilla флотилия
“for fun” потешный
Mark ознаменовывать
Deserve заслуживать
Herring сельдь
Unique уникальный
Salmon лосось
Regard считать
Argue доказывать, спорить
Ryapushka ряпушка
Tender нежный
Delicacy деликатес
Satisfy доставлять удовольствие, радовать
Demanding требовательный
Palate вкус
Tsar царь
Patriarch патриарх
Fasting пост
Goritsky Monastery Горицкий монастырь
Edge край
Slope косогор

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ROSTOV THE GREAT
Rostov the Great was founded in 862. It is situated on the bank of Lake Nero. The population is about 37 000 inhabitants.
The name of Lake Nero means “silty, marshy” in Finnish. Lake Nero is more than 50 sq.km in area and 13 km long.
The historical centre of Rostov the Great is the Rostov Kremlin. It was built in late 17th century. The splendid ensemble of the kremlin dominates the surroundings creating a very special festive atmosphere. Everything here speaks of bygone days, remote pages of Russian history.
Besides, there are two monasteries in Rostov the Great – the Saviour Monastery of St Jacob and the Abraham Monastery. They were built in 14th and in 11-12th centuries respectively.
Yet Rostov the Great is famous for the Rostov enamels. In the 18th century Rostov became a centre for producing enamel insets and individual articles. The insets were used mainly to decorate church plate. The enameled insets depicting subjects were multi-coloured, necessitating several firings, and were particularly valued. With time the demand for these insets decreased, and the masters turned instead to making powder cases, hand mirrors, earrings, bracelets and portrait brooches.

Rostov the Great Ростов Великий
Lake Nero Озеро Неро
Silty илистый
Marshy болотистый
Splendid прекрасный
Festive праздничный
Bygone прошлый
Remote отдаленный
Enamel эмаль
inset вставка
Individual личный
Article предмет, вещь
church plate церковная утварь
Depicting изображающий
Subject предмет
Multicoloured многокрасочный
Necessitating требующий
Firing обжиг
were particularly valued особенно ценились
Demand спрос
Powdercases пудреница
Mirror зеркало
Earrings серьги
Bracelet браслет
Portrait портрет
Brooch брошь
Souvenir сувенир

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YAROSLAVL
Yaroslavl is the largest and most active of the Golden Ring towns. It was founded at the beginning of the 11th century by Prince Yaroslav the Wise of Kiev as a fortified town on the right bank of the Volga at the point where the Kotorosl flows into it.
The population of Yaroslavl is about 628 000 inhabitants.
There are many churches in Yaroslavl. The Church of St Elijah the Prophet (1647 – 1650) is one of the most beautiful. It is situated in the centre of Yaroslavl, on the town’s main square, Sovietskaya.
Besides, Yaroslavl is famous for the Saviour Monastery. It was founded in the second half of the 12th century. After a fire in 1501 the monastery buildings were rebuilt in stone.

Yaroslavl Ярославль
Wise мудрый
Fortified укрепленный
Kotorosl река Которосль
Prophet пророк
Saviour Спаситель

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KOSTROMA
Kostroma was founded in 1151 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruki of Suzdal. It is situated on the left bank of the Volga at the point where the Kostroma River flows into it.
The population of Kostroma is about 286 000 inhabitants.
Kostroma is famous for the Hypatian Monastery and the open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture.
The Hypatian Monastery is situated on the promontory between the Volga and the Kostroma. It was founded in 1275.
The open-air Museum of Wooden Architecture is located in a picturesque meadow by the River Igumenka. Here you will find churches, log cabins and other buildings from all over Kostroma Region.
The best souvenirs to take home from Kostroma are the beautiful items made of pure linen. The bright and attractive linen tablecloths and napkins on the trays of local traders are real works of art.

Kostroma Кострома
Promontory мыс
Picturesque живописный
Meadow луг
River Igumenka река Игуменка
log cabin бревенчатый дом
Souvenir сувенир
Items изделия
pure linen чистый лен
Attractive привлекательный
Tablecloths скатерть
Napkin салфетка
Tray поднос

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