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Message on the theme of the Rostov Kremlin Museum Reserve. Rostov Kremlin. History of the center of spiritual life. The current state of the Rostov Kremlin

A great rarity - the name and surname of the master has been preserved, who, apparently, played a prominent role in the design and construction process. His name was Peter Dosaev. Little is known about him, only that he was a first-class bricklayer from a family of settlers and had an eastern origin. Construction began in 1650 with the erection of administrative premises and a residential area, then the builders moved on to church buildings. Art historians single out fourteen separate monuments that have survived to this day and are part of the ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin: the Assumption Cathedral, the belfry of the Assumption Cathedral, the Holy Gates, the Gate Church of the Resurrection, Judgment Order, the Church of St. John the Theologian, the Hodegetria Church, the Church of the Savior on Senya (or, it is also called the Savior Not Made by Hands), the Church of Gregory the Theologian, the Red Chamber, the House on the Cellars, the Samuil Corps, the White (Dining) Chamber and the towers of the Kremlin.

In archival documents, historians now and then found references to the frescoes inside the Assumption Cathedral, but the frescoes themselves were absent. Only in 1950, scientists discovered that under the upper layers of the oil paintings of the collection there is another one - the same frescoes mentioned in the archives and eyewitnesses' memoirs. Partially, the frescoes began to "appear" from under the cracked top layer in the domes, drums and girth arches. The restorers managed to “extract” fragments of the original painting in the altar, and behind the iconostases, areas were found that were not even hidden under the later layers of painting. Why the frescoes were eventually ordered to be “painted over” and whose will it was remains a mystery.

The central point of the historical ensemble, of course, is the Assumption Cathedral - it stood here even before Metropolitan Jonah began large-scale construction. This is actually the calling card of the museum-reserve. The place on which the cathedral was erected can be called truly "prayerful", although it could not have done without strange and even tragic events. The Assumption Cathedral is not the first temple building built on this territory. The first wooden church was erected in 991, during the reign of Prince Vladimir. But every time something happened to the buildings: either a fire, or suddenly, for no reason at all, the roof would collapse.

It is known for certain that Sergius of Radonezh was baptized in one of the former churches that stood on this site, and that one of the abbots at one time was the father of the famous Russian hero Alyosha Popovich. The current Assumption Cathedral appeared at the beginning of the 16th century. Whether by accident or intentionally, the building turned out to be very similar to the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. True, there are details that are specific to the Rostov Cathedral. Especially beautiful and original is the patterned arcade-columnar belt, unique for the architectural heritage of that time.

The belfry of the Assumption Cathedral became famous throughout the country after the film by Leonid Gaidai "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession" was released. Filming took place on the territory of the Kremlin, and it was inside the belfry that the famous chase scene was filmed. Descendants in excellent condition got 15 bells, of which the largest are the Polyelein bell weighing 1000 pounds and the Sysoi bell weighing 2000 pounds (by the way, Metropolitan Jonah named the bell in honor of his father).

The last, final building was the Hodegetria Church, the construction of which, according to reports, was completed in 1693. This was the point. But even when construction work was still going on, the Kremlin earned numerous praises from the highest clergy and nobility, high-ranking guests constantly came here, as if on an excursion.

The closest people to the metropolitan were the butler, the clerk and, of course, the treasurer. Each of these "top-level managers" had their own departments: the state order, the court and the brownie. In each of the divisions, officials of various ranks worked. The staff of the metropolitan was rather big - together with domestic servants, church servants and assistant boyars, they recruited about two hundred people. However, only the highest ranks lived within the metropolitan chambers. The rest (ordinary employees, servants and "black clergy") lived outside the walls of the Kremlin, in numerous settlements, which were also subject to the authority of the metropolitan.

Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God

One of the main shrines of the Assumption Cathedral is kept in the Rostov Museum.

Collection of yam bells and bells

A funny and unique collection of exclusively national Russian attributes, which have long since passed away, is stored in the Museum of Private Collections. This gift was made by the former director of the museum-reserve Vyacheslav Kim - he collected more than 2,000 exhibits, which, after his death, bequeathed to be put on public display.

Altar cross of the 16th century

enrolled in Rostov Museum church antiquities in 1886. In 1995, he was kidnapped and two years ago "surfaced" in a private collection in Germany, was bought by a Russian philanthropist and returned to the Rostov Museum.

Enamel collection

The largest in Russia. In total, the exposition presents about two and a half thousand miniatures. The exhibits date from the 18th-20th centuries.

Judging by the annals, the local treasury cannot be called poor. In addition to money in assets, there were securities, rare books for that era, stocks of expensive fabrics from which ceremonial clothes were sewn for going out, luxurious dishes, furniture, icons and weapons. However, Metropolitan Jonah did not have time to properly settle down in a new place, as by the "will from above" the metropolis was transferred from Rostov to Yaroslavl. He was forced to relocate. Without a host, everything changed here: the retinue fled, the mansions fell into disrepair, even worship services stopped. There was a moment when the bishops thought about scrapping the Kremlin, because it was too expensive to maintain it, and there was no need to. Patrons helped save the monument - wealthy merchants donated funds for which the Kremlin was restored, and soon after the restoration, the Rostov Museum of Church Antiquities was opened in the White Chamber.

In the 20th century, difficult times came again: the revolution, Soviet power, the struggle against church institutions and religious sentiments in society. Nevertheless, worship services were held here until 1935, and then the country's party leadership decided to stop all religious activity, and transfer the Assumption Cathedral to the warehouse of a coffee and chicory factory. Almost two decades later, a powerful tornado swept through Rostov, which partially destroyed the domes of individual churches, demolished the roofs of many buildings and damaged the belfry. After that, the entire complex, including the Assumption Cathedral, was transferred to the Rostov Museum-Reserve, but its condition remained deplorable until the 90s of the last century. In 1991, the first divine services and restoration work began, and by now, thanks to the efforts of public organizations and sponsors, as well as thanks to state support, the Rostov Kremlin has been practically restored.

Today, Rostov is one of the main cities of the Golden Ring, and the Rostov Kremlin is under state protection. Decree of the President Russian Federation dated January 24, 1995, the museum-reserve "Rostov Kremlin" was included in the state register of especially valuable objects of cultural heritage of the peoples of Russia.

In Rostov (not in the one on the Don, but in the one near Lake Nero) is the majestic residence of the metropolitan. This former metropolitan court is called the Rostov Kremlin. Although this is a well-established name, but the "Kremlin" is not quite the correct name for this place. After all, the walls of the Rostov Kremlin have never served for protection, they performed only a decorative function.

History of the Kremlin

A complex of these structures was built from 1670 to 1683. The customer was Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich. He asked to build a paradise on earth according to the biblical description. For him, they created towers surrounded by walls, a garden of Eden and a pond surrounded by churches and other buildings. However, the Rostov Kremlin did not serve as the residence of the metropolitan for long, already in 1787 it was transferred to Yaroslavl. And they decided to destroy the ensemble of Rostov churches in order to build something else on this site. However, local residents opposed this decision and saved the architectural complex.

The Rostov Kremlin still had a lot to go through. Almost all of its buildings are in need of restoration. It passes, but at a rather slow pace, which is why some of the churches of the complex seem to be somewhat neglected. However, this does not detract from their majesty and beauty. After all, it is not for nothing that the Rostov Kremlin in 2013 was able to become the winner of the Russia-10 media competition, according to which ten symbols of Russia were determined.

What to watch?

The Rostov Kremlin includes several churches, the main of which can be considered the Assumption Cathedral. However, each cathedral of the complex is beautiful in its own way. Attention should also be paid to the variety of domes in the Rostov Kremlin. By their color you can understand what they symbolize. The blue domes with golden stars are dedicated to the Mother of God and, as it were, remind of the birth of Christ. Green domes are painted this color because it is associated with the Holy Spirit. Churches with silver domes are dedicated to various saints. The number of domes is also important. Three domes are a recognized symbol of the Holy Trinity, five - Christ and four evangelists, and seven - the same number of sacraments of the Church, nine - the number of angelic ranks, and so on. Looking at the churches of the Rostov Kremlin, you can see all this symbolism and be convinced of its veracity by asking the ministers of the church.

There are several exhibitions and museums on the territory of the Rostov Kremlin. One of the most popular is the Enamel Museum. This type of little-known applied art became popular in Rostov in the 18th century. With the help of a unique painting, paintings, decorations, salaries for icons and other entertaining gizmos are created.

Exhibitions of the Rostov Kremlin also acquaint tourists with ancient Russian art, archaeological finds in this area, you can look at the art gallery, an exhibition of bells and bells. However, the main thing worth seeing is the magnificent painting on the walls of churches. Many biblical stories are presented here. For example, the picture of the Last Judgment occupies a huge area, rising up several floors. As a memento of visiting the Rostov Kremlin, you can take a photo in princely clothes against the backdrop of ancient buildings.

The Rostov Kremlin is probably the second, after the Moscow Kremlin, architectural monument, which is visually familiar to many Russians. It can be said that anyone who has ever seen the comedy "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession" made a remote mini tour of the Rostov Kremlin, since many frames of adventures in the royal chambers of Ivan the Terrible were filmed on its territory. For sure, the episode with the chase, the episode with the bells is immediately remembered - these are all shots from the territory of the Rostov Kremlin.

This architectural and historical monument is a complex of buildings, temples and other structures located on an area of about 2 hectares on the shores of Lake Nero in the Yaroslavl region. The architectural complex that exists now was founded in 1650 around the Assumption Cathedral, which, in fact, is the oldest temple of the complex and is the hallmark of the entire museum-reserve.

The location of the Assumption Cathedral and then the entire complex is not accidental. Before the construction of the cathedral in 1512, there were four more wooden churches. So, the first wooden church was built back in 991 during the reign of Prince Vladimir, that is, only three years after the baptism of Russia. But it was destroyed by fire. Interestingly, in one of the churches preceding the construction of the Assumption Cathedral in 1314, one of the Rostov boyars christened his son, the baby Bartholomew, later known as St. Sergius of Radonezh.

Now it is no longer possible to establish, intentionally or by accident, that the Assumption Cathedral built in Rostov turned out to be very similar to the Moscow Assumption Cathedral. But there are details that gave their special uniqueness to the Rostov Assumption Cathedral. For example, the original patterned arcade-columnar belt on the facade of the cathedral, which is a unique architectural heritage.

History connects the construction of the entire architectural ensemble of the Kremlin with the name of Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich. Why did the metropolitan, who replaced the most disgraced Patriarch Nikon on the Moscow throne, return from the capital to Rostov? It was a link, yes a real link. Political intrigues in Moscow led to the fact that Metropolitan Jonah was ordered to leave for Rostov and not leave there.

The exiled metropolitan decided to create a center of spiritual life in Rostov. The main idea was the construction of the Bishop's (Metropolitan) court, that is, in fact, the residence of the metropolitan. Since the metropolitan had people under his command, a whole staff of employees: butlers, clerks, treasurer, officials of various ranks, priests - up to two hundred people, along with domestic servants, the construction began with the construction of administrative buildings and residential areas, and then the builders proceeded to church structures. One of the notable features is that most of the buildings of the Rostov Kremlin are made of stone. But residential metropolitan chambers have always been wooden.

Very rarely, but in the case of the construction of the Rostov Kremlin, history keeps the name of a person who seems to have played a prominent role in the design and construction, and most likely was the main architect of the complex. His name is Peter Dosaev. Little is known about him, only that he was a high-class bricklayer and the son of immigrants with oriental roots.

We must pay tribute to the skill of the ancient architects, who were able to design and place the rest of the buildings and structures of the Rostov Kremlin so that they all united into a magnificent architectural complex. The architects managed to realize the Metropolitan's plan to create a corner of paradise, so that the soul would be filled with high feelings and pure thoughts would arise. What is worth only a small beautiful pond in the courtyard, which reflects the magnificent chambers and churches of the complex! And the view from the galleries to Lake Nero! And the beautiful Metropolitan Garden, adjacent from the south to the central part of the complex, which was laid at the insistence of the metropolitan in the final stage of construction.

According to the records, the construction of the Kremlin was completed in 1693. It is noteworthy that the residence of the metropolitan was surrounded by fortress walls with loopholes at the end of construction. But the wide openings of the loopholes, the windows with platbands, the rich decoration of the towers testified that no one planned to use the Rostov Kremlin as a fortress. By the way, another plan of the Metropolitan was also successful - even when the construction work was not fully completed, the Kremlin was visited by the highest clergy and the nobility. It really was the center of spiritual life.

The fate of the Rostov Kremlin is not simple. After the metropolitan received an order to move his residence to Yaroslavl, the architectural complex began to gradually fall into decay. There were also fires in the complex. There was also a time when the synod wanted to destroy almost the entire complex, since its maintenance was too expensive. But the inhabitants of Rostov, wealthy merchants, patrons of the arts decided to revive the former glory of the Kremlin as a spiritual center. In the 19th century, the reconstruction took place on the donations collected, the Kremlin was again available for visits, a museum of church antiquities was opened on the territory of the White Chamber. In 1883, the Rostov Kremlin received the status of a state museum-reserve. Then there was a revolution Civil War, the fight against the church and religion in society. However, services in the Assumption Cathedral were conducted until 1935, when, in the light of the instructions of the country's leadership, it was decided to stop all religious activity altogether, and the local nomenclature decided to turn the Assumption Cathedral into a warehouse for a coffee and chicory factory, and various artels, offices began to be located on the territory of the complex. , residential apartments were made. Then the strongest hurricane on August 24, 1953 caused serious damage. But the Rostov Kremlin withstood and survived! In the period from 1954 to 1962, a serious scientific restoration was carried out. In 1991, the first divine services began to be held, as well as new restoration work, and today, thanks to the efforts of non-governmental organizations and sponsors, as well as thanks to state support, the Rostov Kremlin has been practically restored in all its glory.

Click on image to enlarge

Much can be written about this amazing architectural complex. If you want to visit it, one day will not be enough for you to see and realize all its originality, to examine the values and collections stored in museums on its territory. Many tourists go to see the main shrine of the Assumption Cathedral - the Vladimir Icon Mother of God, to the Belfry of the Assumption Cathedral to hear the ringing and see 15 surviving bells. One of the largest bells was cast in 1688 and named in memory of the father of Metropolitan Jonah, a simple village priest, Sysa. You might want to visit the Church of Ivan the Evangelist and see the fresco iconostasis with your own eyes. By the way, an amazing one is connected with the frescoes of the Assumption Cathedral. In the 50s of the 20th century, scientists discovered that under the outer layers of oil painting in the cathedral there was another layer, consisting of those frescoes that are mentioned in the archives and memoirs of eyewitnesses of the 16th century. In part, frescoes began to appear under the cracked outer layer of domes and girth arches. The restorers managed to extract fragments of the original painting of the altar of the Assumption Cathedral. Why the frescoes, in the end, were ordered to be painted over, and whose will it was, remains a mystery to this day.

In addition, the burial places of many Rostov princes and clergy, including the burial place of Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich, have been preserved on the territory of the Rostov Kremlin.

A lot of useful information about all the sights can be found on the website of the State Museum-Reserve "Rostov Kremlin" - http://www.rostmuseum.ru/

The history of Russian cities is amazing and multifaceted. Sometimes we know more about foreign architectural monuments than about Russian ones. But we have much to be proud of. Our architects knew how to build for centuries.

Very beautiful and really impressive building! On the this moment it is almost completely restored and impresses with its scope and majesty of architecture. The Rostov Kremlin is a whole complex of buildings united by common walls: there are multi-domed churches, belfries, ancient chambers, and towers covered with wooden tiles. The Rostov Kremlin is much more interesting than the Kremlin in Pskov and Veliky Novgorod. Undoubtedly, this is the most important of the sights of Rostov the Great.
Do not be surprised if it seems to you that you have already seen the Rostov Kremlin somewhere: that's right, it was here that the "Old Russian" episodes of the famous film by Leonid Gaidai "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession" were filmed.
Address of the Rostov Kremlin, you definitely won't need to find the Kremlin in Rostov: as soon as you arrive in the center of Rostov the Great, you simply cannot help but notice the whole bunches, clusters of domes towering over one- and two-story buildings!

The Kremlin in Rostov the Great is actually not quite the Kremlin. This is the residence of the bishops of the Rostov-Yaroslavl diocese, the Bishop's House, which began to be built in the 1660s under Metropolitan Ion Sysoevich. Therefore, the correct name of the Rostov Kremlin is the Bishop's (or Metropolitan's) Court.

The Rostov Kremlin consists of three large parts, each of which has a spacious courtyard. The central part is the Bishops proper or the Lord's Court with residential and outbuildings, enclosed by high walls and surrounded by temples (in the diagram below - B). To the north of the central courtyard is located Cathedral Square with the Assumption Cathedral (in the diagram - A). And from the south, the Bishop's Court adjoins the territory Metropolitan Garden(AT).

Designations on the scheme of the Rostov Kremlin:

Church of John the Evangelist. Main entrance, ticket office.
Church of the Hodegetria. Exhibition "Shining gold and azure".
Church of the Resurrection. Crossings along the walls of the Kremlin.
Bell towers.
Entrance to the Cathedral Square.
Judgment order. Finift Museum.
Pond.
House in the Cellars. Hotel, cafe "Pogrebok".
Water tower. Viewpoint.
Samuil Corps. Department of ancient Russian art. Picture gallery.
Church of the Savior on Senyah.
White Chamber. Museum of Church Antiquities.
Red Chamber. Museum lounge. Historical exposition. Meeting restaurant.
Passage to the Metropolitan Garden.
Church of Gregory the Theologian.
Pond in the Metropolitan Garden.
Tent in the Metropolitan Garden. Cozy cafe.
Clock tower.
Princely towers.
Wood tower.

Rostov Kremlin - photo and walk

Let's start the walk with Cathedral Square . Entrance to this part of the Kremlin is free.

Assumption Cathedral- the oldest temple on the territory of the Rostov Kremlin, it dates back to 1508-1512. It is crowned with five powerful chapters. Temples have stood on this site since ancient times. One of them, built in the 12th century under Andrei Bogolyubsky, left the Leontief chapel, which is also called the cave chapel, since it is much lower than the level of the altar. It contains the relics of the Rostov Bishop Leonty, who was killed in 1071 by pagans.

In 1314, the son of the Rostov boyar, the infant Bartholomew, the future Sergius of Radonezh, was baptized here.

Back in the 1660s, the walls of the Assumption Cathedral were painted with frescoes, the work was carried out by the famous artel of masters Guria Nikitin (she also painted the Trinity Cathedral of the Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma). The first frescoes survived only in fragments - later a new layer was laid on top of them. At present, the inside of the cathedral makes, of course, a depressing impression.

From the Cathedral Square you can climb the Belfry (1682-1687) - this is no longer free. Here hang 13 unique bells of different sizes and weights, cast in the XVII - XIX centuries. Most of the bells have their own names. The largest, 2000-pound (about 32 tons) bell is called "Sysa": in honor of Metropolitan Jonah. The second largest (1000-pood) is called "Polyeleos", as it calls for polyeleos church holidays. There is also "Swan", "Ram", "Goat". The bell, which was used during the days of Great Lent, is called "Hunger". Visitors are strictly prohibited from ringing the bells.

Downstairs in the building of the belfry there is a souvenir shop, as well as a very interesting shop-workshop "Black Polished Ceramics" - this traditional folk craft has existed in Rostov since the 16th century. Fired in a smoky flame without access to oxygen, ceramics get a deep black, charcoal color, then it is already painted with paints. In this workshop, you can see the process of making souvenirs and various figurines and immediately purchase these figurines, they are inexpensive.

We are heading to the next, central part of the Kremlin - Bishop's Court . We pass under the richly decorated front gate of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. Here you have to buy a ticket.

Church of the Resurrection of Christ(1670) was specially built on high basements, in which openings were cut for two asymmetric gates - travel and pedestrian. In the photo below - the same Church of the Resurrection, but this time the view from the side of the Bishop's Court.

So, we ended up in a cozy courtyard with a pond in the middle. Notice the corner towers built in the 1670s. The characteristic bulbous ("snub-nosed") tops of the round corner towers make the silhouette of Rostov Veliky always recognizable.

To the left of the Resurrection Church we see building at the clock, the base of the former Clock Tower, which had to be dismantled in the 19th century due to the danger of destruction.

The next red building is the economic building "House in the cellars". There used to be cellars here. And now - a hotel where absolutely anyone can stay. The hotel, however, is not of a very high standard, while everything is rather "Soviet", and the rooms are not very cheap. But if someone has a desire to live in the Rostov Kremlin itself - please! Moreover, hotel guests have a rare opportunity to wander around the Kremlin in the evening after its closing, and in the morning you can wake up under chimes instead of an alarm ;)

Among the buildings of official, economic and residential importance, the White Chamber, built around 1675 on the model of the Patriarchal Palace in the Moscow Kremlin, almost does not stand out. Adjacent to it is a small one-headed Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands on Senya(pictured right), conceived as the Metropolitan's home church. It is called so because it stands on a two-story basement, where the canopy was located: storerooms and other utility rooms. The church is unusual in its completion: each of its facades ends with a triangular pediment, and it turns out that the church is covered with eight slopes. To get into it and see the frescoes, you need to buy a ticket for "Crossing the Kremlin Walls".

Inside, a very small and outwardly inconspicuous church is richly decorated, and two-thirds of the temple's premises are occupied by soles - an elevation in front of the altar - dozens of priests could be placed here during the service! Metropolitan Jonah was very fond of solemn and crowded services.

The yellow three-story building in the Bishop's Yard - the Samuil Corps - was the former residential quarters of the Rostov metropolitans. They say that hanging galleries stretched to this house from all sides, and from here, without going out into the street, one could go to any room, utility or residential, to any tower or church.

On the opposite bank of the pond stands an unusually colored Church of Hodegetria, erected in 1692-1693, its colorful ornament imitates the relief. The church differs from other buildings of the Kremlin, it was built in the style of "Naryshkin baroque".

To the left of the church Hodegetria rises Church of John the Evangelist with dark green domes (1683). In the interior wall painting of the temple there are not only traditional scenes from the life of Christ, but scenes from the lives of John the Theologian and Abraham of Rostov are also depicted. For example, the fresco "John and Prokhor melting the bathhouse" in the third tier of the western wall is very interesting))

To the left of the Church of St. John the Evangelist is the Red Chamber, which consists of several buildings. "Red" because it's beautiful. Tsars and emperors who came to Rostov stayed here.

This building is an interesting example of residential premises of the 17th century. It is impossible not to pay attention to the porch.

On the first floor of the Red Chamber, an excellent restaurant-museum "Collection" has recently been opened. To be honest, we usually avoid restaurants located in the very epicenter of attractions, they are often unreasonably expensive, and the quality of food leaves much to be desired ("well, why bother, there will still be visitors"). But on that day, it started to rain and recurrent hunger “driven” us to this particular restaurant. Here the portions were large, the food was delicious, and the bread, the freshest buns of their own making, just melted in your mouth! And the price tag, I must say, is not Moscow. Recommended.

Finally, we pass into the third part of the Rostov Kremlin - Metropolitan Garden . Left - Church of Gregory the Theologian. On right - Wood (Garden) tower. The walls surrounding the Metropolitan Garden have been recently restored. The garden is also gradually being put in order. In May, apple trees and others bloom profusely here. fruit trees. You can relax in the garden, sit on the grass or on a bench, have a bite to eat in a cafe located on the opposite side of the passage to the central part of the Kremlin.

Outwardly, the Rostov Kremlin was inspected!
To enter the ancient temples of the Kremlin, see their beautiful frescoes, walk along the upper passages, you need to buy a ticket "Crossing the walls of the Kremlin" (you can get inside the temples of the Resurrection, St. John the Evangelist and the Savior on Senya). We advise you to do this if time permits. Buying these tickets will certainly not ruin you, and the impressions will be more complete.

We also visited the observation deck in the Water Tower of the Bishop's Court (for a small fee): we did not regret it.

The Rostov Kremlin is currently largely restored and restored. From the federal budget: of course, there is no money in the local budget. And now the Kremlin in Rostov is a striking contrast with the dilapidated buildings surrounding it. This picture is rather sad. Restoration work in the Kremlin is still ongoing. Most likely, when the restoration of the last structures is completed, the first ones will already need renovation - as is often the case in Russia.

The Rostov Kremlin has a number of permanent and temporary exhibitions, their admission is paid separately, but the price of tickets is low.

State Museum-Reserve (GMZ) "Rostov Kremlin" open daily except January 1, opening hours from 10.00 to 17.00. Frescoes and fortress walls can be seen from May 1 to October 1.

The address: Russia, Yaroslavl region, Rostov the Great
Start of construction: 1670
Completion of construction: 1683
Number of towers: 11 pcs.
Main attractions: Assumption Cathedral, belfry of the Assumption Cathedral, Gate Church of the Resurrection, Judgment Order, Church of St. John the Evangelist, Church of Hodegetria, Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands (on the entryway), Church of St. Gregory the Theologian, Red Chamber, White Dining Chamber
Coordinates: 57°11"05.2"N 39°24"59.6"E
Object of cultural heritage of the Russian Federation

The construction of the Kremlin in Rostov was carried out in the period from 1670 to 1683. Customer construction works was the local metropolitan Iona Sysoevich. According to his plan, the building was supposed to convey paradise in its full accordance with the biblical description. In religious literature, paradise is represented as a garden with a pond in the center, and the garden itself is surrounded by walls with towers.

Kremlin from a bird's eye view

In 1787, the metropolis moved to Yaroslavl, so the Rostov Metropolitan Court (another name for the Kremlin) lost its purpose and gradually fell into decay. Divine services were no longer held in the local churches, and the bishops planned to sell the entire metropolitan complex for scrap.

However, the Kremlin escaped such an unenviable fate thanks to the enlightened city merchants - the architectural ensemble was restored with the funds allocated to them (the work was carried out in the 60s and 80s of the 19th century).

View of the Rostov Kremlin from Lake Nero

In the autumn of 1883, the Rostov Museum of Church Antiquities was opened in the Kremlin chamber called "White". The initiators of this decision were Titov A.A. and Shlyakov I.A. Since 1886, the museum came under the patronage of the heir to the imperial throne of tsarist Russia - it was Nicholas II, who later became tsar. In 1910, the State Duma finally secured the all-Russian status for the institution and decided to allocate a certain amount from the treasury for its maintenance. In 1953, due to a strong tornado, most of the monuments of the ensemble were damaged, but somewhat later they were all restored.

From left to right: Hodegetrievskaya tower, Church of St. John the Evangelist, main entrance, ticket office

The territory of the Rostov Kremlin is represented by three zones. These are the Bishop's Yard, the Metropolitan Garden and the Cathedral Square. The oldest building in the city is also located here - the five-domed Assumption Cathedral, built in the distant 16th century. The majestic building of the shrine took the place of another, more ancient temple, once built of stone. outer part Assumption Cathedral is decorated with various decorative details that give the building a special expressiveness.

Architectural features of the Rostov Kremlin

In addition to the Assumption Cathedral and the belfry, there were also administrative buildings on the territory of the Metropolitan's Court. One of them was the building of the Judgment Order.

From left to right: Church of Hodegetria, Assumption Cathedral, Church of the Resurrection

A two-story building appeared here in mid-seventeenth centuries. Some time later, a gate church of the Resurrection with a pair of fortress towers was erected next to it. Directly under the church were the Holy Gates, which acted as the main entrance to the courtyard. Due to the small number of architectural delights in the upper part of the church, it seems formidable like a watchtower. But the lower part, flowing into the arch of the Holy Doors, thanks to the icon case, tiles and brick pattern, seems simply luxurious.

Also, according to the plan of Jonah, metropolitan mansions were erected for his residence and the preservation of considerable monetary savings.

Church of the Resurrection

Initially, they were a 2-story building, but at the end of the 17th century, a 3rd floor was added to them, and a century later the whole building was decorated with classic decor. Today, the metropolitan mansions are identified by the narrow windows on the first floor and the ornamental belt.

State mansions, or the Red Chamber, is another solid building that is a landmark of the Rostov Kremlin. The special beauty of the building is achieved by the porch, completed with two tents. No less valuable historical monument on the territory of the Bishop's Court is the complex of the Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands.

Church of St. John the Evangelist, view from the courtyard of the Kremlin

The lower floor of this building, erected in 1675, was occupied by household services, on the upper floor there was the church building itself, the Otdatochny chambers and the Refectory. This shrine was considered the home temple of Jonah.

The Gate Church of St. John the Evangelist with five domes was built last. It became the best building of that time - it was distinguished from previous buildings by rich decor on the entire outer surface of the building. The elongation of the main part of the shrine, together with the drums, makes it visually taller. The construction of the Hodegetria Church was the final point in the formation of the ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin.

Church of Hodegetria

As for the Kremlin walls and towers, their erection was usually carried out after the construction of most buildings. As befits real fortress walls, they were equipped with loopholes. At the same time, wide window openings were cut in the Kremlin towers, which is not typical for a fortress. From the general decor of the towers, it also becomes clear that neither the towers nor the walls played any protective role, and the loopholes served as a tribute to traditions.

Of the buildings of economic importance, the private brewery and bakery deserve special attention. Their design was quite primitive, which made both buildings stand out against the backdrop of the rich residence of the metropolitan.

Left to right: Assumption Cathedral, belfry

Modern life of the Rostov Kremlin

Today the Rostov Kremlin exists as a museum-reserve of national importance. It is also the repository of the largest collection of finift - the oldest art of painting on enamel. Arriving in Rostov in the 17th century, it has remained in demand in the city to this day.

The art gallery of the museum is represented by several halls. They exhibit portraits of the local nobility and merchants, nobles in the 18th - 19th centuries. The works of Russian artists famous in the late 18th and early 20th centuries are also kept here. Among their works there is also the avant-garde.

Red Chamber

Inside the White Chamber of the Kremlin, which previously served as a dining room for the Rostov rulers, an exposition of church antiquities has been deployed. In part, it reproduces the first exposition of 1883. In the Red Chamber, built for the great sovereigns, cutters of beads, porcelain, and ceramics are on display today. There is also a valuable exhibition called "Archaeology of the Rostov Land".