Yaroslavl: A City with a Thousand-Year History

24 points11 km3.5 hours

A bear on its coat of arms and a multitude of churches, the cradle of Russian theater and painting, one of the oldest Russian cities, the jewel of the Golden Ring: all of this is Yaroslavl. The city's historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Where better to take a thoughtful stroll along the embankment than here?

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

📜 Learn the city's history
🔍🖼️ Spot interesting details
🏛️🕰️ Compare the eras

Route points (24)

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Nadein Church) in Yaroslavl

Point on route “Yaroslavl: A City with a Thousand-Year History”

Point 11

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker (Nadein Church)

🕍 Place of worship • 📜 Historic site • 🏟️ Architectural landmark

Historical Background

The Church of St. Nicholas Nadein was the first stone building in the city's merchant quarter and is a vivid example of 17th-century Yaroslavl church architecture. It was also the first church built not with state funds but with private money. The merchant who donated the money was baptized Epifany Sveteshnikov but was known in everyday life as Nadeya. That name, Nadeya, has survived in the name of the church he built. One of the richest men of his time, Nadeya Sveteshnikov invested in church building and thereby set a fashion for privately funded churches and patronage.

Legends and Miracles

Construction began in 1620. According to legend, one day an icon of St. Nicholas washed up on the riverbank closest to the future church. It was placed in the church under construction and later recognized as miracle-working. That is why the church was consecrated in honor of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

Interesting Details

The altar screen with the Royal Doors is made in an unusual style: its design was sketched by a famous parishioner, Fyodor Volkov, the founder of the first Russian theater. The Royal Doors bear a relief of the Last Supper, and the decoration around the altar resembles a theater stage framed by a draped curtain.