Only two cities were called 'great' — Novgorod, Russia's northern capital, and Rostov, a city with a thousand year-old history, a cultural and artistic centre in old Russia, the land of fairy-tale warriors and epic heroes. In 862, 'The Tale of the Years of Time' mentions Rostov among other Russian cities. In the 11th century, Rostov was the capital of the extensive Rostov-Suzdal' principality. In 1070, the city became the centre of the Rostov episcopate. In 1474, the Rostov principality was adjoined to Moscow. By the 16th century, Rostov was no longer the great city of years past, but a prominent centre of trade, since an important northbound trade route from Moscow to Archangel'sk went through it. Rostov has also long been Russia's spiritual centre. St. Sergiy Radonezhskiy was born there. The city was the home of prominent chroniclers and icon painters.

Sightseeing in Rostov
The Kremlin n the second half ot tne 17tn century, during the time of the metropolitan lona III Sysoyevich, a very prominent church figure and statesman, an Archbishop's co...
Borisoglebsky Monastery Eighteen kolometres from Rostov, in the direction of Uglich lies the BORISOGLEBSKIY MONASTERY. It was founded at the end of the 14th century by two ...
Uspensky Cathedral ext to the metropolitan see stands the monumental 16th century USPENSKIY CATHEDRAL, whose interior can only be seen during services. Much of what is wonderful i...