The Russian Golden Ring: Suzdal and Vladimir

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Combining a trip to both these towns within a single day is a hard task but I managed to do it, though with a very stupid mistake. Both these towns are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and so are of highest priority for me.

This time I managed to board the train without any occurrences, and arrived to Vladimir in three hours. Instead of doing the sights at once, I decided first to go by bus to Suzdal, and proceed with Vladimir. All would be done rather quickly. The bus station is right in front of the train station, nevertheless, I had to wait for half an hour for the bus.

I bought a ticket to Suzdal (there were many people in queues) and it turned out I, as many other passengers, had standing places. The bus takes about 50 minutes so if you need comfort ask the cashier for a seat, not to be standing all the way. There was a large group of Chinese in the bus.

Suzdal bus station is quite far from the centre, just at the outskirts of the town. One may either walk (a couple of kilometers) or stay in the same bus which stops at the station and then goes to the town centre.

I got off as soon as I thought I was well within the city and saw several wonderful churches. I walked and walked for a couple of hours, and saw real wonders from the remote ages, and felt the breath of Ancient Rus.

The town is first mentioned in written documents in 1024. This year it celebrates its 990-th birthday. Since the XVI century many monasteries were built here, making the town a religious centre in the Rus. However, since the second half of XIX century the town became a back-country provincial town without well-developed industry. I think the absence of industry is good for the town.

As I have mentioned elsewhere, visits to old Russian towns in the depth of country imply seeing lots of churches and monasteries, and certain civil buildings such as merchants’ houses, shopping arcades, less ancient timber houses. In Suzdal, I saw many churches, neat timber houses, a river and hills, and many people walking, doing shopping, riding in horse carriages and enjoying themselves in other ways.

There was a hill on the river bank (it must have been the town’s defence structure) with a picturesque view on the roundabouts. Then I walked in and around the monastery and started going back to the train station. It is very hot during these weeks and I have to drink lots of water. No food is better than chilly water in such weather.

The road to the station lies among mainly single-storey timber and brick houses, and is worth the pains. There is also a monastery not far from the station. I came to the station and bought a ticket. As I sat waiting, I decided to check my return train ticket from Vladimir. I could not believe my eyes – the date was August 2, while today was August 3! I have made a blunder and had absolutely no money for elektrichka! The ticket was for a comfortable express train, and I had only a hundred roubles left. I tried to phone my wife, but she was out of reach for several hours. Nobody could help me, because I did not have their phone numbers.

Upon return to Vladimir, I thought hard how to settle the situation, and finally decided to buy the elektrichka ticket for the closest station, so that I had access to the platform, and go on the train as a ‘fare-dodger’. That quieted me a bit, and I began my sightseeing of Vladimir. The city belongs to the Russian Golden Ring and is full up with sights. Though I got immense pleasure, I still was gloomy due to the ticket mistake.

The town’s history began in 990 and was related to many notable Russian historical persons such as Vladimir Monomakh, Andrey Bogolubsky, and Vsevolod Bolshoye Gnezdo. Vladimir Monomakh did much for town’s development, enhancing its role as a point of defence of the Rostov and Suzdal Principality. Andrey Bogolubsky moved the principality’s capital to the town, while Vsevolod was one of the mightiest Russian princes. The town suffered the Mongol-Tatar invasion in 1238 and ceased being the residence of grand princes as disintegration of North-Eastern Rus increased. As the Moscow State got stronger, Vladimir became a simple provincial town. It is not a simple provincial town nowadays, but an important economic and cultural centre.

UNESCO has listed the town’s three white-stone monuments of pre-Mongol era as World’s Heritage: 1) Uspensky Cathedral built in 1158-1160, reconstructed in later years, with frescoes from XII-XIII centuries and some fragments of paintings by Andrey Rublev; 2) Dmitriyevsky Cathedral (1194-1197); 3) the Golden Gates (1158-1164, reconstructed in XVII-XVIII centuries; it a white-stone triumphal (and defence) arc with a gate church.

Sightseeing in Vladimir is quite easy, because all the main attractions are located on both sides of a central street, all within walking distance from the train station. There are at least a couple of worthy sights in the vicinity of the town, but I did not have time for them.

Nearby the Uspensky Cathedral is a viewing site from where I saw a far-away beach (Klyazma River) and a large bridge. Not only the churches are festive, but the civil buildings are also attractive and colourful.

I approached the Golden Gates and ascended the imposing earthen mound of the XII century to have a better look. I walked for a couple of hundred meters more and then started going back, making side-trips to several churches and a park with a monument to Nikolai Gogol.

I got mentally and physically tired, because of gloomy thoughts and my shorts somehow rubbed painfully on my legs. Leaving all the bad things out, we can say that the visit to two towns had been a great success.

On the train, I learned the system of fare-dodging. I felt ashamed, of course, at ‘violating the laws’, but I had no choice. My wife called me, but due to the roaming our talk was interrupted and we could not communicate until I paid money for my phone the next day. When the ticket inspectors came, fare-dodgers would go to the next carriages, and if the train stopped at a station, all of them rushed to the carriage already checked. It is of course a stupid and dangerous thing, because you may miss the train – it stops only for half a minute or so. In Moscow, at Kursky Station, I had to climb the fence to get out. Then I safely returned to the hotel and felt, more or less, satisfied.

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