Rostov the Great is more than a thousand years old. Today it's a small town, but it was once a spiritual center of the country and a major trading post. Visit the local kremlin, which was never a fortress, and stroll down an old street lined with merchant buildings. Make the rounds of the local museums and find out how two famous heroes of Russian epic tales are connected with this place.
Rostov Kremlin
📜 Historic site · 🕵️ Urban legend · 🏛️ Museum
Leninskaya Street
📜 Historic site · 🏟️ Architectural landmark
Kekin Estate
📜 Historic site · 🏟️ Architectural landmark
Rostov Finift Enamel
🕵️ Urban legend
Spaso-Yakovlevsky Monastery of St. Demetrius
🕍 Place of worship · 📜 Historic site · 🏟️ Architectural landmark
Lake Nero Embankment
🚶♂️ Waterfront · 🔭 Viewpoint
Worship Cross
🗿 Monument
Point 4
🕵️ Urban legend
Finift has long been the Russian name for various kinds of decorative enamel, a glassy substance bearing a painted design. The paints used for finift are various metal oxides, and they change color when the piece is fired. Because of this, in ancient Rus finift was nicknamed “fiery writing.” Such pieces are very strong and durable; some even call them “immortal.”
The art of enamel was born several thousand years ago in the East and came to Rus from Byzantium in the 10th century. Russian jewelers mastered the new technique and used it to decorate icons, church plate, and the covers of religious books. Since the 18th century Rostov the Great has been the center of enamel art in Russia. It all began with an artel (cooperative) of craftsmen who painted icons. As an important spiritual center of the country, the town was famous for its icon painters, which is why this craft guild was able to take root here. Later they began producing portraits, jewelry for women, and decorative tableware.
The revolution of 1917 was a severe test for the enamel craft. Religious subjects were no longer in demand, so the craftsmen switched to scenes from the Civil War, the labor feats of the Soviet people, portraits of Lenin, Stalin, and other great figures, and all sorts of Soviet slogans. The craftsmen survived as best they could and managed to preserve the ancient art. In 1960 the Rostovskaya Finift factory was founded on the basis of the artel.
Today the enamel craft continues to thrive. In Rostov, the only place in Russia where this old folk craft has survived, the factory is still operating, and several creative workshops have been set up.
Point on route “Rostov the Great: Around the Town Center”
Point 4
🕵️ Urban legend
Finift has long been the Russian name for various kinds of decorative enamel, a glassy substance bearing a painted design. The paints used for finift are various metal oxides, and they change color when the piece is fired. Because of this, in ancient Rus finift was nicknamed “fiery writing.” Such pieces are very strong and durable; some even call them “immortal.”
The art of enamel was born several thousand years ago in the East and came to Rus from Byzantium in the 10th century. Russian jewelers mastered the new technique and used it to decorate icons, church plate, and the covers of religious books. Since the 18th century Rostov the Great has been the center of enamel art in Russia. It all began with an artel (cooperative) of craftsmen who painted icons. As an important spiritual center of the country, the town was famous for its icon painters, which is why this craft guild was able to take root here. Later they began producing portraits, jewelry for women, and decorative tableware.
The revolution of 1917 was a severe test for the enamel craft. Religious subjects were no longer in demand, so the craftsmen switched to scenes from the Civil War, the labor feats of the Soviet people, portraits of Lenin, Stalin, and other great figures, and all sorts of Soviet slogans. The craftsmen survived as best they could and managed to preserve the ancient art. In 1960 the Rostovskaya Finift factory was founded on the basis of the artel.
Today the enamel craft continues to thrive. In Rostov, the only place in Russia where this old folk craft has survived, the factory is still operating, and several creative workshops have been set up.
7 points
6 km
6 hours
