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)

Bogoyavlenskaya (Epiphany) Square (Church of the Epiphany) in Yaroslavl

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

Point 1

Bogoyavlenskaya (Epiphany) Square (Church of the Epiphany)

⛲ Square • 🕍 Place of worship

Historical Background

A walk around Yaroslavl begins at Epiphany Square, which appeared when the city's historic center was being built. Its main calling card, of course, is the monument to Yaroslav the Wise, which has adorned it since 1993. The ruler holds a sword and a model of the Volga fortress he founded. The square takes its name from the nearby Church of the Epiphany, the first church in Yaroslavl built without interior pillars.

Architecture

It is called “pillarless” because its vaults and dome are supported by the outer walls alone. The church was built in 1684–1693 by the merchant Alexei Zubchaninov. It is decorated with glazed tiles and painted with frescoes telling the story of Christ's life. Today it is an active church where services are held.