Walk through the streets of Kostroma

Kostroma (distance from Moscow to Kostroma is 336.8 km) is a historic city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast. A part of the “Golden Ring” route, it is located at the confluence of the Volga and Kostroma Rivers.

The city was first mentioned in the chronicles for the year 1213, but historians believe it could have been founded more than half a century earlier. Like other towns of the Eastern Rus, Kostroma was sacked by the Mongols in 1238.

It is understandable why the Romanov Tsars regarded Kostroma as their special protectorate. The Ipatievsky monastery was visited by many of them, including Nicholas II, the last Russian Tsar. The monastery had been founded in the early 14th century by a Tatar prince, ancestor of the Godunov family.

The huge white-walled fortress of the Holy Trinity Ipatievsky Monastery stands on the banks of the River Kostroma; the reflection of its onion domes in the flowing river leaves a lasting impression. Each successive Tzar of the Romanov dynasty, after coronation, made it their duty to visit the Ipatievsky Monastery with elaborate and expensive gifts.

Susaninskaya Square, also called “Frying Pan” is a giant square in the centre of Kostroma. At one side there are large arcades of the ancient markets and at the other side there are the firewatch-tower, the Guard House and the palace of General Borshov.

The historical centre of the city presents the architectural ensemble of the XVIII-XIX centuries. Tourists can see the ensemble of the square of Susanin that includes Guardhouse, free-observation, Office, and the house of S.Borschov, which now houses the city courthouse.

The old shopping-arcades of Kostroma are dating back to 1796. The idea behind these giant markethalls, was that the tax-authorities could easily watch over the income of the merchants and also for the customers is was much easier to compare prices and find everything in almost the same area.

The Church of Resurrection-on-Debre was built in the XVII century with the donations of the merchant Kyrill Isakov. He was a rich merchant, after making the largest initial donation began a fund-raising campaign in order to get funds for building a new church.

Pergola of Alexander Ostrovsky. Kostroma is historically connected with the name of Ostrovsky – his family estate Schelykovo, which is now s a museum, is located there; it was here that he wrote his plays and worked on program writings about Russian theatre. In 1973 great Russian playwright Alexander Ostrovsky's 150th birthday anniversary was commemorated in Russia, and a showcase of the best Russian performances based on his plays was held in his home city, Kostroma.

Kostroma Museum of Architecture and Ethnography, and Open-air Landscape Museum “Kostromaskaya Sloboda” is situated in the most beautiful place – at the junction of the rivers Kostroma and Volga, near the ancient Ipatiev Monastery. The museum possesses 28 monuments of wooden architecture – residential and utility constructions, samples of church architecture.