Rostov the Great
Rostov-the-Great is one of the oldest Russian towns. It is almost three hundred years older than Moscow. The first written account of Rostov dates back to the year of 862. In the 13th century the town was one of the centers of the new Russian state formed in the northwest part of ancient Russia. In 1207 it became the capital of the Rostov principality, and it merged with Moscow in 1474. Nevertheless, Rostov developed as an economic, religious, and cultural center because of its favorable location on the northern Russia trade route.
The local Kremlin had been called "Bishop's House" up to the 19th century. The architectural ensemble built in 1660–1680 as a Metropolitan residence is in excellent condition. It includes 5 churches, palaces and estates. The inner walls have wonderful wall paintings, which also remain bright and attractive. It looks like the whole ensemble rushes up into the skies; its walls bear the trait of the ancient times. The so-called "trading line" structures of classical style, built in 1830 are close to the Kremlin and the Church of Savior with the golden stars on bright-blue domes. The Church of Ascension stands a bit away from the line. There are two convents located on the banks of Nero lake to the left and to the right of the Kremlin: the St. Abraham Convent to the north-east (16th-19th centuries) and Yakovlevsky Convent (17th-19th centuries) to the southwest.
Up to the end of the 18th century Rostov remained one of the biggest and richest towns of Russia. The town preserves residential wooden two-story houses of the 19th century with pediments and balconies in the Russian classic style, and the monuments of civic architecture Mytny and Gostiny Dvor (1830s). Rostov is the only town in Russia where the old art of finift (jewelry with exquisite miniature enamel work) has been preserved.
