Once the capital city of North-Eastern Rus’, modern Vladimir still retains the spirit of antiquity, is proud of the heritage of white stone architecture and is rightfully considered an ideal place to spend a weekend in peace and solitude. For its comfort and leisurely pace, the city is especially appreciated by residents of neighboring cities — Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is now actively developing here. And in its central part, small private museums are constantly opening, striving to compete with one of the strongest state museum complexes in Russia – the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve.
Spending a weekend in Vladimir will be interesting for residents of Moscow, Yaroslavl, Nizhny Novgorod, Ivanovo, Kostroma, Ryazan, Tula, Kaluga, Voronezh, Tver, Kazan and other nearby cities, the journey from which will not take much time.
Approximate travel budget for one person – from 4000 rubles*.
- Round-trip train tickets from the capital from 890 rubles*;
- 1 night in a hostel – from 300 rubles* or in a 3* hotel from 2,200 rubles*;
- The average bill in a cafe is 400 rubles;
- Walks around the city, travel on public transport, souvenirs – 1000 rubles.
Golden Gate and Kozlov Val
Photo: @artyom_mirniy/Instagram.com
You should start exploring Vladimir from the Golden Gate – a unique architectural monument and symbol of an ancient defensive structure. It was the Golden Gate that in the past marked the entrance to the city and served as reliable protection from enemies. It is not by chance that the gates are called “golden” – they were once upholstered with sheets of gilded copper that shone brightly in the sun. In addition to the front gates, the city had six other gates: Copper, Orinin, Silver, Ivanovo, Trade and Volzhsky – all of them have not survived.
Forming a single fortification structure, embankments were closely adjacent to the Golden Gate from the north and south. The remnant of such a defensive rampart, which later received the name Kozlov, has survived to this day. Climbing to its top, you can see the entire central part of the city from a bird’s eye view.
Address: Bolshaya Moskovskaya street, 1a
Pedestrian zone on Georgievskaya Street
Photo: Vladislav Tyabin
The restored pedestrian zone on Georgievskaya Street, filled with tourist attractions, is a favorite walking place for citizens and tourists – stretches along the main transport route of the regional center.
The undisputed favorite and participant in endless selfies among the recently installed bronze sculptures is the monument to the spy (a criminal detective police agent),
from behind the poster stand watching the actions of the young rogue. If you find yourself here on a hot day, you can spray yourself and your friends with an antique hand-held fire cannon held in the hands of a bronze fireman.
During the warm season, in one of the courtyards you can also find “Shalopaevka” – a gathering place for local antique dealers: this is what was once called the ancient city flea market, located on the outskirts of the central city street.
Where it is: The pedestrian walk starts from the Old Pharmacy and ends at the Water Tower (Old Vladimir Museum).
Borodin’s Forge
Photo: @marie_sizova/Instagram.com
In the creative workshop of hereditary blacksmiths, you can watch an exhibition of decorative and applied arts and learn about the history of blacksmithing. And for a short time, turn into a real master working using ancient technologies that have been rarely preserved – feel the heat of the furnace, see how plastic hot metal melts in the fire, turning into unique elegant souvenirs in your hands. This is what many visitors come here for.
The Borodins’ forge is located in the very center of the city – on Georgievskaya Street right behind the Old Pharmacy. The small building is immediately recognizable – a beautiful wrought iron fence and exterior details will not allow you to pass by.
Address: Georgievskaya street, 3G
Site: kuznica33.ru
Assumption Cathedral
Photo: Sergey Ershov/@elenakrizhevskaya/Instagram.com
The most important monument of white-stone architecture of pre-Mongol Rus’ is the Assumption Cathedral, built by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. In the past, it was here that the princes of Vladimir and Moscow were married. The temple served as a model for the construction of a number of later religious buildings – including the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.
The cathedral is also valued for its original frescoes by Andrei Rublev, preserved in good quality. Just a few years ago, during the restoration process, the masters uncovered new fragments of the surviving unique painting of the great icon painter. The colorful layer of the frescoes has been strengthened, updated and presented to tourists for viewing.
Address: Bolshaya Moskovskaya street, 56
Opening hours: the cathedral is jointly managed by the Russian Orthodox Church and Vladimir-Suzdal Museum of the Reserve. Depending on the time of day, you can buy a ticket for an excursion or go to a service.
VSMZ website: vladmuseum.ru
Bolshaya Moskovskaya Street
Photo: @ym_photos/Instagram.com
Bolshaya Moskovskaya is the central city street, passing through the historical core of the city. Starting at the Golden Gate arch, it stretches across the entire center, gradually turning into Bolshaya Nizhegorodskaya Street. Both of these streets were once one, which was called simply Bolshaya or Main Street of Vladimir.
There are many cafes, bars and restaurants on both sides of Bolshaya Moskovskaya. Walking along this street, you can see all the main attractions of Vladimir – including the high-walled Mother of God Nativity Monastery and the Chambers building, where the main building of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve is currently located. Here also stands the red brick building of the former City Duma and a monument to icon painter Andrei Rublev. It is from this street that you can get to most of the small private museums that densely fill the historical center of the city of Vladimir.
Church of the Intercession on the Nerl
Photo: Vladislav Tyabin
You definitely need to find a few hours and go to Bogolyubovo, a small village adjacent to Vladimir from Nizhny Novgorod. Here is the only temple in the world standing on a water meadow. If the trip takes place in early spring, you will see a church surrounded on all sides by water. And there will definitely be a boatman nearby, ready to take you to the temple island – with a priest’s house and a small apiary.
The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl is a favorite filming location for photographers from nearby cities. And the journey to it – both on foot and by boat – can become the most vivid memory of your trip to Vladimir. In the winter of 2017, the temple was illuminated. Now the church, shrouded in soft light, is clearly visible from afar.
Address: Vladimir region, Suzdal district, Bogolyubovo village
Park Hotel Voznesenskaya Sloboda
Photo: vk.com/vslobodaru
Park Hotel “Voznesenskaya Sloboda” has several restaurant areas for every taste. There are lush halls, cozy gazebos and a veranda overlooking the floodplain expanses. The park hotel is located on a picturesque hill right behind the Church of the Ascension.
An impressively served lunch at Voznesenka will pleasantly surprise you. The award-winning team of chefs under the leadership of chef Kirill Sinichkin time after time demonstrates real masterpieces of dishes prepared taking into account the national characteristics of Russian cuisine.
In summer, restaurants use vegetables and herbs grown in their own greenhouses and in beds laid out on the territory of the park-hotel.
Address: Voznesenskaya street, 14B
Average check: 1,500 rubles
Restaurant menu: vsloboda.ru
Old Pharmacy Museum
Photo: @apteka_museum/Instagram.com
The Old Pharmacy Museum opened in the summer of 2017. It is believed that the round building with a wooden outbuilding was built at the beginning of the 19th century on the instructions of Governor Dmitry Dolgoruky – specifically for the organization of a pharmacy and the development of pharmaceuticals.
Now the museum displays interiors in the style of the 18th-19th centuries, vintage furniture and pharmaceutical utensils. The pharmaceutical collection itself is still small. However, it is updated daily with items related to the history of the development of pharmacy. Here you can not only gawk at ancient pharmaceutical bottles and beakers, but also stay for an interesting lecture, for example, on ancient methods of treating opium.
At the entrance to the museum there is a monument to the pharmacist.
Address: Georgievskaya street, 3
Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 10:00-21:00, closed Monday**
Ticket price: 200 rub. — standard, 100 rub. — preferential
Observation deck at the monument to Prince Vladimir
Photo: @alexeybunakov/@o_makarov/Instagram.com
Vladimir is a city standing on nine hills, the chain of which represents the top of a narrow mountain range. On the central one, Year Mountain, there is a park named after A.S. Pushkin.
This is one of the most favorite places for city residents to walk, ending with a high and spacious observation deck, which offers stunning views of the Klyazma (there is no embankment in the city, so it’s worth looking at the river from here),
floodplain water meadows and the opposite hill with the green cascade of the Patriarchal Garden.
The observation deck is crowned by a monument to the baptists of the Vladimir land – Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir the Red Sun and St. Theodore. The massive 14-meter sculpture, standing on a hill rising above the river, can be seen far away at the entrances to the city.
Where it is: in the park named after A.S. Pushkin at Bolshaya Moskovskaya street, 56
Patriarchal Garden
Photo: @julichitay/Instagram.com
You won’t find a more romantic place in Vladimir. It is especially beautiful here in spring, when hundreds of flowers, shrubs and trees bloom at the same time. The green amphitheater, filled with fountains, ornate staircases and view terraces, lush flower beds and cozy gazebos, is not ignored by any newlywed couple.
Initially the garden was cherry. The trees brought from Georgia took root well on Vladimir soil and became a good source of income for local residents – local berries were taken for sale to Moscow and even served at the royal table. Later, during the Second World War, the cherry orchards were almost completely lost. And now enthusiasts and city leaders are making great efforts to revive the planting of this symbolic tree on Vladimir soil.
In the summer you can buy berries and fruits grown here in the garden.
Address: Kozlov Val street, 5
Ticket price: 80-150 rubles
Opening hours: Monday-Friday 9:00-21:00, Saturday-Sunday 10:00-21:00**
* Prices for travel and accommodation are indicated at the time of writing. The cost indicated in the material and the final price may vary depending on the season and time for which tickets are purchased.
**Operating hours of organizations are indicated at the time of publication of the text. Opening hours may vary depending on the time of year.
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Text author: Anna Khromova
