←A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake

A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake

Photo of route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”
18 points23 km6.55 hours

A walk around Pereslavl-Zalessky won't be quick, but it will certainly be fascinating. Panoramic views, myths and legends, ancient churches, and plenty of pleasant impressions await you in this town on Russia's Golden Ring.

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

  • 📜 Learn the city's history
  • 🏛️🕰️ Compare the eras
  • 🏰🕵️‍♂️ Discover a legend

Route points (18)

  1. Feodorovsky Convent — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Feodorovsky Convent

    🕍 Place of worship

  2. D. N. Kardovsky's Mansion — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    D. N. Kardovsky's Mansion

    🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site

  3. S. F. Kharitonov Arboretum — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    S. F. Kharitonov Arboretum

    🌳 Botanical garden

  4. Goritsky Dormition Monastery Ensemble — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Goritsky Dormition Monastery Ensemble

    🕍 Place of worship · 🏟️ Architectural landmark

  5. Holy Trinity St. Daniel Monastery — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Holy Trinity St. Daniel Monastery

    🕍 Place of worship · 📜 Historic site

  6. St. Nicholas Convent — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    St. Nicholas Convent

    🕍 Place of worship

  7. Church of the Forty Martyrs — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Church of the Forty Martyrs

    🕍 Place of worship

  8. Lake Pleshcheyevo — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Lake Pleshcheyevo

    🌿 Public garden or park

  9. Viewpoint at the City Beach — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Viewpoint at the City Beach

    🔭 Viewpoint

  10. St. Nikita Monastery — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    St. Nikita Monastery

    🕍 Place of worship · 📜 Historic site

  11. Church of St. Simeon the Stylite — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Church of St. Simeon the Stylite

    🕍 Place of worship · 🕵️ Urban legend · 🏟️ Architectural landmark

  12. Summer Garden — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Summer Garden

    🌿 Public garden or park

  13. Church of St. Peter the Metropolitan — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Church of St. Peter the Metropolitan

    🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site

  14. Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh at the Prison Castle — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh at the Prison Castle

    📜 Historic site

  15. Vladimir Icon Cathedral and Church of St. Alexander Nevsky — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Vladimir Icon Cathedral and Church of St. Alexander Nevsky

    🕍 Place of worship · 📜 Historic site

  16. World of Railways Museum — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    World of Railways Museum

    🏛️ Museum

  17. Hand-Pump Trolley Ride — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Hand-Pump Trolley Ride

    ⚙️ Industrial site

  18. Botik of Peter I Museum-Estate — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

    Botik of Peter I Museum-Estate

    🏛️ Museum · 🏟️ Architectural landmark · 📜 Historic site

Vladimir Icon Cathedral and Church of St. Alexander Nevsky in Pereslavl-Zalessky

Point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

Vladimir Icon Cathedral and Church of St. Alexander Nevsky — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”
Vladimir Icon Cathedral and Church of St. Alexander Nevsky — point on route “A Town of Fifty Churches and One Lake”

Point 15

Vladimir Icon Cathedral and Church of St. Alexander Nevsky

🕍 Place of worship • 📜 Historic site

Historical Background

In the town center, next to the Pushkin Garden, stands the Vladimir Cathedral, dedicated to the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God. It was built in the mid-18th century in the Novodevichy Convent of the Meeting of the Lord and the Mother of God. The church is notable for its unusually high central dome, which makes its appearance memorable. The Novodevichy Convent of the Meeting of the Lord in Pereslavl was founded in 1659 inside the town's earthen rampart. All its buildings were wooden, and stone ones appeared only in the 1730s. The cathedral and the Church of St. Alexander Nevsky next to it were built in the 1740s.

Scandals, Intrigue, Investigations

Rumor has it that in the 1920s the churches were robbed. Among the stolen items were crowns set with precious stones, silver icon covers, and 17th-century icons of the Savior Not Made by Hands and Our Lady of the Caves. As a character in a classic Soviet comedy laments, everything he had earned by back-breaking toil was gone! Sadly, the investigation never led to the thieves.

Soviet Times

During this period the Vladimir Cathedral was renovated and a bakery opened inside, with a bread kiosk in the altar area. In the 1940s a special architectural commission studied the buildings and decided that both churches should be considered historical heritage. Thanks to this, they have survived.

Today

Since the 1990s services have resumed in both churches.