The height of the cities of Vologda and Totma above ocean level

Vologda is one of the largest cities in the Russian North, located in the Northwestern Federal District of Russia. It is the administrative center of the Vologda region, the center of the Vologda district. On the map of Russia, Vologda is located a little “higher”, north of Moscow and Yaroslavl.

Vologda is the economic center of the Vologda region with a developed industrial base. This is the largest transport hub in the North-West of the country. Vologda has a valuable historical heritage and is a tourist and cultural center of Russia.

The world-famous brands “Vologda Oil” and “Vologda Lace”, the unique flavor of folk crafts, wooden architecture, and the art of “carved palisades” glorified the ancient city and brought it national recognition.

Where is Vologda located?

Vologda is the administrative center of the Vologda region and the center of the Vologda region, located in the north of the European part of the Russian Federation, in the southwestern corner of the Sukhona depression.
Not far from the city (to the southwest) is the Vologda Upland. The city is based on the right and left banks of the Vologda River. The Shogrash and Zolotukha rivers also flow through Vologda. The population of Vologda is 312 thousand people, the total area of ​​the city is 116 square kilometers. The city center is located at an altitude of 120 meters above sea level. The length of Vologda from north to south is 10.5 km, from west to east – 16 km. The climate in the city is temperate continental, with thaws in winter and severe frosts in spring. The annual precipitation rate is 566 mm, the average annual air humidity is 80%.

Vologda is located in the same time zone as Moscow, the offset relative to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is +3.

Brief history of origin

Ancient Vologda is the same age as the capital of Russia; it was founded in 1147. This is the year of the first mention of the city in the chronicles of the monk Gerasim, who came to the bank of the Vologda River and founded a monastery here. Then the story went like this:

• until the end of the 14th century, Vologda was part of the Novgorod province;
• in 1368 the city was captured by Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy;
• strengthening of the Moscow reign in connection with the construction of the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery, which became an outpost of the new government in the Russian North;
• in 1397, Moscow Prince Vasily finally annexed Vologda to his possessions;
• in 1462, the city came into the possession of Vasily’s son Andrei Menshoy and received the status of the center of the Vologda appanage principality, later the Vologda district of the Moscow principality;
• during the reign of Ivan III, Vologda became a storage place for the treasury and grain reserves, a gathering place for troops and a place of exile;
• in 1565, Ivan IV decided to build a powerful fortress in the city, which by that time had become a major transport center, which was destined to be 2 times larger than the Moscow Kremlin and turn into the residence of the Russian tsars;
• in 1571, the tsar curtailed the construction of the Vologda Kremlin and, for an unknown reason, left the locality forever;
• the years of the reign of Peter I developed crafts and trade, made Vologda a center for training navigation, Tsar Peter I himself visited the city several times;
• under Catherine II, crafts and transport developed in Vologda, a butter-making industry appeared and the borders on the map expanded;
• in the 19th century the city was a place of exile for revolutionaries and dissidents;
• 1918 is the year of the establishment of Soviet power;
• in the 30s of the twentieth century, industrialization was in full swing, the city's industry was created;
• during the Great Patriotic War, Vologda became a major evacuation point and hospital center of the country;
• since 1960, the rise of industry, construction, the opening of new educational institutions, etc. began;
• In 1982, Vologda was awarded the Order of the October Revolution.

Since 1991, after the reform of self-government bodies, the city has been living and developing, new areas are growing, roads and houses are being built, new residents are growing up, to whom the future of their small homeland belongs.

Vologda Airport

The city has the Vologda airport. The distance from the city center is 10 km north along Arkhangelskoye Highway. The airfield has the status of an object of regional importance, the exact location is the Dorozhny village. The airfield has 2 runways: the length of the first runway is 1,500 m, width - 42 m; the length of the second strip is 625 m, width is 30 m.

Near the airport there is the M8 highway, which goes to Arkhangelsk. Passenger planes fly to Moscow and St. Petersburg. The airport serves air flights. Passengers are transported on a Yak-40 aircraft.

Main streets on the map of Vologda

A street map gives an idea of ​​the main highways connecting areas into a single urban space. The most significant and busiest streets of the city:

• Mira street . Starts at the square. Babushkina, where the railway station and bus station are located. It runs through the city center to Orlova Street on the Vologda River embankment. An important transport route for the city, there are many historical monuments and commercial establishments here.
• Mozhaisky street . Former name Zavokzalnaya. It originates from the viaduct bridge connecting Mira Street with Poshekhonskoe Highway, ends in the Flax Factory area, stretches along the railway tracks, crossing the bridge over the Shogrash River. On the street there is a locomotive depot, a carriage depot, shops, and residential buildings.
• Leningradskaya street . It follows in a western direction from the fortress walls of the Vologda Kremlin. Until 1974, it ended at the Arkhangelsk direction railway line; after the commissioning of a viaduct across the railway tracks, the street was significantly extended to the GPZ (Bearing Plant) microdistrict. At the end of the street there is a city trolleybus depot. This is a modern highway with high capacity for all types of urban transport.
• Street named after Alexandra Klubova . Former Verkhnevologodskoe highway. The direction of the street is from east to west, it starts in the city center from Pobeda Avenue and runs through the industrial zones of the city. There are almost no residential buildings on it, but “Stanko” is located. The street crosses a local railway line.
• Herzen Street . One of the main central arteries on the map of Vologda. It starts from Mira Street (from the Vinterovsky Bridge over the Zolotukha River) and ends at the railway line leading to Moscow. At the beginning of the street there is a beautiful building of the Regional Administration, along it there are many wooden architectural monuments.
• Preobrazhenskogo Street is located in the southern part of the city. After the closure of the railway crossing in the area of ​​Tovarnaya Street, it lost its transport significance, but is currently being reconstructed and in the near future will become one of the main latitudinal highways of the city, connecting through Govorovsky Passage with Mozhaisky Street.
• Karl Marx Street . Located in the riverside part of the city. It starts from Chernyshevsky Street and crosses many streets: Dobrolyubova, Samoilo, Sammera, Fryazinovskaya, Severnaya and others. It ends at the timber exchange on the banks of the Vologda River. On this street there is a park for labor veterans, large shopping centers, and in the area of ​​Fryazinovskaya street there are multi-story modern buildings.

Pay attention to the satellite map, it is almost entirely green - this means that the city is very rich in vegetation. There are many cozy parks, squares, and beautiful alleys. Every summer, participants in the city project “Vologda – a Blooming City” decorate streets and squares with picturesque flower beds, original ornaments of fresh flowers and green spaces.

Train Station

The Vologda-I railway station is a railway station located at the 494th kilometer of the Yaroslavl station in Moscow. The station is also located at kilometer 597 of the Ladozhsky railway station in St. Petersburg. The number of platforms at the station is 4, the number of tracks is 17. The railway station is located at Babushkina Square, 3.

Popular long-distance train destinations: St. Petersburg, Novokuznetsk, Yekaterinburg, Labytnangi, Arkhangelsk, Moscow, Adler, Tyumen, Vorkuta. In the summer, the following routes are operated: Sosnogorsk, Anapa, Chelyabinsk, Pechora Belgorod. Also, commuter trains depart from Vologda-I station to Cherepovets, Bui, Vozhega, Danilov.

Vologda

Video: Vologda from above

Basic moments

Vologda, located at the crossroads of waterways, has long served as an important link in trade routes connecting Russian lands with the countries of Northwestern Europe. The city received an impetus for development during the reign of Ivan the Terrible, when the sovereign decided to establish his residence here and launched a grandiose construction project. The oldest surviving temple in Vologda, St. Sophia Cathedral, dates back to the 16th century, but in general the architectural appearance of the city took shape by the 19th century.

Vologda is decorated with churches, the interiors of which have preserved paintings from the 17th-18th centuries, noble, merchant, and philistine mansions - monuments of stone and wooden architecture. In the historical center you can still find houses with cozy courtyards, smoking chimneys, benches for gatherings near the fence and well-fed lazy cats basking in the sun.

In Vologda, tourists can expect interesting museums and art galleries, where you can see works of famous Russian artists and modern masters. The city hosts various cultural events throughout the year, the most famous of which are the “Voices of History” and “Summer in the Kremlin” summer festivals. In September, rich fairs are held here, where gifts of nature from all over the Vologda region are presented, and in winter, townspeople flock to the Veterans of Labor Park to visit one of the Russian residences of Father Frost.

In Vologda, which has become a popular destination for domestic tourism, more and more private mini-hotels and hostels are opening. Guests are accommodated in both hotels built in Soviet times and new boutique hotels. There are many culinary establishments open here. In most of them the prices are quite affordable, but there are also expensive restaurants that serve dishes prepared according to old Russian recipes, as well as European delicacies.

History of Vologda

It is known that already about 2000 years ago, representatives of the Finno-Ugric ethnic group lived on the territory of the modern Vologda region. The Slavs began to develop these lands in the 5th-7th centuries, and their first permanent settlements near rivers and lakes began to appear in the 10th century. Vologda arose on the banks of the river of the same name, whose name is probably of Vepsian origin, and may mean “river with clean, clear water.”

Archaeological excavations on the territory of Vologda confirm that the first settlement arose here no earlier than the 13th century. However, the official founding date of the city is 1147. It is mentioned in two chronicles telling about the Reverend Father Gerasim, who arrived from Kyiv and founded a monastery near the Kaisarov stream. He was allegedly located on the Lazy Platform, the oldest part of Vologda. This version is susceptible to criticism, based, among other things, on the secondary nature of the chronicle codes. In the original sources, the city was first mentioned in 1264, where it is listed as a peripheral possession of Veliky Novgorod on the border with the Tver lands.

In the 13th-15th centuries, Vologda, conveniently located at the intersection of waterways, was attempted to be taken over by its neighbors - the Moscow and Tver princes. Since the 60s of the 14th century, the city was under the joint control of Moscow and Novgorod, but in 1397, Prince Vasily I of Moscow, who had established himself here, put an end to its uncertain status. Later, the city again found itself in the epicenter of civil strife and was finally assigned to Moscow in 1481.

During the civil strife, Vologda was ruined more than once and rebuilt again. Fortifications, houses, and churches were built here from wood. The main temple was located on the Lazy Square, which for a long time remained the heart of the city. Under Ivan the Terrible, whose name is associated with the flourishing of Vologda, the center moved to the southeast, where they began to build the Kremlin and St. Sophia Cathedral. Detinets was founded in 1567, on the day of the Holy Apostles Jason (in the Russian tradition - Nason) and Sosipater, so the territory it occupied began to be called “Nason-city”.

During the era of Ivan the Terrible, Vologda became the most important center of trade with the northern and eastern regions of the Moscow Principality and Western European countries. A representative office of the Moscow Company, established in England, was opened here. One of the English sales agents “advertised” Vologda among fellow merchants as a city abundant in grain and goods, much cheaper than in Moscow and Novgorod. According to him, there was no region in the Moscow state that did not trade with Vologda.

In 1565, Ivan the Terrible introduced oprichnina in the state and planned to turn Vologda into its center, the northern capital. He ordered the establishment of shipyards here to create a fleet of river vessels. But in 1571, the sovereign suddenly stopped all construction work and left the city forever. The reasons could be both political circumstances and the king’s superstition. They say that he was almost killed by a piece of plinth that broke off from the vault of the cathedral under construction.

During the Time of Troubles, which was preceded by a plague epidemic, Vologda again found itself at the epicenter of military-political conflicts. In 1608, the city swore allegiance to False Dmitry II, but in the same year an uprising broke out here against the impostor, and soon Vologda became a stronghold of the people's militia. In 1612, Polish-Lithuanian detachments burst into the city, which thoroughly destroyed and plundered it.

Prosperity returned to Vologda with the accession of the Romanovs. Trade, crafts, construction were revived here, leather production, wood processing, and blacksmithing were developed. The local merchants grew rich, foreign traders also arrived in the city, they settled in Fryazinova Sloboda. However, the 17th century was also marked for Vologda by fires, epidemics, crop failures, and floods. Many buildings, including wooden parts of the Kremlin fortress walls, were damaged by fire.

Under Peter I, the city turned into an important military base in Russia, a place where technical equipment was saved for the construction of fortifications in the north of the country. At the city shipyards, ships were built that delivered food to Arkhangelsk. The Emperor often visited Vologda, staying at the mansion of the Dutch merchant Goutman. Today it is the oldest museum in the city.

In 1780, Catherine the Great, who ordered the formation of a special Vologda governorate, gave Vologda the status of its center. Subsequent transformations gave the city the status of the governor's residence. In the 19th century, Vologda acquired the architectural appearance that has largely been preserved to this day.

A significant impetus to the development of the city was given by the construction of a narrow-gauge railway in 1872, connecting it with Moscow and Yaroslavl. Soon the city also turned into a center of the butter industry, which was due to the factory founded by the Dane Friedrich Boumann. Creamy Vologda butter with a nutty aftertaste has received European recognition.

Vologda has been known since the 15th century as a place of political exile. In the 19th-20th centuries, unreliable members of the intelligentsia, as well as revolutionaries, among whom were Stalin and Molotov, were exiled to “sub-capital Siberia”. In the house where the future “father of nations” lived there is the Vologda Link museum.

After the revolution, the administrative status of Vologda repeatedly changed downward, but industrialization did not bypass the city. Industrial enterprises were built here, which in 1941 were put on a war footing. The front-line city was also turned into a major hospital center. The best period of economic and cultural development for Vologda in the post-war era was the 60-80s. Since the early 2000s, programs have been introduced here to preserve historical monuments and develop tourism.

Geography and climate

The city is located in the southwest of the Vologda region. It is separated from Moscow by 480 km, from St. Petersburg by 680 km. If you look at a map of Vologda, you will notice that it is cut through by railway lines and the river of the same name, a tributary of the Sukhona, the largest water artery in the region. The Sukhona flows from Lake Kubenskoye, located 30 km from Vologda. A vast body of water, often called the Vologda Sea, connects the basins of the White and Caspian seas. In the warm season, the lake becomes a popular vacation spot.

On the territory of the city, dozens of rivers flow into Vologda, a number of them are taken into pipes. The river banks are connected by automobile and pedestrian bridges; the three largest bridges span Vologda. The city's landscape is also decorated with lakes and ponds.

The beds of many rivers have long run through the lands on which Vologda is located. Some areas were either flooded, then exposed or swamped, forming the modern flat, slightly hilly topography. The Vologda Upland, which stretches to the southwest of the city, has heights of no more than 220 m. From the east, southeast and northwest, Vologda is surrounded by the Charozerskaya, Sukhonskaya and Lezhskaya lowlands. The vegetation in the vicinity of Vologda is typical of the southern taiga zone. Spruce forests are adjacent to broad-leaved trees - ash, linden, maple, and oaks grow in places. Among the shrubs, viburnum, elderberry, and hazel predominate.

Vologda, not protected by mountain ranges, is open to the penetration of multi-vector air masses. The weather here is unstable all year round. The relative proximity of the city to the northern seas also has an effect. Winters are usually long, up to five months, summers are short and warm. However, cyclones that replace each other often bring thaws in winter, severe frosts in spring and sudden temperature changes (from +15 °C to +35 °C) in summer.

Most of the precipitation in the city occurs in the warm season; in the summer, heavy downpours and thunderstorms are common. The warmest month is July with an average daily temperature of +22...+25 °C. With the beginning of the third ten days of August, the breath of autumn begins to be felt in Vologda: during the day the temperature usually does not exceed +20 °C, at night – about +10 °C. In September it often rains; by the end of the month the air cools to +7...+13 °C. In October, on average, +5…+8 °С, and in mid-November frosty weather sets in in the city: –7…–2 °С.

Winters in Vologda are snowy, with frequent long snowfalls. The coldest month is January, when the thermometers do not exceed –10 °C. Severe frosts are also common here: –30…–27 °C. In February, strong winds blow in Vologda and the weather remains cold. Winter does not recede even in March: it snows, the air temperature is about –5…–2 °C. Above-zero temperatures are usually established from the second week of April; by the end of this month the air warms up to +7...+13 °C. In May, the city is already warm: during the day +15...+19 °C, at night +7...+12 °C.

Sights of Vologda

The city was built along the banks of Vologda, so its main architectural attractions face the river, creating spectacular panoramas of the embankments. The historical center is conventionally divided into 4 locations - the City, Verkhniy and Nizhny Posads, located on the right bank, and Zarechye - on the left.

The City is home to the main local historical and architectural landmark, which is traditionally called the Vologda Kremlin. In reality, little remains of the fortifications. After Ivan the Terrible left the city, the construction of the Kremlin froze. But even unfinished, it aroused admiration among his contemporaries. The 3-kilometer fortress walls were made of stone and wood, in some areas their height reached 12 m. The number of towers, according to various sources, ranged from 21 to 23. The fortification was additionally protected from the north by a river, and from other sides it was surrounded by a ditch.

In 1612, the wooden parts of the Kremlin burned out in a fire started by Polish and Lithuanian marauders. The walls were restored, but since by the second half of the 17th century the Kremlin had lost its defensive significance, the reconstruction was carried out in fragments. After the flood of 1670, the fortification was no longer restored. The bricks and stones remaining from the once majestic building were used for the construction of religious and civil buildings. At the beginning of the 19th century, during work to improve the city, the walls were finally dismantled and the ditch was filled up.

Actually, the Vologda Kremlin is called the Bishop's Court, which has been located on its territory since the 60s of the 16th century. The original wooden buildings of the bishops' residence burned down in the same year, 1612, after which the buildings were revived in stone. In the 19th century, at the suggestion of the author of spiritual books, historian Andrei Muravyov, the name “Small Kremlin” was assigned to the courtyard. Today, the buildings of this historical and architectural ensemble are occupied by the Vologda Museum-Reserve. You can enter the territory surrounded by stone walls for free, but you will have to pay from 150 rubles to view the exhibitions.

The complex includes buildings dating from contemporary Kremlin times to the century before last. Here is the oldest stone civil building in Vologda - the chambers of the Treasury Department (Economic Building). The attraction dates back to 1659. A painting depicting Christ dating back to the 17th century has been preserved here.

In the Gavrilovsky building, built in the style of Russian patterns at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, there are ticket offices. The Simonovsky building with the Church of the Nativity of Christ (second half of the 17th century) was built in the same manner. It was the most luxurious building in Vologda. Today there are museum exhibitions dedicated to the nature and history of the Vologda region.

In the 18th century, the Consistory building was built. Since the early 2000s, its courtyard has served as the main stage during the Summer in the Kremlin and Voices of History festivals. In the chambers of Joseph the Golden (18th century) it is interesting to see a unique collection of tiled stoves.

Behind the high fence of the Bishop's Court stands the snow-white St. Sophia Cathedral, the oldest surviving stone building in Vologda. It was erected in 1570 on the model of the laconic Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. The temple was repeatedly exposed to fires, but was quickly restored; in the 2000s, a large-scale restoration was carried out here.

The impressive, immaculately shaped building is topped with five massive domes painted silver. Its pearl is the 17th-century paintings made by Yaroslavl masters. Images of saints, warriors, martyrs, noble princes, and plot scenes adorn the walls, portals and vaults of the cathedral. The fresco on the western wall of the temple is striking, depicting scenes of the Last Judgment. The thematic composition, covering an area of ​​400 m², is the largest painting in Russia dedicated to the judgment of God.

St. Sophia Cathedral is a museum; services are held here on church holidays. Entrance to the temple is paid. In the summer, accompanied by a guide, you can climb the bell tower, where ancient bells are preserved, and admire the views of the ancient city from above. Next to the St. Sophia Cathedral is the Resurrection Church, built in the 18th century. The two-story building is built in Baroque style. Today it is a functioning cathedral of the Vologda diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

The pedestrian Kremlin Square extends next to the Bishop's Court. Facing it is the building of the former State Bank, which houses the Lace Museum, the most popular in the city. The history of lace making in Vologda dates back to the 16th century, and over time, elegant handmade products have become the most recognizable brand of the Vologda region. The museum exhibition presents not only Vologda lace, but also highly artistic works created by craftswomen from the lace centers of Western Europe.

Between the Kremlin Square and the Bishop's Garden you can see an unusual structure made of metal. This is a monument to the letter “O”, symbolizing a characteristic phonetic feature in the North Russian dialect. Not far from it, on the embankment, they installed a nice wrought-iron bench “Let’s sit and eat.”

Taking a walk to the northeast of the City, you will find yourself in Verkhny Posad, the oldest part of Vologda. It was here that archaeologists discovered the remains of a 13th-century settlement. Paying tribute to the legend about the more ancient history of the city, in 2012 a monument to the Reverend Father Gerasim was erected near the river bank. The sculpture stands on the site of the former Lazy Square, where Gerasim allegedly founded a monastery in 1147.

The oldest monuments in Verkhny Posad have not survived, but here it is worth visiting the churches built in the 17th-18th centuries: the temples of Constantine and Helen, Varlaam Khutynsky, Elijah the Prophet in Kamenye. A number of buildings of the Gorne-Uspensky convent, founded in 1590, closed in 1924 and revived in 2014, have also survived to this day. The Assumption Church, built at the end of the 17th century on the foundations of older churches, has been restored on the territory of the monastery.

In this same part of Vologda there are many monuments of wooden architecture. Among the most striking examples is the house of the Zasetskys, representatives of an old noble family. The one-story mansion with a mezzanine was built in the 90s of the 18th century; it is the oldest wooden building in Vologda. Wooden architecture of the next century is represented, for example, by the mansions of Volkov and Zasodimsky.

At 6 Leningradskaya Street, in a wooden mansion from the middle of the last century, there is an interesting museum “The World of Forgotten Things”. Its permanent exhibitions reflect the pre-revolutionary life of townspeople - nobles and merchants. The museum also organizes temporary thematic exhibitions and vernissages of young artists.

Nizhny Posad, which began to take shape under Ivan the Terrible, and two centuries later became the administrative center of Vologda, is located southeast of the City. At the end of the 18th century, houses of the governor and governor-general were built in this area, which have survived to this day. Here you can also see the most beautiful building in Vologda - the House of the Noble Assembly, built in the style of Russian classicism. Today the Vologda Philharmonic is located within its walls.

Among the religious buildings, the operating churches of John the Baptist in Roshchenye and the Intercession of the Virgin Mary in Kozlen, built in 1710, stand out, where authentic frescoes have been preserved. In the baroque church of Zosima and Savvaty, dating back to the second half of the 18th century, the Teremok puppet theater has been located since 1966.

There are also many monuments of ancient architecture in the left-bank Zarechye. One of the oldest churches in Vologda operates here, founded in 1651 and consecrated in the name of Demetrius of Prilutsky. Its interiors have preserved wall paintings from the 18th century. The attractions of this part of the city also include the Church of the Presentation, the house of Admiral Barsh.

Entertainment

On June 10, the swimming and fishing season begins in Vologda. The only official beach is located in Mira Park, the largest recreational area in the city. On the eve of the opening of the season, this section of the Vologda coast is filled with imported sand, and the territory is landscaped. There are umbrellas and changing cabins on the beach, and lifeguards work in the recreation area. The park has children's and sports grounds, a walking alley, and picnic areas. In winter, a ski track is laid here.

Another popular recreation spot among city residents is the Labor Veterans Park, located in Zarechye. After the Olympics in Sochi, a multifunctional complex - the residence of Father Frost - was moved to its territory. In the vast mansion there is a cafe, a throne room, a post office for a fairy-tale character, as well as a platform where performances for children are held on holidays. The park has attractions and two ponds, popular among fishermen.

You can also have a pleasant time on the shores of Lake Kubenskoye, which is 30 km from Vologda. The shore and bottom of the shallow lake are sandy, and the water warms up quickly. On the shore there are recreation centers and campsites for tourists with tents. Rowing boats and catamarans are available for rent. The lake is famous for its abundance of fish, especially perch. Pike, bream, roach, and pike perch also live here. Winter fishing is popular, the season lasts from late November to early February.

Recently, 40 km from Vologda, in the village of Striznevo, an off-season recreation and entertainment center of European level YES opened. On its vast territory, guests can expect a zoo, home to more than 60 species of animals, a water park with a swimming pool, water attractions, a sauna, hammam, and a Russian bath. The complex also includes a Dinosaur Park, a ropes course with a climbing wall and routes designed for adults and children. In winter, 13 trails are open here for skiers and snowboarders. Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling are offered. In the entertainment center there is a high-tech hotel, an elegant restaurant and a fast food cafe.

There are many travel agencies in Vologda offering excursions to nearby attractions. The closest of them, the Semenkovo ​​Architectural and Ethnographic Museum, is located just 12 km from the city. There are collected ancient huts, wooden churches, mills from all over the Vologda region. Seasonal interactive programs dedicated to folk holidays, customs, legends, and rituals have been developed for guests. On Maslenitsa and Christmas, folk festivals are held with the participation of folk groups.

You can also go to the city of Kirillov, 130 km from Vologda. Here is the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery, the heart of the spiritual life of the Russian North, one of the largest and richest monasteries in the country. 7 km from it is the Resurrection Goritsky Convent, founded by the aunt of Ivan the Terrible and for centuries served as a place of exile for noble women who had fallen out of favor.

There are 5 theaters in Vologda, including a drama theater, the largest in the region and one of the oldest in Russia. With children you can go to the Youth Theater or the Teremok Puppet Theater. Art lovers will be interested in visiting the Vologda Art Gallery, housed in an 18th-century mansion on Orlova Street, next to the St. Sophia Cathedral. The works of outstanding Russian and foreign artists are demonstrated here: Vasnetsov, Benois, Levitan, Vrubel, Aivazovsky and others. Contemporary fine art is presented in the “Red Bridge” gallery, located on the 6th Army Embankment, 143. Not far from the museum building there is a pier from where you can go on a boat trip along the Vologda River.

There are quite a lot of nightlife spots in the city. Most bars with live music and karaoke are open until 03:00-05:00. Moulin Rouge (10 Pobedy Ave.) and Hit (16 Galkinskaya St.) are popular. Among the best nightclubs are Party Club XO (Kirova St., 78), Metod (Lenin St., 4), USSR (Leningradskaya St., 156).

Shopping in Vologda

Recently, more and more shopping centers have been opening in all districts of Vologda. Among the most popular are the Forum shopping center (Leningradskaya St., 100), RIO (Okruzhnoe Highway, 12), and shopping center (Mira St., 82). Traditionally, there is a large selection of goods in the Central Department Store (Blagoveshchenskaya St., 4), next to the Vologda Kremlin.

On Poshekhonskoye Highway, a 10-minute walk from the city center, there is one of the largest shopping centers in the region - “Marmelad”. There are about 140 clothing stores, electronic equipment, children's goods, and the Maxi hypermarket here. The shopping center houses a modern multiplex cinema, a fitness center, and a food court.

The best place to buy souvenirs in Vologda is the center of folk arts and crafts “Carved Palisade”. It is located in a nice wooden mansion on Chekhov Street, 12. The souvenir shop is located on the 1st floor. Here you can find a wide range of colorful handmade products - Vologda lace, forged interior items, designer jewelry, rag dolls, children's and Christmas tree toys made using ancient techniques.

The specialized lace store offers a wide selection of elegant linen and cotton clothing, lace blouses, jackets, capes, and accessories. Souvenirs trimmed with lace are interesting; felt boots decorated with elegant weaving make a special impression.

It’s worth a look at the “Goods and Souvenirs of Veliky Ustyug” store (Zosimovskaya St., 31). Here you can see the products of the Severnaya Chern enterprise, a famous manufacturer of products in the style of Russian artistic craft - Veliky Ustyug silver nielloing. In the store you can choose wonderful gifts for any budget - from jewelry and cigarette cases to table sets.

At Poshekhonskoye Highway, 14, there is a brand store of the Vologda Dairy Plant. Tourists come here for the famous Vologda oil. It is sold in gift boxes and painted barrels.

Cafes and restaurants

Every day, 170 Vologda restaurants and cafes welcome guests. You can start tasting the ancient dishes of the Vologda region at the Vereshchagin restaurant (Gertsena St., 2-A). Among the signature dishes are Vologda-style okroshka, seasoned with sour cream, and Veliky Ustyug fish soup, cooked in milk. Here they cook excellent elk meat, stewed in the oven, and bake pies with fish. A feast for two will cost 1800-2000 rubles without alcohol.

A memorable interior was created in the Parovozov restaurant, located on Lenina Street, 4. In the dining room there are models of iconic buildings of the city, and toy trains scurry between the tables, delivering drinks to customers. The menu is printed in the form of an old newspaper with pre-revolutionary photographs. It offers delights of Russian and European cuisine and delicious desserts. The cost of main courses is 150-700 rubles. The doors of the establishment are open from noon to midnight.

The chefs of the restaurant La Rosa Rossa (Vorovskogo St., 9) know the secrets of Italian cuisine. The hall is furnished with luxurious upholstered furniture, tables are served with exquisite dishes. The interiors are decorated with paintings and sculptures. A feast here will cost at least 2,000 rubles per person.

French cuisine is presented in the cozy restaurant “Central Coffee House” (Sovetsky Prospekt, 6). The cost of dishes on the menu varies from 50 to 520 rubles. For a full meal you will have to pay about 1000 rubles per person. However, very close by, on Sovetsky Prospekt, 2-B, there is a self-service cafe “Kukhnya”, where you can have a tasty and inexpensive snack. The check for a modest lunch for two (dumplings, lasagna, salad, fruit juice) will be about 500 rubles. You will need to pay approximately the same amount at the “Alternativa” cafe on Herzen Street, 29. For inexpensive fresh pastries, go to “Pirozhkovaya” on Mira Street, 9.

Where to stay

In Vologda, about a hundred hotels, mini-hotels, guest houses and private apartments await travelers. Last season, the rating of the best hotels in the city was topped by the new boutique hotel “Library” 3* (24 Chernyshevsky St.). The designers gave the interior of each of the 10 rooms individual features that evoke associations with the famous literary work. It offers a bath complex with a hammam and sauna, a jacuzzi, and a swimming pool. There is a restaurant, a gastrobar with a cozy lounge. There is a bookstore in the lobby and a bicycle rental service. The price range for accommodation is 3692-4282 rubles per day.

Recently, a small Spa Hotel Aria 4* appeared on Predtechenskaya Street, 68. The highlight of the hotel is the spa complex with a swimming pool. The rooms are equipped with plasma TVs, safes, refrigerators, and electric kettles. The bathrooms have bathrobes, hair dryers, and slippers. The restaurant offers a buffet for breakfast. Daily accommodation at Aria costs from 5,228 to 6,259 rubles. A stone's throw away is Prechistenskaya Embankment and the bridge over the Vologda River.

Not far from the railway station, on Mira Street, 92, there is the Vologda 3*+ hotel. The 100-room hotel was built in the 60s of the last century. Despite the cosmetic renovation and new furniture, the hotel is not particularly cozy. On the ground floor there is a restaurant, a souvenir shop, and a business center. There is a hairdresser and a nail salon. Rooms here are offered for 3387-4197 rubles.

In the city center on Oktyabrskaya Street, 25, there is the Spasskaya 3* hotel, also built in the Soviet era. After reconstruction, a swimming pool, sauna, billiard room, and karaoke bar appeared here. On weekdays the restaurant is open until late, as a nightclub with a disco. Within walking distance are the historical Kremlin complex and museums. For accommodation they ask 2596-3785 rubles. Breakfast is paid separately (300 rubles).

The mini-hotel “History” (Vorovskogo St., 28) provides complete relaxation for guests. Here you can rent a spacious suite with a private sauna, or family rooms with two bedrooms and a living room. The restaurant's summer veranda opens onto a paving stone-paved courtyard with a fountain, where there are swings, children's slides, and designer outdoor furniture. The price range for daily accommodation is 2363-3545 rubles.

At 9 Moskovskaya Street, the guest house “Vologda Dawns” awaits unassuming tourists. You can use the shared kitchen to prepare meals. The only bathroom is on the second floor. There is a convenience store and a newsstand in the lobby. Babysitting services are available. Room rates are 1546-1767 rubles.

In the nearby suburbs you can find cheaper accommodation options, for example, in the private mini-hotel "Lin". The hotel is owned by a Lin couple from Vietnam. It is convenient for motorists to stay here; parking is free. The hotel is located on the southern outskirts of Vologda, in the village of Burtsevo, on Solnechnaya Street, 2. The Vologda Kremlin is approximately 3.5 km from here. The two-story building with an attic has spacious and clean rooms with all amenities. The building is surrounded by a well-kept garden with gazebos and a small sauna. The courtyard is decorated with a dynamic statue of a rearing black horse on a stone pedestal. The restaurant serves delicious Vietnamese cuisine. Accommodation prices here are quite affordable - 1988-2060 rubles per day.

Booking.com

Transport

Public transport in the city is represented by buses and minibuses plying the streets from 5 am to 2 am. The trolleybus network has recently been reduced to a minimum, with only one 14-kilometer route No. 4 operating. Taxi services are available. Drivers often do not use payment meters and overcharge, but there is a rule: order the service by phone. The dispatcher will tell you the actual cost of the trip and send the car to you.

How to get there

Moscow is connected to Vologda by direct flights. Flights on Yak-40 aircraft operate daily from Vnukovo Airport. The flight lasts 1 hour 30 minutes, the ticket price is 6229 rubles. Airliners fly to the regional center from St. Petersburg, Murmansk, Arkhangelsk, Yekaterinburg and other cities of the country.

The airport is located 10 km north of Vologda. Bus number 36 runs from the arrival terminal to the center of Vologda. A taxi ride will cost approximately 500 rubles.

Buses run daily from Moscow to Vologda. You can leave from the Bitsa and Northern Gate bus stations. Bus flights to Vologda are also organized from Sheremetyevo and Domodedovo airports. The journey will last from 6 to 8 hours. Ticket prices are 695-818 rubles.

Electric trains run from the Yaroslavsky station platforms to Vologda. The fastest train No. 108Ya departs at 23:36 and arrives at the Vologda station in 6 hours 31 minutes. Ticket prices range from 2,149 rubles (reserved seat) to 7,919 rubles (compartment). Passenger trains traveling from Moscow to Usinsk, Vorkuta, Cherepovets, Arkhangelsk, and Severodvinsk pass through Vologda.

Automobile highways

Federal highways pass through Vologda:

• M8 “Kholmogory” is a federal highway. The total length of the route is 1271 km. It is part of the European route E115. The road originates in Moscow and passes through Yaroslavl and Vologda. The final point of the route is Arkhangelsk. The road surface of the M-8 highway is asphalt.
• A114 is a highway that has the status of an object of federal significance. The total length of the route is 531 km. The road starts in Vologda and passes through Tikhvin, Sheksna, Cherepovets, Pikalevo. The final point of the route is Novaya Ladoga. Road surface - asphalt, concrete.
• A119 is a federal highway with a total length of 636 km. The road starts in Vologda and passes through Vytegra, Pudozh. The final point of route A-119 is Medvezhyegorsk.

Economy and industry of Vologda

For a long time, the basis of the economy was trading activity. But in the middle of the last century, the industrial component of economic life began to actively take shape. With the commissioning of large enterprises:

• State Bearing Plant No. 23;
• ;
• Optical-mechanical plant;
• Vologda Dairy Plant

The industrial potential of the regional center has increased significantly. Currently, the following industries are well developed in Vologda:

• mechanical engineering;
• food industry;
• light and processing industry;
• woodworking;
• construction.

Small and medium-sized businesses are developing rapidly.

In the regional center, antiquity and modernity are surprisingly organically intertwined. Vologda has a rich cultural life, there are 5 professional theaters (regional Drama, Youth Theater, "Teremok" - puppet theater, Chamber Drama Theater, Children's Musical Theater). The Vologda Regional Philharmonic and large libraries were opened.

Vologda residents are friends with sports, conduct public international activities and know how to have a good rest. Vologda has a rich, interesting history, but no less rich and wonderful future.

What is Vologda known for?

In the central part of the city there is Kremlin Square, which is considered the heart of Vologda. Until 1947, the square was paved with wood, and only for the 800th anniversary of the city it was paved with stone. There are 3 Orthodox churches and the Vologda Kremlin on the square. Also in the city is Revolution Square, which was founded in 1918 after the unification of three squares: Spasskaya, Alexandrovskaya and Sennaya. On the square there are monuments of the Soviet era: the “Tooth” obelisk, the Eternal Flame memorial.

One of the main architectural monuments is the Church of Demetrius of Prilutsky on Navolok. The temple was built in the middle of the 17th century and named in honor of the founder of the Spaso-Prilutsk monastery D. Prilutsky.

There is a lace museum in the city. Vologda lace is one of the symbols of the city. The museum houses hundreds of exhibits dedicated to lace craft and the history of the development of the craft. The museum also displays works by local craftswomen: costumes, home textiles, paintings, jewelry.

Territorial structure of Vologda - districts

The city's territory covers an area of ​​116 km2 and contains several residential areas and microdistricts. According to the map, on the northern bank of the Vologda River there are the Zarechye district, Vodniki and the new Fryazinovo microdistrict. On the southern bank there are the Center district (divided into Upper and Nizhny Posad), Byvalovo, Lnokombinat, Zavokzalny, Teplichny, Bearing Plant, Lukyanovo and the new 5th and 6th microdistricts.

Geographically, Vologda is divided into the city itself and the village of Molochny .

• The map shows that the central part of the city is limited by Gorky, Nekrasov, Levichev streets and Peace Park. All the main cultural and historical monuments and centers of various trade are concentrated here.
• The territory of the historical center is divided into separate areas. The administrative part of the city with administration buildings is located on Drygin Square and Revolution Square.
• In the area of ​​Herzen, Mira and Lenin streets there is a large number of different enterprises, shops, as well as a city market.
• The tourist center includes Kremlin Square with various architectural complexes and branches of the famous museum-reserve. The city's residential areas include the 5th and 6th microdistricts.
• Industrial zones are located in the east of the city, as well as in some areas in the west. Large districts and the central part of Vologda are connected by large streets: Marshal, Gorky, Pobeda Avenue and others.

The map shows that the city has built a ring road with multi-level interchanges connecting all important highways.

Individual residential development (private houses) is concentrated in the Oktyabrsky garden village. Ancient buildings and monuments of wooden architecture, which create the unique flavor of Vologda, have been preserved mainly in the Center and the Zarechye region. Many ancient buildings have been irretrievably lost and replaced by modern multi-storey buildings.

Currently, the city is being developed in accordance with the General Plan adopted in 2014. The builders plan not to redraw the existing map of the city and preserve the “wooden Vologda”, while providing residents with comfortable modern apartments. The main construction is taking place in the area of ​​the Bearing Plant, along the Okruzhnoye Highway, Konev Street, and the Flax Mill.

Climate

The Vologda region is located in a temperate continental climate zone, which is formed by the proximity of the northern seas. At the same time, the climate of this region can be called unstable, as there are thaws in winter and severe frosts in spring.

Average climatic indicators are as follows:

• The number of days a year without frost is 120;
• Number of snow days – 160;
• Annual precipitation – 570 mm;
• Average temperatures in February are 11˚С;
• The average temperature in July is 17˚С.

Historical reference

Where is the city of Vologda located, in what region of the Russian Federation can you see so many attractions in a single copy? The history of Moscow, the same age, begins with the date of its formation - 1147. The toponym has several options for the origin of the name. In old church records, “Vologda” comes from the word “volok” - a piece of land for moving ships between river basins. According to the legend of monk Gerasim, the area where Vologda is located is a “great forest” that protects the village from enemies. Translated from Finnish, Vologda means “clean water” in the river on the banks of which it stands.

Located at the crossroads of waterways, the settlement aroused special interest among the Moscow princes. Many of them contributed to the history of the northern city, and already in the 15th century it completely belonged to Moscow.

The peak of greatest prosperity came to the lace capital at the beginning of the 16th century. Having become an important economic center in the northwestern part of Russia, Vologda attracts the attention of merchants, artisans, and shipbuilders. For about 200 years, the capital of the Russian North was a link between Europe and the Moscow principality. But during the reign of Peter I, the city became the largest storage base for materials and equipment for the Arkhangelsk shipyard. In 1703, the Tsar built a new window to Europe - the city of St. Petersburg, thereby reducing the importance of Vologda.

The settlement became the center of the province on the initiative of Empress Catherine I. The northern city did not always have the glory of a rich industrial center. In the 20th century, it went down in history as a place of political exile in pre-revolutionary Russia. M. Ulyanov, A. Lunacharsky, I. Dzhugashvili (Stalin), V. Molotov, A. Bogdanov were here. The location of Vologda played a great role during the Patriotic War.

The geographical location and climatic conditions made the northern city one of the important evacuation centers. It received wounded from the Karelian and Leningrad fronts, was a distribution point and the main medical base. Vologda played a special role, receiving more than 500 thousand Leningraders evacuated from the city on the Neva.

The city gained worldwide fame from the lace of local artisans, oil prepared according to ancient recipes, and the carved palisade enclosing flower beds and decorative plantings.

Religious shrines

It’s not for nothing that the cultural capital of the North is called the city of fifty domes. Temples and monasteries have a great spiritual influence on tourists. By visiting these sights, you can feel how the origins of faith reveal love and respect for everything holy, revered and dear. Among the Vologda relics, the most revered is the St. Sophia Cathedral - an Orthodox church and a pearl of temple architecture from the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

The prototype of the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow, St. Sophia Church stands majestically on the river bank. The monumental stone structure is distinguished by its laconic architecture - no unnecessary decorations. The white stone building, almost 60 meters high, is topped with five domes that have their own names. The St. Sophia Church is not only beautiful, but also austere, snow-white and majestic in a northern way. The internal beauty of the temple is, in contrast, warm, bright and lush. The carved five-tiered iconostasis and frescoes by Yaroslavl artists are perfectly preserved. The temple has the largest wall painting - “The Last Judgment”.