The Godunovs, the Romanovs and Susanin

10 points6 km3.5 hours

Kostroma is a place with a rich history. The town is linked to the Godunovs, the Romanov royal dynasty and Ivan Susanin. Be sure to see the historic center and the ancient churches and monasteries. Kostroma is a town of Russia's Golden Ring with its own local flavor.

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

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

Route points (10)

Drama Theater in Kostroma

Point on route “The Godunovs, the Romanovs and Susanin”

Point 4

Drama Theater

🎭 Theater • 📜 Historic site

Historical Background

In the 18th and 19th centuries Kostroma was far from one of the country's poorest towns. In the 19th century, for example, it got a drama theater that is now considered one of the oldest in Russia. The theater was founded in 1808, but at first the local troupe had no permanent venue. In 1812 the Moscow Imperial Theater was evacuated to Kostroma from Moscow, which had a huge influence on the town's culture and laid the foundation for its theatrical traditions. The theater got a home of its own in 1863, when the drama theater building was built. It has survived in good condition: it was gradually remodeled and given decorative elements, but without straying far from its original look. The Kostroma Drama Theater is a vivid example of classical architecture in the town.

Repertoire

Kostroma was the first place outside the two capitals to stage Ostrovsky's plays, and they are still in the repertoire today. Every September the theater hosts the All-Russian festival “Ostrovsky Days in Kostroma,” which brings touring companies from all over the country.