These monuments are recognized by UNESCO and included in the World Heritage List. They are essential tourist destinations in Vladimir.
Cathedral of the Assumption
Cathedral of the Assumption (Успенскийсобор), Соборная площадь (Cathedral Square), . It is one of the most historically important Russian Orthodox Churches. For a short period in the 14th century, the cathedral was the seat of the Metropolitan, the leader of the Russian Ortodox Chuch. Originally, the cathedral was built in 1158 and had only one dome. However, the major reconstruction followed already in 1185: four smaller domes were added, and the building was considerably enlarged in order to resemble St. Sophia's Cathedral in Kiev. Later on, a similar project was utilized for the cathedral of the Assumption in Moscow Kremlin. The neghboring bell tower of eclectic style was built in 1810 to replace the former hip-roof tower. The interior of the cathedral includes a number of ancient frescos from late 12th century (northern wall) and 15th century (vaults), the latter being painted by Andrei Rublev and Daniil Chyorny. Presently, the cathedral combines church and museum activities. Services are normally held in the morning and offer free entrance. During the opening hours of the museum (Tue-Sun, 13.00-16.30), the tickets are sold. �
Cathedral of St. Demetrius (Дмитриевскийсобор), Соборная площадь, . This is the other ancient cathedral of Vladimir. The buliding was constructed in 1194-97 as an in-house church of the Prince's court. Originally, galleries linked the cathedral to the palace, but they were removed during the reconstruction in 19th century. At present, St. Demetrius' Cathedral is a detached church, a unique monument of ancient Russian architecture. The bottom part of the walls is flat (here the galleries were attached), while the upper part is covered by fine stone carvings. These carvings depict stories from the life of King David and praise the harmony of the world. Yet the meaning of some carvings remains unknown. The cathedral hosts a small museum that presents enlarged images and detailed explanations for a number of carvings as well as a small piece of original frescos from late 12th century. The museum is open Wed-Mon, from 11 till 17 or 18. Don't forget to have a look from the nearby viewpoint! �
Golden Gate
Golden Gate (Золотыеворота), Большая Московская ул. (west from the Cathedral square), . Once the entrance to the walled city, the gate was originally built in 1158-64. At that time, the city was surrounded by a rampart with five stone gates. The Golden Gate is the only remaining part of the complex and the unique monument of ancient fortifications in Russia. The ramparts were removed in 19th century, and the gate was reinforced by four circular bastions at the buttresses. These bastions strongly changed the appearance of the gate, so it may be advisable to see the picture of the original building like in a museum of military history inside the gate. The remaining part of the rampart is found south from the gate, along the Kozlov Rampart Street (ул. Козлов вал). �
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Vladimir
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Vladimir - updated Apr 2024
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Vladimir Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
