Vladimir is one of Russia's oldest cities, long the capital of the Russian state. It was built in 1108 as a fortress on the banks of the river Klyaz'ma by Vladimir Monomah, and given his name. Vladimir is known as 'the father of Russian cities'. Monomah's descendant, prince Yury Dolgorukiy, started building new fortresses in the lands of Suzdal'. He founded Moscow, Pereslavl'-Zalesskiy, Dmitrov, Yuryev-Pol'skiy and Zvenigorod. In Vladimir, the prince built a new royal court with a church named after his heavenly patron, St. George (1157). Thus, in the 12th century the city becomes the capital of the new Vladimir principality. At that time, Moscow was no more than a small settlement on the border between two principalities, Kiev and Vladimir-Suzdal'. The son of Yuriy Dolgorukiy, Andrei Bogolyubskiy, transferred the capital from Kiev to Vladimir.

In the years 1158-1165, there is construction in the new capital on a grand scale. The defensive ring around the city is widened, new fortress ramparts gird the city, on their tops appear wooden walls with ride-through gates. Yet the boyars of Suzdal' and Kiev, disliking the grand prince's politics and the strengthening of his power, conspire against him. In 1174, the prince is killed in his favourite palace at Bogolyubov. Prince Andrei's brother, Vsevolod III Bol'shoye Gnezdo (Big Nest), so called for his large progeny, continues in prince Andrei's path. In 1238, the city is sacked and burned by the Tartars, and Vladimir never reaches its sometime status again. In the 14th century, it becomes part o! the Grand Principality of Moscow. The former capital becomes just a city in the Moscow state, a city of memories and holy places.

Almost all of Vladimir's famous landmarks can be seen on Bol'shaya Moskovskaya street.

Siti Principali a Vladimir
Bogolyubovo Village It's worth your time to visit THE VILLAGE OF BOGOLYUBOVO. If you make the ten-kilometre trip from Vladimir to the banks of the river Nerl', your patience will b...
Kozlov Rampart
Palace of the Grand Duke Andrey Bogolyubski
Sobornaya Square
The Chambers Building Located between the Assumtion cathedral and Dmitry's cathedral, it was built in 1790, as a place for the government of Vladimir region. Now the Chambers host hi...
The Golden Gates Oï the western side of the city stand THE GOLDEN GATES, a rare example of martial-defensive architecture. Today, only two solid white-stone walls are left of t...
The Water tower It was first built in the end of the 19th centruy, and completly rebuilt in 1912. The tower is built of red bricks in 'pseudorussian' style, it has a form of a ...
Mstyora In the Vladimir village of MSTYORA a few hundred women artisans concern themselves with needle-work. Mslyora needle-work' mainly mean; embroidery on delic...
Assumption Cathedral It was founded by Vladimir prince Andrey Bogolubsky in 1158 on a high hill next to Klyazma river, and was meant to embody the power and importance of Vladimir-S...
Boris and Gleb Church in Kideksha
Church of Nikola Mokry (Wet) in Galei
Dmitrievsky Cathedral Next to the Uspenskiy Cathedral, on Sobornaya (cathedral) square stands the most unique cre ation of the era of Vsevolod Bol'shoye Gnezdo, tile DMITRIEVSKIY CAT...
Michael Archangel Cathedral
Polish Kostel (Roman-Catholic Church)
Rozhdestvensky Monastery
The Church of Veil on Nerl A mile from Bogolyubovo you will see the best surviving creation of Vladimir-Suzdal' architecture of the era of Andrei Bogolyubskiy — the single-domed CHURCH OF...
Trinity Church
Uspensky Cathedral USPENSKIY CATHEDRAL is a fine example of Russian architecture of the 12th century. The cathedral was the new capital's largest con struction project. It was fou...
Uspensky Women Convent To the left of the Golden Gates, on Devicheskaya street, stands the active USPENSKIY WOMEN'S CONVENT, founded in 1200 by prince Vsevolod at h...