Year founded: 1010
Yaroslavl on the threshold of the millennium
Yaroslavl
- an ancient Russian city, the center of the Yaroslavl region of the Russian Federation, located at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers.
The city was founded in 1010
Yaroslav the Wise as a fortress to protect the northeastern borders of Rus'. It was the first Christian city on the Volga. In 1238 it was plundered and burned by the Mongol-Tatars. In 1463, Yaroslavl became part of the Moscow state. The state treasury was transported here in case of danger.
During the struggle against the Polish-Lithuanian intervention, Yaroslavl became the capital of the state for several months. However, in the fall of 1608 the city was captured by the Poles and Lithuanians.
In 1692 it became the property of the reigning house. By the 18th century, Yaroslavl was second only to Moscow in terms of population, and second only to Moscow and Kazan in terms of trade turnover.
Under Peter I, the first manufactories were created in Yaroslavl. By the end of the 18th century, 70 industrial enterprises operated in the city. The first public theater in Russia appears in Yaroslavl. In 1796, Yaroslavl became the center of the province.
In 1870, a railway was built connecting Yaroslavl with Vologda, Kostroma, and St. Petersburg.
In 1936, the Yaroslavl region was formed. During the years of Soviet power, the city became a major center of mechanical engineering, chemical, oil refining and light industry.
By decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated July 2, 2022, Yaroslavl was awarded the honorary title of Russian Federation for the significant contribution of city residents to achieving Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945, ensuring uninterrupted production of military and civilian products at industrial enterprises, and for the massive labor heroism and dedication shown. Federation " City of Labor Valor"
"
The Holy Vvedensky Tolga Convent (Photo: V. Prokofiev) The historical center
of the city has been one of the 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2005. The oldest building in the city is the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Spassky Monastery. The Church of Elijah the Prophet, the architectural ensemble in Korovnitskaya Sloboda, attracts attention; other temples of Yaroslavl, as well as its museums and parks, are also interesting.
Nowadays, Yaroslavl is one of the leading links of the “Golden Ring” - the world famous tourist route of Russia. Yaroslavl today is an open-air museum, which houses about 800 state-protected architectural monuments.
Interesting Facts
In the Spassky Monastery of Yaroslavl at the end of the 18th century, the only surviving copy of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” a monument of ancient Russian literature, was found.
Yaroslavl and the sculpture of the city's founder can be seen on the Russian 1000 ruble banknote.
The city has a population of about 600 thousand people (as of 2022).
Day of the city
in Yaroslavl it is celebrated on the last weekend of May. But in 2021, the celebration has been postponed to September.
Historical and cultural significance of Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl in 1731 - a forest of temples
Back in the 11th century, here, at the confluence of the Volga and Kotrosli, a fortress was built to protect the approaches to Rostov the Great. The ancient walls of the Spassky Monastery witnessed the selfless and cruel battles of the Russian people with the Horde invaders. The militia of Minin and Pozharsky flocked to this city to liberate Moscow. In Yaroslavl, one of the lists of pearls of ancient Russian literature was found - “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”. The name of this city on the great Russian Volga River is associated with many biographical facts and works of outstanding figures of Russian culture: the founder of Russia’s first publicly accessible national theater - actor, director and playwright F. G. Volkov, folk poet N. A. Nekrasov, dear to the Russian heart, poet-democrat L.N. Trefolev, sculptor A.M. Opekushin, singer L.V. Sobinov, artist A.I. Savrasov. The role of the city in the life of Russia is also great. To tell about the history of the city, the origin of its name, we need to look into the distant past of the country, open its pages, where chronicle evidence coexists with a large number of folk tales and legends.
The history of Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl. View of Korovniki, the confluence of the Volga and Kotorostli rivers. Old postcard
Ancient Yaroslavl begins from that place. Which is still called Strelka to this day. The common noun arrow is often found in Russian toponymy. This is the customary name for a cape, a long spit at the confluence of two rivers (see Murzaev E. and V. Dictionary of local geographical terms. M., 1959, p. 211). It was on the spit formed by the confluence of the Kotorosl River into the Volga, as well as by the Kotorosl branch, which passed along the bottom of the Medveditsky ravine (remember this name, we still have to return to it), the oldest human settlement arose. During archaeological excavations on Strelka, traces of an ancient Meryan settlement were discovered. One of the legends about the emergence of the city of Yaroslavl echoes these long ones. It came to us in the notes of Rostov Archbishop Samuil Mislavsky - the so-called “The Legend of the Construction of the City of Yaroslavl.” Here's what it says: “In the region of Rostov, near the river Volga and Kotorosl, there lies a certain place, and after that the glorious city of Yaroslavl was created... And this was the settlement, the recommended Bear Corner, in which the inhabitants were people of filthy faith - pagans, evil existing" (see Lebedev A.N. Temples of the Vlasevsky parish of Yaroslavl. Yaroslavl, 1877, p. 6).
Background
Based on archaeological excavations, it can be argued that on the territory of modern Yaroslavl there was an ancient settlement dating back to the 1st millennium BC - the era of the beginning of the Iron Age. But there were earlier settlements at this place, which date back to the 3rd-5th centuries. The founding of the city of Yaroslavl dates back to the 10th-11th centuries; until this point, the Volga region was inhabited by Finno-Ugric peoples. The gradual resettlement of the Slavs to this territory begins in the 8th-9th centuries. At the same time, many archaeologists emphasize that colonization took place without violence. The Slavs coexisted peacefully with the Merya people, and for some time the tribes practically united. In the year of Yaroslavl's founding, the banks of the Volga were quite densely populated; there is information about several villages whose residents were engaged in fishing and crafts.
The legend about the emergence of the city of Yaroslavl
Bear's corner... Medveditsa ravine (or Medviditsky ravine)... The bear on the coat of arms of Yaroslavl... Yes, the “master of the forests” is one of the main characters in the legend about the emergence of the city. Let us turn again to the text of “Tales...”. When Yaroslav the Wise, after establishing the tribute levied on the residents of the Bear Corner, again came from Rostov to these places, the residents “let loose a certain fierce beast and dogs from the cage, so that they may spoil the prince and those with him.” However, Yaroslav “defeated the beast with his axe,” and the inhabitants “were horrified and fell on their faces to the prince.” Who is this mysterious fierce beast? Obviously, it really is a bear, and for the residents of the village it is not just a forest animal, but a cult, sacred, especially revered animal. It is curious that the legend does not name the beast. It is known that among many peoples (in Siberia, in particular), among whom the cult of the bear was widespread, there was a taboo - a ban on calling the animal, so to speak, by name). They spoke about the bear as “master”, “beast”, “old man” (in some places echoes of this phenomenon are found to this day, of course, only in the form of folk traditions). By the way, you and I, without suspecting it, call the owner of the forest very evasively - a bear, i.e. "honey eater, honey badger." This euphemistic word common to all Slavs (a substitute word, softer, used for a number of reasons instead of the main one) replaced the original Indo-European name for the bear, which was preserved in Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin. The common Slavic bear is formed by adding two stems without a connecting vowel: namely medu- and verbal -is, where the final vowel of the stem before e has changed into in (see Shansky N.M., Ivanov V.V., Shanskaya T.V. Brief etymological dictionary , p. 260). In addition to those mentioned, other euphemistic names for bears among Russians such as kosmach, forester, chiropractor, Mishka, Potapych, Mikhaila Ivanovich, Toptygin are not accidental.
Coat of arms of Yaroslavl
Bear Image
as the main figure of the Yaroslavl coat of arms appeared during the reign of
Alexei Mikhailovich
, i.e.
in the 70s
17th century . The bear is, on the one hand, a symbol of strength, on the other hand, it is a connection with the legend of Yaroslav the Wise’s victory over it. It was with this victory that the development of the Volga-Korotel banks began. But subsequently the color and pose of the bear changed in the image of the Coat of Arms.
Cue ball of Yaroslav the Wise with the Bear on the site of the future city
In the official approval of the coat of arms in 1730
it was written that the Bear should be
black
, the main field
yellow
, his battle ax -
the chase
- should be
red
. Based on this statement, city seals were minted.
When did Yaroslavl become a provincial center under Catherine II
, the type of coat of arms was officially changed, because it became not just a city coat of arms, but
a provincial one
!
The overall shield background with the lower point should have been silver
, and the Bear walking to the right carried a
gold-colored
. Although many seals remained with the previous coat of arms.
Coat of arms of Yaroslavl 1778
Subsequently, another version of the city coat of arms is developed ( 1856
.), but it has not received official approval.
In this version, an addition appeared above the shield in the form of an Imperial crown
, and outside there was decor from gilded oak branches and St. Andrew's ribbon.
Coat of arms of 1856
In Soviet times, images of coats of arms were not used. But the Yaroslavl Automobile Plant used the figure of this beast for its emblem. And the image of the coat of arms itself appeared on the emblems of the celebration of the 950th anniversary of the city.
The 90s were marked by the beginning of the revival of Russian traditions, and in 1993
on this wave, the Yaroslavl Council of People's Deputies approves the next Coat of Arms of Yaroslavl. The shield remained silver, and the Bear is now brown, but with the same ax for some reason he went in the opposite direction. The shield itself was framed with oak branches and Russian tricolor ribbons.
Coat of arms 1993
And finally, the last change to the Yaroslavl Coat of Arms occurred in the summer of 1995
year. This image was close to the plot of the 18th century. Having made the Bear black again, it was turned to the right again. The silver coat of arms was crowned with the Monomakh cap.
Coat of arms 1995
Today, bear figures adorn the emblems of many Yaroslavl organizations. It is used by the Lokomotiv Hockey Club
and
the Shinnik Football Club
, Distillery and
Yaroslavl Beer Factories
.
Figures of Bears are found everywhere in Yaroslavl
And at the Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve
, based in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, has its own coat of arms mascot in a living form -
the Bear Masha
, which almost all tourists visiting the museum want to see.
Masha the Bear - the mascot of the Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve
And in the private collection of the Museum “My beloved Bear”
you can see dozens of stuffed, plastic, wooden and other toy bears collected over the years.
Bears can also be found in the form of landscape sculptures
on city streets and park alleys, in
the form of flower beds
, etc.
In the Park of the 1000th Anniversary of Yaroslavl there is a sculpture by Z. Tsereteli
-
Bear with Fish
, and the wild beast is made in life size.
Sculpture by Z. Tsereteli “Bear with Fish”
Author of the article: Kasatkina Tatyana
Bear's corner in Yaroslavl
Yaroslavl. Bank of the Volga River. Arrow. Old postcard
We also have information about the cult of the bear in the Yaroslavl region in archaeological and ethnographic material (See, for example: Voronin N.N. Bear cult in the Upper Volga region in the 11th century - Materials and research in archeology, No. 6. M.-L., 1941). Let us remember the Medveditsa River (the left tributary of the Volga) and the ancient settlement on it, bearing the name “City of the Bear”. All this helps to understand the horror that gripped the inhabitants of Bear's Corner when the sacred beast died. The legend about the feat of Yaroslav the Wise apparently existed in one form or another in ancient times. That is why the legend was reflected in the ancient coat of arms of Yaroslavl, despite the fact that its earliest image dates back to the 17th century: “In a silver shield, a bear, standing, holds in his left paw a golden ax on the same handle.” Of course, Prince Yaroslav was not content with just a victory over the symbol of local independence. In an effort to gain a foothold on the waterway from Rostov to the Volga, he founded a city “on an island, it was founded by the Volga and Kotorosl rivers and the water flow,” i.e. on the modern Strelka, which in plan resembled an equilateral triangle.
Prerequisites for the occurrence
The year of Yaroslavl's founding is still a matter of debate. Settlements existed on this site before. But the prerequisite for the emergence of a fortified point was constantly expanding trade relations. The use of the Volga as the main waterway of the region led to a large number of merchants equipping their ships with rich goods and sailing them along the river. At the most convenient points on the river banks there were small settlements of robbers who robbed merchant ships. On the spit, located between the Volga and Kotorosl, there was just such a settlement. From the point of view of military strategy, the place was ideal for both robbers and the squad guarding the borders of the principality. When settling and strengthening this territory, the settlement was given the name Yaroslavl. The history of the founding of the ancient city is connected with the Prince of Kyiv Yaroslav. In the first centuries of its development, the city was initially a fortified area, which made the route to Rostov the Great safe. Therefore, the year of Yaroslavl’s founding as a “fortified settlement” is still a mystery.
Events of 1024 in the history of the city of Yaroslavl
When exactly did this happen? Perhaps this is one of the most complex and controversial issues concerning the ancient history of Yaroslavl. The construction of Yaroslavl is most often associated with the turbulent events of 1024 (See M. Morozova, S. Reipolsky. Yaroslavl. Yaroslavl, 1950; Yaroslavl. Essays on the history of the city. Yaroslavl, 1954). Yaroslav the Wise, drawn into an internecine struggle in the south with his brother Mstislav, was forced to deal with the affairs of the Suzdal land: “In the same summer, standing up to the left in Suzhdali, the old child beat the old child, saying that they hold gobinos (i.e. wealth, property , harvest - M.G., V.D.)… Yaroslav came to Suzdal, confiscating the Magi, and other shows” (See Complete collection of Russian chronicles. Laurentian Chronicle, vol. 1. L., 1926, stb. 175).
Date of foundation of the city of Yaroslavl
There is another point of view, which also has arguments. According to a number of researchers, Yaroslavl could have been founded no later than 1010 (See Meirovich M.G. When Yaroslavl was founded. Yaroslavl, 1959). The legend directly dates the events in the village of Medvezhiy Ugol to the time when Yaroslav was the prince of Rostov. It was the strengthening of princely power in the distant Rostov land that could have dictated the founding of a fortress at the mouth of the navigable Kotorosl. Here is what academician M.N. Tikhomirov wrote in this regard: “According to the chronicle, Yaroslav initially reigned in Rostov, and only after the death of his elder brother Vysheslav moved to Novgorod. This happened no later than 1015. Meanwhile, the connection between Yaroslavl and Rostov is completely clear, since Kotorosl is connected with Lake Rostov. The construction of Yaroslavl had the task of protecting the route from the Volga to Rostov. Therefore, we can rightfully assume that Yaroslavl was founded before 1015” (See M.N. Tikhomirov, Old Russian Cities, pp. 415-416).
The first mention in the chronicle of the city of Yaroslavl
The first mention of the city in the chronicle dates back to a slightly later time - in 1071. At this time, in the north-east of Rus', on the banks of the Volga, an uprising of the Smerds broke out, led by the Magi. The chronicle has preserved a detailed account of the uprising of the Smerd peasants, led by “two wise men from Yaroslavl.” The uprising was brutally suppressed by the princely squad. These are the lines from the chronicle where we first find a mention of Yaroslavl: “When there was a single poverty in the Rostov region, two wise men rose from Yaroslavl... and killed many wives, their property was taken away for themselves” (See Complete collection of Russian chronicles, vol. 1, p. 75).
Yaroslav the Wise
The Grand Duke of Kiev was born in 978. Immediately after the birth of Yaroslav, his father gave him the Rostov lands to reign. The founding date of the city of Yaroslavl is 1010; it was during this period that the prince ruled the Rostov lands. It is difficult to say anything definite about this time of his life: the data has not been preserved. Reliable chronicle mention of Prince Yaroslav begins in 1010, and it is associated with the creation of a fortified city on the banks of the Volga. The further fate of the prince is connected with Novgorod, where he had been since 1011. After the death of his brother Vysheslav, Vladimir (the brothers' father), bypassing the eldest of his sons, placed Yaropolk in Novgorod, which at that time was a serious military and commercial center. The Novgorod squad was second in number only to the Kyiv squad, and the status of Novgorod as a city was significantly higher than Rostov. Yaroslav will go through a difficult path to the title of Grand Duke of Kyiv, who will unite the Russian lands and win the recognition of his people with a wise and enlightened rule. Yaroslav Vladimirovich received the nickname “Wise” only in the 19th century; descendants will appreciate his role in the formation of a united and powerful Rus'. His role in the formation of the city of Yaroslavl is almost undeniable, but also permeated with legends and tales. There are two main versions that have survived to this day, which are worth dwelling on in more detail.
Toponymy and structure of the name of the city of Yaroslavl
So, there is a connection between the toponym Yaroslavl and the name of the founder of the city, Yaroslav the Wise, who later became the great prince of Kyiv. The structure of the name is quite simple. The toponym is formed from the anthroponym Yaroslav using the formant suffix –j-. This is the most ancient type, characteristic of the names of Slavic cities; The formant –j- was inherited from the Proto-Indo-European era and appears in the most ancient records. Among the Slavs, this formant formed possessive adjectives. In toponymy, with its help, names were formed primarily with a possessive meaning from personal names, i.e. "Whose city?" - the city of Yaroslav, the city of Vladimir, the city of Izyaslav, etc. In other words, Yaroslavl is Yaroslav’s city. This word-formation model in Russian toponymy has long become unproductive. Where did the letter (sound) l come from in the toponym? Linguists call it "l epenthetic". Its appearance is caused by phonetic changes that occurred in the composition of the name at the time the formant –j- was added to the base of the word, since it was preceded by a labial consonant sound. The names of settlements in -Slavl from princely names in -Slav are especially characteristic of the period of construction of fortified cities by appanage princes.
Arrow of Yaroslavl - Fortress aka Chopped City
A new page in the biography of the city was opened with the advent of the 13th century. In 1215, Prince Konstantin Vsevolodovich founded the “chambers” on Strelka - the princely courtyard and the first stone church of the Assumption of the Virgin. One of the oldest monasteries in North-Eastern Rus', Spaso-Preobrazhensky (or simply Spassky), arose in Yaroslavl. Initially, Yaroslavl was, like most ancient Russian cities, a chopped wooden fortress. Therefore, the oldest part of the city, located on the Strelka, was called the Chopped City for a long time. Today we are reminded of this ancient and poetic name by the name of the church built in 1695 - St. Nicholas the Rubleny City, or simply the Church of St. Nicholas the Rubeny. Some researchers suggest that the name Chopped City could have stuck relatively late due to the opposition in the 16th century. Zemlyanoy city. In 1463, Yaroslavl became part of the unified Russian state. After this, further growth of the city's territory and its economic development began. Already in the 16th century. it surrounds its settlement with a high earthen rampart and a deep outer moat, hence the name Zemlyanoy Gorod (an interesting parallel with ancient Moscow, where, as we know, there was also a Zemlyanoy Gorod; there is also a Red Square in present-day Yaroslav). It is noteworthy that the administrative center of Yaroslavl was located on the territory of Rubleny Gorod until the end of the 18th century, when a “regular plan” of the city arose, according to which the center was moved to Ilyinskaya Square (later Sovetskaya).
Yaroslavl during the Time of Troubles
Interesting events in Yaroslavl are associated with the Time of Troubles. Few people know that the famous Maria Mniszech
- the wife
of False Dmitry the First
(G. Otrepyev) and the first proclaimed Russian queen (long before Catherine the First), after the death of her husband, was arrested by the new tsar -
V. Shuisky
.
Together with other family members, Mnishik, deprived of jewelry and rich clothes, was sent to a settlement
to Yaroslavl, where she lived for almost two years
from 1606 to 1608
.
about 400
were then taken into exile in Yaroslavl , and they were settled outside Zemlyanoy Gorod, in the area of present Sobinova Street, under the protection of archers.
Arrested Maria Mnishek in Yaroslavl. Artist Klodt
Then, Maria, eager for power, having promised to go back to Poland, did not fulfill her promise, but became the wife of False Dmitry II
(Tushinsky thief), recognizing him as her first saved husband, and fought for the Moscow throne for several more years. It all ended quite badly for her, but that’s a completely different story...
By the way, in November 1608
year Yaroslavl surrendered without a fight to the army of False Dmitry II, this most likely happened simply for the sake of preserving the city and its inhabitants from atrocities and violence. But soon the city will be at the epicenter of the liberation movement. It was then that the famous copy of the icon of the Kazan Mother of God came to the city, with which the subsequent creation of the Kazan convent was associated.
In April 1609
, after the battle near
the village of Grigorievskoye
and the flight of the Polish garrison, liberation detachments of
N. Vysheslavtsev’s
, organized in Vologda, entered Yaroslavl. This was one of the brightest episodes of the liberation struggle and the first serious victory of the Russians over the Poles.
After the battle with the Polish invaders. Painting
The Poles fled from Yaroslavl. And the militia, understanding the importance of the strategic position of the city, carried out a number of works to strengthen
defensive structures. The towers were restored, the earthen ramparts were equipped with forts (sharpened logs).
But the Poles soon returned and besieged
Yaroslavl, wanting to return it to their leadership.
The people of Yaroslavl defended themselves heroically, concentrating their main forces in the area of the Vlasevskaya Tower. However, in early May, the traitor opened the Semenovsky Gate
, which was located in the area of present-day
Red Square,
. The defenders of the city were forced to take refuge on the territory of the Kremlin (Chopped City), and partly outside the walls of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery.
Although Zemlyanoy Town found itself under Polish rule and was subject to robbery and violence, the Kremlin and the monastery held out for more than three weeks!
After which the Polish troops lifted the siege and left for Kostroma. Today we are reminded of these heroic times by the buildings of the Kazan Convent, erected in honor of that enduring Polish siege on the outskirts of Zemlyanoy Town (now Pervomaiskaya St., 19 A). And Yaroslavl gradually became the center of the liberation movement of the entire country.
People's militias in the early 17th century
Everyone knows that the People's Militia
led by Minin and Pozharsky began to take shape in Nizhny Novgorod, it was there that the population of other cities flocked, wanting to take part in the liberation campaign against the Polish intervention.
The liberation campaign consisted of several stages. Not everyone remembers that at first the militias arrived in Yaroslavl
, where the formation of detachments continued for another
4 months
, and from Yaroslavl the liberators headed towards Moscow.
The People's Militia troops in Yaroslavl were located mainly on the territory of the Transfiguration Monastery. the “Council of All the Earth” was finally formed.
- the new Russian government, which, in addition to Minin and Pozharsky, included the princes
Dolgoruky
, Kurakin,
Sheremetyev
, etc. This “Council” headed the leadership of the liberated Russian territory and the organization of the further liberation of the country.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery of the 19th century
Yaroslavl during this period became the unofficial capital
Russia.
From it, detachments were sent to liberate nearby cities, Prince Pozharsky and other authorized representatives conducted diplomatic negotiations
on providing assistance to the militias or simply on maintaining peaceful relations with
Sweden
,
Germany
, and the Novgorod state. As a result, Swedish and German artillery troops arrived to help the People's Militia.
Thus, the Yaroslavl “standing”
was very effective. The number of militia, its combat and organizational power increased significantly. Many cities began to restore law and order and economic activity in their territories, because militia troops provided them with various assistance, including in the fight against bandit formations that took advantage of the confusion in the country and embarked on the path of robbery.
In July 1612
detachments of the People's Militia left the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery and set off to liberate
Moscow
.
This liberation was finally completed only on November 4
, after the capture of the Moscow Kremlin.
Today this day is celebrated as National Unity Day. And the Monomakh cap
on the Coat of Arms of Yaroslavl serves as a vivid reminder of the city’s role in the events of the Time of Troubles.
Street names of Yaroslavl and intracity toponymy
Yaroslavl is a noble street. Old postcard.
When talking about Yaroslavl, the history of the name of the city, city toponyms and geographical names in its vicinity, one cannot help but pay attention to one fact. Yaroslavl is one of the oldest Russian cities with a rich, centuries-old history, with characteristic natural features. However, looking at a modern map of Yaroslavl, you will not find on it a sufficient number of old and figurative ancient names that arose in previous centuries or given in memory of the past (as, for example, in Moscow). The intracity toponymy of Yaroslavl is mainly modern in nature: Narodny Lane, Sovetsky Lane, Revolyutsionnaya, Pervomaiskaya, Deputatskaya, Bolshaya Oktyabrskaya, Shkolnaya, Kooperativnaya Streets, Svoboda Street, Respublikanskaya Street, Truda Square, Malaya Proletarskaya and Malaya Khimicheskaya Streets. In Yaroslavl there are also names that carry linguo-historical information directly related to the earlier history of the city: Nekrasov Street, Gorodskoy Val Street, Melnichny Lane, Yamskaya Street, Matrossky Spusk Street, Suzdal Street and others. Standardization of intracity toponymy is a widespread phenomenon; this especially attracts attention in ancient Russian cities. In our opinion, the question of naming and renaming streets, squares, etc. in such cities and towns requires serious analysis. Perhaps it is necessary to speed up work on an official document regulating the assignment of new names to intra-city objects (existing instructions relate only to the names of settlements themselves and other geographical objects). Linguists, historians, and geographers could also participate more productively in the work on such a document (and its appendix).
Modern city
Currently, Yaroslavl is considered the third largest city in central Russia. According to the latest data, its population exceeds 600,000 people. In parallel with the most profitable activities (tourism and trade), the city has a developed industry, transport network and housing and communal services. Given the wide possibilities of modern logistics (developed railway network, air routes), the Volga remains a popular transport artery; freight and passenger transportation is carried out on the basis of the river port of the city of Yaroslavl. Science is at the proper level; the results of research from several design institutes are being implemented in industrial production. Thanks to the developed industrial sector, new enterprises are being founded with the attraction of foreign investment. Yaroslavl continues to grow and improve, not forgetting about its great past and carefully preserving it.
Poet Trefolev and the street named after him in Yaroslavl
There is Trefoleva Street on the map of Yaroslavl. In its name, the residents of Yaroslavl perpetuated the memory of their fellow countryman, the poet-democrat L.N. Trefoleve (1843-1905); the poet lived on this street. Trefolev was also a good translator, editor, and historian of his native land. The poet firmly believed in the wonderful tomorrow of his homeland. This is evidenced by the following lines from his pen: A cruel century, a cursed century, I will hardly survive, I will not see the wonderful twentieth century in reality. Thanks to their melodiousness and simple and figurative language, many of L. N. Trefolev’s poems turned into folk songs. These are, for example, “Dubinushka”, “Song about the Kamarinsky peasant” and “When I served as a coachman at the post office” (this was Trefolev’s poetic adaptation of the poem “Coachman” by the Polish poet Vladislav Syrokomli).
Kirova street
Pedestrian street of Kirova
The most popular part of the city is the pedestrian street of Kirova. It stretches from the Znamenskaya Tower to the Volzhskaya Embankment. The place is very popular due to the variety of food outlets. There you can visit an establishment for every taste and budget.
The architecture of street buildings conveys the style of ancient hotels and taverns at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries.
Yaroslavl is the birthplace of Nekrasov
Yaroslavl. Nekrasovsky Boulevard. Old postcard
And first of all, literary Yaroslavl, poetic Yaroslavl - this is Nekrasov. The Yaroslavl region essentially became the birthplace of the great Russian poet. As a three-year-old child, he was brought to his father’s family estate - the village of Greshnevo (now Nekrasovo), not far from Yaroslavl. At the age of eleven, Nekrasov entered the Yaroslavl gymnasium. And in his mature years, the poet did not break ties with the Yaroslavl region. He often came to Greshnevo for the summer, and in 1861 he purchased an estate in the village of Karabikha. We should tell you more about Karabikh... This simple Russian name has firmly entered the history of Russian literature. Here Nikolai Alekseevich Nekrasov lived for several months every year for almost fourteen years, creating his best works. Here the poet wrote the poems “Frost, Red Nose”, “Russian Women”, “Grandfather”, poems “Return”, “Kalistrat” and others. On Yaroslavl soil, Nekrasov drew inspiration and collected material for many of his works. It is no coincidence that Nekrasov’s excited lines are addressed to this very region: Again, my native side, With its green, fertile summer, And again my soul is full of poetry... Yes, only here can I be a poet! People coming to Karabikha visit the House-Museum of N.A. Nekrasov, getting acquainted with his biography and history of creativity, the question often arises: “What is the history of this place in Russia? Where does the name of the village and estate come from?” This question can and should be answered. The area in which Karabikha is located is associated with a number of historical events. So, during the period of internecine war in the second quarter of the 15th century. here battles took place between the troops of the Moscow prince Vasily the Dark and his rival, the Galician prince Dmitry Shemyaka, in the struggle for the great reign. Shemyaka's troops suffered a crushing defeat in 1435 in the battle near Karabitovaya Mountain. This is the name of the hill near Karabikha. Folk legend has preserved the memory of the battle, interpreting the meaning of the name of the mountain as the phrase “kara be there.” The name of the settlement and the mountain was apparently based on the dialectal Russian word karabit, meaning “to harrow arable land” (See V.I. Dal, Explanatory Dictionary..., vol. 2, p. 89).
Yaroslavl Soviet
The very first event of the new Soviet era was the Yaroslavl anti-Bolshevik
the July
uprising of 1918
, the brutal suppression of which marked the beginning of the Red Terror in the city.
In addition, many civilians died under the shelling of the Red artillery, some of them fled from the city. Many buildings were also destroyed. The number of Yaroslavl residents after the suppression of the uprising and repressions decreased by almost half
! Temples were closed and destroyed, church valuables were confiscated. Fortunately, the militant atheists were not able to destroy everything.
The building of the Theological Academy after the suppression of the Yaroslavl uprising of 1918
In the late 20s and early 30s, life in the city began to improve. New houses were built, a new urban plan was approved, and new industrial enterprises appeared. During the Great Patriotic War
the city worked for the needs of the front, many Yaroslavl residents were on the line of fire.
After the war, construction and development of the city continued, which practically did not affect the historical center. It is the preservation of many historical and architectural monuments of the 17th-19th centuries
and the integrity of the historical development of the center, made it possible to add Yaroslavl to the list of the tourist Golden Ring of Russia that was formed in the 70s.
Memorial sign - Yaroslavl - the capital of the Golden Ring
To Yaroslavl's celebration of its 1000th anniversary ( 2010)
) many architectural objects were restored and new memorial signs were installed, including
the Monument “1000 Years of Yaroslavl”
.
Monument “1000 years of Yaroslavl” in Strelka Park
Historical events and the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery of Yaroslavl
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery at the beginning of the 17th century (drawing by a modern artist)
For historians of Russian literature, as for any Russian person, the name of the city of Yaroslavl is associated with another important fact. At the beginning of the chapter, we mentioned that the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in this city on the Volga is one of the oldest Russian monasteries. Many people know the Spassky Monastery in Russian history. At least because the first theological school in the north-east of Rus' was created here, which had a large library for that time of thousands of handwritten books. Or the fact that Ivan the Terrible found shelter behind its walls when in 1571 the troops of the Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey approached Moscow. Or the fact that the walls of the monastery withstood a 23-day siege in the spring of 1609, during the struggle against Polish invaders. And on July 27, 1612, the people’s militia of Kuzma Minin and Dmitry Pozharsky left the walls of the Spassky Monastery for the decisive battle with the enemies entrenched in Moscow. But still, one fact from the history of the Spassky Monastery is especially dear to us. The only copy of the remarkable monument of ancient Russian literature, “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign,” was kept in the sacristy of the monastery. In 1795, Count A.I. Musin-Pushkin bought a number of valuable manuscripts from the former Archimandrite Joel Bykovsky. Among them, a famous collector discovered a list of “Words”... We have already mentioned the library of the theological school in the Spassky Monastery. In 1214, the school and library were transferred to Rostov. Unfortunately, the library's treasures burned down during one of the Rostov fires. It is possible that it was in the library of the theological school that the ancient manuscript “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” was kept, from which in the 16th century. a list was made, subsequently acquired by Musin-Pushkin.
Yaroslavl
History of Yaroslavl
According to written sources, Yaroslavl was founded by Yaroslav the Wise in 1010 on the site of the Meryan settlement Medvezhy Ugol. According to legend, in order to reconquer the land from the pagans, the ruler even had to fight a live bear, as a result of which a club-footed man armed with an ax began to appear on the official coat of arms of the city. The place chosen by the prince turned out to be convenient, first of all, from a strategic point of view: on two sides the new city was protected by the steep banks of the Volga and Kotorosl, and on the third, the steep Medveditsky ravine approached its walls. The Volga trade route, which passed through this territory, was not discounted either.
The Russian 1000 ruble banknote depicts Yaroslavl and a sculpture of the city’s founder, Yaroslav the Wise.
By the 12th century, Yaroslavl had grown significantly, becoming the capital city of the principality: stone churches began to be built there, and the first handwritten books appeared in the library of the Spasskaya Monastery. However, already in the second half of the 15th century, the city completely lost its independence and submitted to Moscow.
Yaroslavl managed to make a real economic breakthrough immediately after the Time of Troubles. By that time, most of the local population had turned to trade, turning their homeland into the country's second largest business site. A golden stream flowed into the city treasury, which gave impetus to the construction of new churches and cathedrals. The city lived in luxury until the ascension to the Russian throne of Peter I, who preferred to look for new trade routes. As a result, business life in Yaroslavl began to slowly but inevitably fade away, and the local merchants had to show remarkable ingenuity in order not to go bankrupt.
Alexey Bogolyubov. “Religious procession on the Volga in Yaroslavl” (1863)
In 1777, Yaroslavl received the status of a provincial city, continuing to bloom and become more beautiful. Educational institutions opened in the city, public parks were established, and even their own periodicals began to appear. The former Bear Corner also managed to satisfy the claims of Dumas the Father himself, who, during his trip to Russia, was indescribably delighted with the convenience of local hotels. People had to pay for external and financial well-being already at the beginning of the twentieth century. During the civil war, the city was subjected to devastating artillery shelling, which destroyed dozens of unique monuments of ancient Russian architecture. Soviet development also made a partial “contribution” to the distortion of the historical appearance of Yaroslavl.
Yaroslavl during the USSR
Economy
Having lost its status as the country's second trading platform at the beginning of the 18th century, Yaroslavl immediately relied on industrial production, thanks to which it found itself in a big plus. The modern city is a self-sufficient industrial center that built its material and economic base back in tsarist times. It is within its boundaries that such production giants as electrical machine-building, motor, car-repair and shipbuilding plants are located. Recently, the oil refinery OJSC Slavneft-Yaroslavnefteorgsintez, located on the outskirts of the city, has been bringing good income to the local budget. The light and food industries are represented by a clothing factory, a brewery, a dairy plant and a factory for the production of felted shoes.
Foreign investment is also being attracted to the city: in the early 2000s, not far from the regional center, a plant of the Japanese company Komatsu grew up, specializing in the assembly of road equipment, and in 2012 a factory for the production of pharmaceuticals of the Swiss concern Nycomed opened in Yaroslavl.
Streets of YaroslavlDistricts
Geographically and administratively, the city of Yaroslavl is divided into 6 districts:
- Dzerzhinsky;
- Zavolzhsky;
- Kirovsky;
- Krasnoperekopsky;
- Leninist;
- Frunzensky.
Yaroslav the Wise founded Yaroslavl on this site in 1010.
The main flow of tourists falls on the Kirovsky district, which includes the territory of the historical center, where the main architectural attractions are located. Not every Yaroslavl resident can afford to buy an apartment in this part of the city: the area is considered prestigious and real estate prices in it are close to those in Moscow.
The right bank of the Kotorosl was occupied by the city industrial zone - Krasnoperekopsky district or, as the locals say, Perekop. In the 18th century, the distant ancestors of today's enterprises - manufactories - were located here; accordingly, most of the families of factory workers settled in Perekop. Today, tourists visit this area mainly to see the Church of John the Baptist in Tolochkovo, the Church of Peter and Paul and St. Andrew of Crete, the Fedorovsky Church, as well as the Peter and Paul Park.
The largest district of the city is Zavolzhsky, stretching along the left bank of the main water artery of Yaroslavl and known as the place where one of the oldest Orthodox monasteries in Russia is located - the Tolgsky convent. To take an excursion to the temple complex in Korovniki, tourists will have to go to the Frunzensky district, but you can stroll through the exhibition halls of the Museum of Military Glory in the Leninsky district.
Sights of Yaroslavl
It is almost impossible to visit the sights of Yaroslavl in one day. The ideal option is to stay for a couple of days to leisurely and thoroughly explore several dozen of the most outstanding places.
Bogoyavlenskaya Square
You should begin your acquaintance with the capital of the Golden Ring from Epiphany Square or, as the locals call it, Podbelki, where all tourists entering Yaroslavl from Moscow end up. In the center of a small area with circular traffic there is a monument to the founder of the city - Yaroslav the Wise. The main decoration of Podbelka is the Church of the Epiphany. The external appearance of the building is somewhat distorted by unsuccessful restoration (the differences between the shades of bricks of ancient and modern masonry are too striking), but in general you can get an idea of the original appearance of the church.
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery in Yaroslavl
The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery has spread its chapels nearby: today the oldest of the city's stone buildings and the favorite abode of the “tyrant of all Rus'” Ivan the Terrible. Note the rocket-shaped structure opposite his gate. This is the chapel of the Kazan Mother of God, erected in 1997 in memory of the people’s militia gathered by Prince Pozharsky and set off from here on a campaign against Moscow. By the way, it was in the library of the monastery that an invaluable monument of ancient Russian literature was found - “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”. Hidden behind the monastery is the Church of Elijah the Prophet, which is worth visiting if only to look at the 17th-century altar iconostasis and the picturesque frescoes created by local craftsmen.
Assumption Cathedral on Kotorosl embankment
It is worth noting that there are an incredible number of Orthodox monasteries and churches in Yaroslavl, and new ones are not very common among them. A few exceptions include the Assumption Cathedral on Kotoroslaya embankment. The oldest temple in the city was blown up after the revolution, and what can be seen today in its place is nothing more than a modern copy.
On the territory of the city there are two ancient convents, Kazansky and Svyato-Vvedensky. One of the oldest Russian icons is also located in Yaroslavl, in the Church of the Archangel Michael, so if you come to the city to venerate Orthodox shrines, welcome to the temple on Pervomaiskaya Street. But the Ilinsko-Tikhvinskaya Church on the Volzhskaya Embankment is better known for its pretentious exterior, which is not surprising: services have not been held in the temple for a long time, and its premises are occupied by archives and artists’ workshops.
Kazan Convent
Holy Vvedensky Tolga Convent
Church of the Archangel Michael, Yaroslavl
Elias-Tikhvin Church
You can appreciate the frescoes by Russian isographers of the 17th century in the Church of St. Nicholas Nadein, on Narodny Lane, and to pray at the icon “Softening Evil Hearts” you will have to find the Church of the Savior on the City on Pochtovaya Street. Another original architectural monument in the Peter the Great Baroque style is hidden in Peter and Paul Park. The Church of Peter and Paul is not spoiled by visits from curious tourists, since it has not been fully restored, so all those looking for off-the-beaten-path routes should come here. The temple with the 1000-ruble bill is the Church of John the Baptist in Tolochkovskaya Sloboda. The walls of this fifteen-domed structure are lined with colored tiles depicting scenes from the Holy Scriptures.
Church of St. Nicholas NadeinChurch of the Savior on the City Church of Peter and Paul in Yaroslavl
Church of John the Baptist in Yaroslavl
Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery
The Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is located in the very center of the historical part of Yaroslavl, at the confluence…
Church of Elijah the Prophet
The Church of Elijah the Prophet is an elegant snow-white temple located in the center of Yaroslavl, on Sovetskaya…
Museum Music and Time
The Museum of Music and Time is located in Yaroslavl. This is the first private museum in Russia, founded in 1993...
Volzhskaya embankment
The Volzhskaya embankment in Yaroslavl is a bright calling card and the main promenade of the ancient city. Above the bend...
Yaroslavl Zoo
Yaroslavl Zoo is the first and largest landscape-type zoo in the Russian Federation,…
Circus in Yaroslavl
The circus in Yaroslavl is a vibrant entertainment center in the capital of the Golden Ring tourist route...
All sights of Yaroslavl
Interesting places
Going to Yaroslavl just to wander around the historical part of the city is not the right approach to the matter, especially since there are many other exciting routes you can create here. Be sure to walk along Kirov Street, called Yaroslavl Arbat. So far this is the best place in the city for sitting in a cafe and doing a little shopping.
By the way, the residents of Yaroslavl themselves prefer to spend their free time on the embankment, which has three tiers and is considered the most beautiful of all the Volga embankments. You can get here by walking to the end of Pervomaisky Boulevard, another iconic place in Yaroslavl, which locals jokingly dubbed Broadway. Promenades along the main waterway of the city can be combined with a cultural program, since in the vicinity of the Volzhskaya embankment there are several museums (Museum of History, Yaroslavl Art Museum) and historical buildings (Arsenal Tower, Metropolitan Chambers, Tikhomirov estate).
Volzhskaya embankmentYaroslavl is a rather large city, and if we also take into account its industrial significance, the question of recreational areas immediately arises, which in such places are simply necessary to restore strength and psychological balance. Topping the list of the best vacation spots is the so-called Strelka, a park at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl, where there is a monument in honor of the founding of the city. The park itself is two-level: once upon a time, on the site of its upper part there was a chopped city (Kremlin), from which the history of Yaroslavl began. The greatest activity on Strelka reigns in the evenings, since it is at this time of day that the light and music fountains turn on their illumination.
Arrow of Yaroslavl
On weekends, residents of Yaroslavl move to the Damansky Island Park, famous for its mind-blowing attractions and fabulous paths that entangle the entire park area. A favorite place for newlyweds and musical groups is the Governor’s Garden on the Volzhskaya Embankment, where you can not only sit sedately on a bench, but also look into the governor’s house, where a collection of paintings by Russian avant-garde artists is kept.
Damansky Island ParkGovernor's Garden on the Volzhskaya Embankment
A dolphinarium, a circus and the largest landscaped zoo in Russia are open for little tourists in the city. Well, for those who are not indifferent to the secrets of the Universe, the Yaroslavl Planetarium, built in 2010 and equipped with modern astronomical equipment, awaits.
Circus in Yaroslavl
White lion cubs in the Yaroslavl zoo
Yaroslavl Planetarium
Cultural program
Drama Theater named after
Fedora Volkova If you come with a baby, be sure to go to see “The Golden Key” or “The Canterville Ghost” at the city puppet theater on Svobody Street. For old-school spectators, a chamber theater is suitable. The establishment is in private hands, but, according to reviews, they play here masterfully. A place with centuries-old traditions and an off-scale level of dignity - the Drama Theater named after. Fedora Volkova. Any self-respecting Yaroslavl resident will definitely tell you that this is the first professional theater in Russia, founded by a descendant of a local merchant. You can listen to choral singing, classical musical improvisations and even jazz at the city Philharmonic.
Fans of all kinds of exhibitions will also find something to keep themselves busy, since there are more than a dozen museums in Yaroslavl. You can get acquainted with paintings by Repin, Kramskoy and Perov, unknown to the general public, at the art museum. To hear interesting facts about Yaroslavl and its residents, check out the city museum on the Volzhskaya embankment. In the former merchant's house on Sovetskaya Square there is a museum of foreign art, where the works of the great graphic artists of the Middle Ages are exhibited, including engravings by Albrecht Durer. By the way, most of the exhibits were once owned by private collectors in the city.
T-54 tank and Grad-1 installation in the museum of military equipmentMuseum "Aleshino Podvorye"
The male half usually does not miss the museum of military glory, which has a park of military equipment, and young naturalists prefer the museum of entertaining sciences, where you can try on the role of a mad scientist, performing a couple of exciting experiments. To plunge into childhood, you will have to find the house at number 8 on Poshtovaya Street, which is home to at least 700 bears. The exhibition is represented mainly by toys, figurines and other souvenirs, but this does not make it any less interesting.
At the Museum “Music and Time” on the Volzhskaya Embankment they will tell you about the principle of operation of the harmonium, not forgetting to demonstrate the extensive collections of antique watches and porcelain. A unique collection of ancient icons is located in the Museum of Ancient Russian Art in the Metropolitan Chambers. Well, for a real fabulous show you will have to go to the Aleshino Podvorie museum, where the guides are Alyosha Popovich, Lyubava and the prankster brownie.
Yaroslavl in winter
Streets of Kirov in Yaroslavl
Hotels
Travelers who come to Yaroslavl for the “spirit of Russian antiquity” are usually recommended thematic design hotels, for example, “Ioann Vasilyevich” or “Alyosha Popovich Dvor”. Here you will be offered original decorated apartments, a steam bath in a real bathhouse, and traditional Russian dishes. Prices for a standard double room in both hotels are not astronomical: around 2800-3600 rubles.
A large number of housing offers can be found in the vicinity of the historic city center. Basically, these are quite decent establishments with a couple of stars, or without them at all. Some of the mini-hotels in Yaroslavl are located in newly restored historical buildings (Dostoevsky, Kuptsov House), which gives them additional attractiveness in the eyes of tourists.
You can rent a studio or a separate apartment with a good renovation for 2000-2800 rubles. per day. If your budget is bursting at the seams, do not hesitate to look into city hostels such as Oxygen O2, Like Hostel, Attic and Kefir. For five hundred, a homeless wanderer will be provided with a bed in a common room. By the way, in the same “Kefir”, if necessary, they will allocate a warm place for your four-legged friend.
For those who come to Yaroslavl with the aim of fishing, wandering through mushroom places, or simply taking an introductory excursion around the Volga region, there are country hotels and forest cottages - “Bend”, “Coastal Yarburg”, park-hotel “Yaroslavl”. The beauty of such housing is that it is, as a rule, located on the picturesque banks of the Volga and relatively remote from industrial facilities.
Booking.com
Restaurants and cafes in Yaroslavl
Coffee house “Horns and Hooves”
The owners of Yaroslavl cafes are not only enterprising, but also creative people, as the names of the catering outlets themselves clearly hint at. For example, fans of the immortal creations of Ilf and Petrov will definitely appreciate the colorful interiors of the Horns and Hooves coffee shop on Pervomaiskaya. The place is proud of its authentic atmosphere and good quality food (they do not serve fried Keys). For a fatty piece of pork knuckle and a glass of good old schnapps, stop by the U Stirlitz beer restaurant. By the way, on weekdays, from 11:00 to 16:00, there is a tempting 20% discount on the entire menu. If you miss a glass of foam and the gastronomic heritage of the Soviet past - dried vobla, welcome to Afonya. It was not by chance that the owners gave this name to their tiny establishment: it was on the streets of Yaroslavl that the tragicomedy of the same name with L. Kuravlev was once filmed. An economical dining option in the city center for those nostalgic for Soviet interiors is Gastronom No. 1. According to reviews, it is better to come here in the morning: by evening the range of dishes in the cafe becomes noticeably poorer.
Connoisseurs of Asian cuisine should pay attention to the wok cafes "Maneki" and "Tokyo", but in Yaroslavl it is customary to satisfy the longing for hamburgers and fried potatoes in fast food restaurants like McDonald's and KFC.
Holidays and festivals
Once every two years, the streets of Yaroslavl resound with viscous musical rhythms, which signals the beginning of Russia's oldest jazz festival, Jazz over the Volga. In addition, once a year the former Bear Corner gathers professional bell ringers from all over the country, who come here to take part in the Transfiguration music and bell festival.
Every summer, the Yaroslavl Levtsovo airport is stormed by a crowd of thousands of representatives of various subcultures, occupying these places during the Dobrofest rock festival.
Dobrofest
On the last Saturday of May, the whole of Yaroslavl is covered with a wave of unbridled fun: the sky over the Volga is painted with colorful explosions of pyrotechnics, festive excitement reigns in the streets, and musical groups compete in numerous parks. This general riot means only one thing: the festivities in honor of City Day are officially open.
Yaroslavl, City Day
What to bring from Yaroslavl
Souvenir from Yaroslavl
Well, of course, the official symbol of the city is a bear! Porcelain, plush, painted on a T-shirt - in general, in any form, as long as it is clear that this is the Yaroslavl clubfoot.
An ideal gift for the harsh representatives of the stronger half is the products of the local distillery, in particular the well-known balm “Old Yaroslavl”, infused with wild berries and medicinal herbs. If, while walking around the city, you went to the Music and Time Museum, then most likely you came out with porcelain bells in your hands. Speaking of porcelain: the quality of local majolica is considered to be quite high, so don’t hold back and buy a few figurines and cups to commemorate your trip. And here you can also find the legendary “Chaika” watch, yes, the same one from the Soviet past. And don’t forget about Poshekhonsky cheese: after all, the Yaroslavl region is its real homeland.
City's legends
Urban legends of Yaroslavl are not classic tales hastily invented by enterprising guides in order to impose their services on an unlucky tourist.
Here, every horror story has a real basis, sometimes outrageously distorted, but, nevertheless, it took place. For example, if they tell you the legend about Biron’s carriage, which travels along the Volzhskaya embankment at night, then keep in mind that Anna Ioannovna’s favorite, who fell into disgrace, was actually once sent into exile in the former Medvezhiy Ugol. The dancing night lights on Bozhedomka also have their own backstory. In ancient times, there was a cemetery here where suicides, drowned people and vagabonds were buried. They usually did not stand on ceremony with the corpses: they dumped them in a common pit and did not have a funeral service for a long time. The dead, naturally, did not like such inattention, so they started a tradition of wandering around Bozhedomka and giving random passersby a heart attack - at least some kind of entertainment. Among the relatively new horror stories, one can recall the tale of a poltergeist who settled in a pink house with an arch on Red Square. In the 30s, this building was inhabited by the party elite, and then they slowly began to thin out the inhabitants of the house. Unreliable “elements” were quickly identified and disappeared forever, and after a while inexplicable things began to happen in the apartments of the repressed, frightening the new residents. Well, how can we not remember the famous Spassky Monastery, in which, according to some sources, Ivan the Terrible once kept a secret prison. It was not city thieves who were kept in her cells, but personal enemies of the sovereign, with whom only the tyrant himself had the right to talk.
5 things you must do in Yaroslavl
- Dine at the Ioann Vasilievich restaurant and receive a compliment from the chef in the form of “overseas caviar, eggplant.”
- Rub the nose of the bronze bear on Pervomaiskaya Street and listen to the menacing roar that the clubfoot makes once an hour.
- Go to the most beautiful village in Russia according to the results of 2015 - the village of Vyatskoye, which is 25 km from Yaroslavl.
- Take a photo hugging the monument to the heroes of the film “Afonya” at the pub of the same name.
- Support a domestic manufacturer and buy a pair of felt boots, which are made in a local factory. This company has been producing felted boots for over a hundred years, so you can rest assured of the quality of the products you purchase.
Restaurant “Ioann Vasilyevich” Bronze bear on Pervomaiskaya street
Village VyatskoeMonument to Athos in Yaroslavl
Transport
Yaroslavl trams
The main types of public urban transport are buses and minibuses connecting all areas of the regional center. Typically, traffic on the streets of Yaroslavl begins at 5:00-6:00 and subsides by 23:00-23:50.
Yaroslavl is one of the few places in Russia now where you can still ride a tram. The line here is old, operating since 1900, and the number of routes is constantly decreasing: for example, in 2009, trams were completely “expelled” from the historical center of the city. However, colorful trailers are still running along the streets of Blucher, Chkalov, Sverdlov and Volgogradskaya. There are also several trolleybus routes in Yaroslavl, which, presumably, will also soon cease to exist.
Useful information: to explore the historical center of the city, wait for trolleybus No. 1, which goes around the main architectural sights.
The cost of travel on any type of public transport is 23 rubles. Either the driver (on a bus) or the conductor (on a tram and trolleybus) must pay for the trip. Electronic travel cards have recently been introduced in Yaroslavl, but buying them is not profitable for a tourist arriving in the capital of the Golden Ring for several days.
There are about fifty taxi companies serving residents and guests of the city in Yaroslavl. As for the costs for this type of transport, the following scheme applies: a fee for calling a car (about 80-100 rubles per landing) plus a fixed fee per kilometer (about 8-11 rubles).
There is also a river station in Yaroslavl, where you can buy a ticket for a motor ship or river bus, which will take you along the Mother Volga with the breeze, giving you the opportunity to admire the romantic panorama of the former Bear Corner.
Yaroslavl River Station
Connection
Cellular communication services in Yaroslavl are provided mainly by the Big Three operators (Beeline, Megafon, MTS), so when going on a weekend to the oldest of the Volga cities, it is not necessary to purchase an additional SIM card. It is enough to activate the necessary roaming option on your existing SIM card in advance or simply change the tariff to a more favorable one, which provides a discount on calls from another region. There are also no difficulties with the mobile Internet: the LTE standard in Yaroslavl was launched quite a long time ago by all cellular operators. Traditional “habits” of free or conditionally free Wi-Fi are local hotels and catering outlets.
How to get there
Yaroslavl has its own Tunoshna airport, which receives flights from Arkhangelsk and St. Petersburg. On average, a flight from the Northern capital takes 1 hour 20 minutes.
Tunoshna Airport
The more popular form of transport is the train. Several routes depart daily from Yaroslavsky Station in Moscow towards the city. In addition, trains going to Arkhangelsk, Syktyvkar and Chita stop in Yaroslavl. The average ticket price is 1100-1600 rubles.
To get to Yaroslavl from St. Petersburg, you will have to start your journey from the Moskovsky station, from where the St. Petersburg - Yaroslavl train and the comfortable Tekstilny Krai train go in the desired direction with a final stop in Ivanovo. From other routes you can choose trains to Ufa and Samara.
You can also get to the oldest of the Volga cities from Moscow by bus (departures from the Shchelkovo bus station every 1.5-2 hours). Travel time will be around 5 hours, ticket price – from 700 rubles.
Those who dare to travel to Yaroslavl by personal vehicle will have to travel along the M-8 Kholmogory highway, through Korolev and Pereslavl-Zalessky. Just 3.5 hours - and you are in Yaroslavl. The road from St. Petersburg through Cherepovets and Poshekhonye will take at least 10 hours.
A.K. Savrasov and Yaroslavl
Many remarkable facts from the biography and creativity of many outstanding figures of Russian culture are associated with Yaroslavl. Probably not many people know that in Yaroslavl, on the Volga, the great artist Alexey Kondratyevich Savrasov worked on the painting “The Rooks Have Arrived” (and on many other canvases). It would seem that A.K. Savrasov spent little time in Yaroslavl - only a few winter and spring months of 1870-1871. But for the artist this period in his work was very fruitful. Here he painted the famous paintings “Volga”, “Flood of the Volga near Yaroslavl”, “Grave on the Volga”. Here he created several studies of “Rooks”. Analysis of the sketches shows that A.K. Savrasov spent a long time looking for the most correct composition and color solution for the painting. One of the first sketches was written on the then outskirts of Yaroslavl, called Vspolye. The Vladimir Church served as the backdrop for the tree with nesting rooks. It meant “edge of a field” and “an open place in front of the walls of a city or settlement.” In the second meaning, the word vpolye is repeatedly found in written monuments. For example: “And those people of Saltykov or Lukvitsa... with all the people who will be sent with them, having gone out of town, stood in the open, where it is more convenient” (1517) (Quoted from: Dictionary of the Russian Language of the 11th-17th centuries, vol. Z. M., 1976, pp. 144-145). The word “vspolye” is also mentioned in V.I. Dahl’s dictionary: “Vspolye - edge, outskirts, beginning; pasture, a place around the outskirts" (See V.I. Dal. Explanatory Dictionary..., vol. 1, p. 269)
Embankment of the Volga River
From Strelka you can walk to the embankment towards the Volga.
The modern, landscaped square does not create a contrast with the general appearance of the ancient city. On the contrary, they complement each other. It’s better to start your acquaintance from the second level, which offers an incredible panoramic view. Also, many historical monuments and valuable architectural objects are concentrated here: the Volga Tower, the Music and Time Museum, the Metropolitan Chambers, ancient houses and estates. Volzhskaya embankment
The embankment has a fence, and each architectural monument has its own stand with detailed information. The embankment is decorated with musical fountains, cozy gazebos, and summer cafes with terraces, which provide a pleasant atmosphere for walks and cultural recreation.
The battle of Yaroslavl with the Tatars on Tugovaya Mountain
Yaroslavl. Tugova mountain. Old postcard
Let us open a few more pages of the historical and toponymic past of Yaroslavl. The threat of the Horde invasion did not bypass the northern Yaroslavl principality. The city was burned, and the first Yaroslavl prince Vsevolod died in an unsuccessful battle for the Russians on the City River. However, Yaroslavl did not resign itself. In 1257, the townspeople rebelled. According to legend, the Yaroslavl people, led by Prince Konstantin, met the Tatar detachment beyond Kotorosl, on a small hill, which later received the name Tugovaya Mountain. Although the Yaroslavl people fought bravely, this time the forces were unequal. The fallen Russian soldiers were buried here, on Tugovaya Mountain. Subsequently, popular rumor began to associate the name of the mountain with this event. According to legend, women continued to come to the hill for a long time to “grieve” for the fallen and mourn them. “There-Sadness” supposedly became the main title. It still seems that this legend is a later speculation. The chronicles are silent about the battle of the Yaroslavl people with the Tatars, and the reign of Constantine in Yaroslavl itself is established only indirectly. More likely something else. You can try to explain the name of Tugovaya Mountain through data on the funeral rite of the Volga Finnish tribes. It is known that among a number of these tribes, those who died in winter were not buried, but hung on trees. We know about this, in particular, from folklore mtaeril. In a Mordovian song, a dying girl asks her relatives: Don’t bury me, mother, in the cemetery, Bury me, mother, near the high road, Near the high road, on an old oak tree... (See A. Shakhmatov. Mardovsky ethnographic collection. St. Petersburg, 1910, p. 193, 436, 448) There is other evidence. In the spring, the dead were removed and buried right there, under the trees. Relatives had to cry over the grave for three days. The place where this ritual was performed was called the “mountain of crying.” It is known that there was a cemetery on Tugovaya Mountain for a long time. A natural question arises: is the name of the mountain connected with this ancient funeral rite? However, for now this is nothing more than a guess.
Yaroslavl and Emelyan Mikhailovich Yaroslavsky
The toponym Yaroslavl itself served as the basis for the emergence of some proper names. These include, for example, the pseudonym Yaroslavsky. Emelyan Mikhailovich Yaroslavsky (M.I. Gubelman) (1878-1943) - Soviet statesman and party leader, academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences, one of the leaders of the October armed uprising in Moscow. In modern Yaroslavl, the former Fedorovskaya Street, one of the main thoroughfares of the current Krasnoperekopsky district of the city, is named after Emelyan Yaroslavsky. The district was named after one of the largest enterprises in Yaroslavl - the Krasny Perekop industrial textile plant. It traces its history back to the former Great Manufactory, which arose back in the 18th century. On the site of a drained area of a once impassable swamp on the right bank of the Kotrosli, one of the largest linen manufactories of the Peter the Great era arose, which later became known as the Yaroslavl Great Manufactory. The factory received a new name - "Red Perekop" - in 1920 in honor of the victory of the Red Army in the south. In the Krasnoperekopsky district of Yaroslavl, a few old street names, such as Zelentsovskaya (along Zelentsovsky Stream), are adjacent to a large number of new ones: Stachek, Solnechnaya, Rabochaya, Trudovaya streets, etc.
Center city of Yaroslavl. General view on an old postcard
Our time in the ancient city of Yaroslavl has come to an end. The time has come to leave this ancient and picturesque corner of Russia.
Source: M. V. Gorbanevsky, V. Yu. Dukelsky - Through the cities and towns of the “Golden Ring”.
Yaroslavl, foundation stone
On the Volzhskaya embankment there is one of the most visited attractions of the city, which attracts not only many tourists, local residents believe in the magical powers that this historical rarity is endowed with. The foundation stone of Yaroslavl is covered in ancient legends and traditions; it is believed that it was from this place that the history of the city began. The first fortifications arose behind it, new churches and houses were built. The guides say that if you look closely at the stone for a long time, your imagination will draw pictures of antiquity: Prince Yaroslav and his retinue, master builders, artisans and hunters, the people who built this city. Residents of Yaroslavl attribute miraculous properties to the stone. According to them, it has special magnetism and can heal diseases. Numerous tourists throw coins, believing that their wish will come true. And this is not surprising: the stone lay in this place even before the founding of the city, it emanates antiquity and a fairy tale.
