Museums of Rostov the Great State Museum-Reserve "Rostov Kremlin". Museums of Rostov-on-Don: addresses and descriptions

A lot of tourists come to the quiet Rostov Veliky, illuminated by the halo of its former glory, and for most of them the goal is Rostov Kremlin. So we slowly walked towards it, trying to examine each house along the way: here is an interesting facade, here is a pretty gray plank porch, this one has wonderful carved architraves ... Everything has the same appearance as in times past and stands where it stood in the old days - than not a museum? Sanya and Katya walked a little ahead along a narrow Rostov street, talking and laughing about something, I walked in silence. Rostov has not yet bewitched them, but I already felt the miraculous power of this small town, in which every step and every look is a touch on the great history.

Instead of an introduction

The semicircle of Okruzhnaya Street marks the border of historical Rostov the Great. You can walk around this half-ring at an unhurried pace in an hour. Inside it, in the form of a somewhat deformed nine-ray star, there are fortifications made of earthen ramparts.

Surprisingly, there were no serious defensive fortifications in ancient Rostov, which is why the city suffered so much during times of unrest. A little time passed, order was restored, but memories of the horrors experienced were still fresh in the memory. The severity of the hardships suffered forced the city to start building them at the first opportunity.

For the construction of fortifications, a foreign specialist was invited - van Rodenburg from Holland, since the relief of the marshy Rostov area is similar to the landscapes of the Netherlands. About a thousand people were put under the command of an energetic military engineer. And the construction of the system of ditches and embankments of the Dutch earthen fortress was completed in three years - by 1634.

The city was now protected by a moat filled with water, a low bunker and behind it was a rampart nine meters high. There is evidence that hidden underground passages were laid under the ramparts.

But, fortunately, the city did not have a chance to test their protective function in practice.

In good condition, the fortifications have survived to our time. Objectively speaking, there is no special beauty in them. Nevertheless, they are a monument of federal significance. Experts say that their historical value is not inferior to the Rostov Kremlin itself.

Before the miracle of Russian culture

The streets of the old city converge to Lake Nero, so getting to the Kremlin - the pearl in the depths of the Rostov fortress - will not be difficult even for a person who has come to Rostov for the first time. It is believed that this is no citadel, but just a peaceful abode of the servants of God, namely the metropolitans - representatives of the highest level in.

Located perpendicular to the shore of the lake, the Kremlin of Rostov Veliky on the plan is an irregular rectangle. It is surrounded on all sides by fortress walls with eleven towers:

• Five round corners.
• Two quadrangular sentinels.
• Four round ones at the entrance gate, they are also called "flanking". It could not be written, but I really liked the unfamiliar word - flanking. Something was heard in him so elegant and Spanish (I'm just watching a Spanish TV series about Isabella of Castile).

The towers differ in shape and decoration. They have a different form of roofs - "cubic" and figured tents. From above they are covered with silver.

All together - tower completions, five-domed temples and pointed chimneys form an impressive picture of the city of Kitezh.

Fortress walls with loopholes stretch for almost a kilometer. They are made in such a way that through their covered passages and galleries you can bypass the entire Kremlin of Rostov the Great and get into any building without stepping on the ground - the tower, the metropolitan's chambers, the Cathedral and any of the five churches.

Of course, a trip to Rostov the Great is interesting at any time of the year, but we must remember that in winter they are not allowed on the fortress walls, they are open to the public from May to October.

Do you want to go inside? In this case, remember two things:

1. The Rostov Kremlin Museum is open from 10 to 17, and you can get into it only during these hours. Unless, of course, you are staying at the Cellar House. Then - at any time.
2. In Rostov the Great, there are several entrances to the Kremlin, but the main entrance is considered to be through the curved - cranked - gates of the Church of St. John the Evangelist.

What can you see in the Rostov Kremlin?

1. Walls and towers.
2. Ancient temples of the Kremlin.
3. Constructions of the Metropolitan Court - residential and utility buildings.
4. Museums, small museums, various expositions - both permanent and thematic. Works of ancient Russian and Russian painting, graphics, sculpture, weapons, ceramics and porcelain funds, Rostov enamel.

Rostov Kremlin scheme

Its area is relatively small, something about two hectares. But do not flatter yourself: to get around the entire museum-reserve of the Rostov Kremlin and see everything, you need not hours, but at least several days. Or watch something selectively. And then more than once to come here.

For ourselves, we chose the option that we do not watch everything, but selectively, but in the summer, it is very possible that we will come again.

Its territory is divided by walls into three relatively independent parts:

• Closer to Lake Nero is the Metropolitan Garden.
• The central part is the Metropolitan or Bishop's court.
• Cathedral part.

The joyful and radiant ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin is strikingly beautiful - no matter where you look at it. It is good from the side of the Cathedral Square with a view of the gate with round towers with domes and the gate of the Resurrection of Christ Church. But from the side of Nero, a completely fabulous panorama opens up with the Kremlin in the center and on the sides of the monasteries: on the left - Spaso-Yakovlevsky, and on the right - Abrahamiev.

We started with a tour of the Cathedral part of the Rostov Kremlin, but the story turned out to be long, I had to put it in a separate post, read it.

Inside the Metropolitan Court

I did not regret at all that our acquaintance with the Kremlin took place in the winter. The gray day gave everything a special flavor: somehow the fortress white walls looked especially severe and majestic, the domes and crosses of churches glistening with gray tinning loftily and sternly rushed to the sky.

We went down from the belfry, bought tickets at the box office and through the second Holy Gate, which is under the Church of the Ascension of the Lord, went to the central part of the Kremlin. If you choose a different entrance - through the gate in the Church of St. John the Evangelist of the Rostov Kremlin - there is no difference: you get to the same front square in the center of the ancient episcopal courtyard.

It is decorated with a pond. In the summer, ducklings swim in it, and now there was a skating rink on it, next to it was a slide with comfortable cheesecake sleds for rent. You sit on such an inflatable circle, with a hole in the middle, and - the cheesecake flies down. A decorated Christmas tree and funny figures made of ice flaunt next to the hill. The atmosphere is festive - flushed children, rolling down, yelling joyfully.

Katya stopped and looks at us imploringly. In terms of attractiveness, the museums of the Rostov Kremlin outright lose to winter fun.

My daughter stays to ride, and we go to see the museum dedicated to the history of Rostov in the State mansions. Then we will head to the White Chambers and the Museum of Church Antiquities, then we are planning to visit the Enamel Museum.

So, leaving Katya, we went to a beautiful staircase with pillars supporting the vault, ready to plunge into the study ... It was terribly slippery. The wind blew us and other visitors off the stone steps of the front porch, each step was like a feat! As if he did not want to share the treasures hidden in the chambers. But we persevered and overcame the barrier.

But then they faced a harsh reality: if you want to visit the museums of the Rostov Kremlin, buy a ticket for everyone. And not on the spot, but at the central entrance to the Kremlin of Rostov the Great. An unimaginable word swirled on the tongue.

I had to go back and complete the necessary sequence: first the money, then the chairs, that is, the tickets. It seems that the prices for pleasure do not bite, for example, to visit the museum of enamel costs 70 rubles, the museum of church antiquities - 50 rubles, but the amount still accumulates. For obvious reasons, they did not take a single ticket for 500 rubles.

Having received the coveted pink tickets, we returned to our original place and climbed the same slippery stairs to the dream.

Katya rides, and we watch ... Museum expositions are small, but interesting. I will not describe them, this is a long and thankless task, you have to look with your own eyes.

The history of the Rostov Kremlin - the priceless treasure of Rostov the Great

The Rostov diocese was created almost immediately after the Baptism of Russia - in 991. Its bishops for many centuries ruled the spiritual life of the flock in the vast territory of the Rostov region. The center of the diocese until 1788 was in Rostov the Great.

In 1589, the patriarchate was established, and 4 metropolises appeared in Russia at once - in Moscow, Kazan, Novgorod and Rostov. From that moment, the Rostov bishops began to bear the title of metropolitans.

In 1664, an incredible event took place in the city: Metropolitan Jonah III returned from Moscow to Rostov. Yes, not just returned, but in disgrace. He should have been a patriarch instead of the overly power-hungry Nikon, but he managed to anger the meek Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. For which he paid with a link.

And returning to Rostov, Iona Sysoevich did not grieve about the ruined brilliant career, but began to live carelessly, as if over him there was only one power of the king of heaven and no other.

For forty years he headed the metropolis, and for thirty years of them he built his own, surrounded by high walls with beautiful towers, numerous white-stone churches and wonderful chambers, on the site of the former modest and scattered Bishop's court, and equipped the nearby monasteries - Borisoglebsky, Varnitsky, Yakovlevsky and others.

Work on the construction of an exquisite and grandiose ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin began in 1664 with the construction of the monumental Holy Gates and the gate church of the Resurrection. Together with the beginning of the construction of the metropolis, the city of Rostov began to grow and grow rich. By the way, in fact, the Kremlin began to be called only from the 19th century, and before that - only the Bishop's House.

The main passion of the Rostov Jonah III was bells and ringing. The world-famous Rostov belfry with bells, including the famous Sysoy bell, is his brainchild.

Work in the Rostov Kremlin was completed by the successor of Iona Sysoevich - Metropolitan Joasaph. The result of their labors deservedly acquired the indisputable glory of the pearl of architecture.

In 1788, the diocesan center was transferred to Yaroslavl, the significance of the city fell sharply, and sad times began for Rostov.

And they also say thick-bellied merchants ...

After the transfer of the metropolis, the remarkable architectural ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin, left without a master's supervision, began to decay and collapse. Salt and wine warehouses, glaciers, and some shops fit in it. Clogged the central pond.

But the holy fool Iona Sysoevich, who built the metropolis in the image of the “city of paradise”, warned in his time that only doves and sparrows would live in it. But who could believe it then?

And then there were projects for its demolition and the construction of a Gostiny Dvor and a trade fair on this site.

For the preservation of the Kremlin - a low bow to the Rostov merchants, who preferred the preservation of a beautiful stone fairy tale in the city for future generations to momentary trade benefits. The merchants allocated money for the restoration of the Kremlin and for the creation of a museum of Rostov antiquities in it.

Clouds rose over the city

Now few people remember this, but in 1953 an extremely powerful tornado passed over our country, which caused colossal destruction. Freight wagons with bricks were thrown from place to place, the rails were twisted.

And the worst thing was that the trajectory of the elements went straight through the Rostov Kremlin. His condition, which appeared before the state commission, defies description. Even the domes from the temples were torn off and thrown into the lake. But fortunately, the Rostov Kremlin Museum-Reserve was restored and now visitors do not even know about the trouble that happened in that distant year.

What buildings are located in the Bishop's Yard

Residential and commercial buildings - these words do not really fit here. The beauty of the Kremlin buildings is such that one can only speak of them as stone chambers. There are many chambers - a whole labyrinth. And there - a tangle of corridors, multi-level transitions, unexpected exits to the terraces.

Of which chambers are the main ones:

• A large two-story white building, which is called the Red Chamber or the State Mansions. The mansion is decorated with a luxurious porch crowned with two tents.
  The chamber was intended for the Russian tsars during their stay in Rostov.
  Now it houses an archaeological exposition, exhibitions of porcelain, ceramics and enamel, plus a restaurant.
• Hierarchical chambers, closely adjacent to the Kremlin wall. The metropolitans lived here and the treasury of the metropolis was kept here.
• Judgment building. Now it houses several Kremlin museums. The museum where we will definitely go is the museum of enamel.
• The Yellow Samuil Corps is named after Archbishop Samuil, who built it. In this room of the Metropolitan's Chambers there are now office premises of the museum, a local history exposition, an art gallery with portraits of Rostov merchants and nobles. There is also an impressive museum of ancient Russian art with an icon of a strange saint with a dog's head - like the Egyptian god Anubis.
• House on the cellars, which is now a hotel. Under it, in the semi-basement, there were originally large cellars that gave the building its name.
• The building of the solemn refectory - the White Chamber. Once richly and beautifully finished, now it has lost its former luxury. Here is an exhibition of church antiquities, which laid the foundation for the entire museum-reserve of the Rostov Kremlin.

Churches of the Rostov Kremlin

The cathedral and five churches are located on its territory.

Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich, who created the Rostov Kremlin, seems to have been an imperious man, accustomed to leaving the last word to himself. See for yourself - usually icons were painted on boards and inserted into the frame of the church iconostasis. It occurred to me to change the icon - please, no difficulty. Here, the creator of Ion III ordered to make fresco iconostases, which means that it is not easy to change anything in his vision of church events imprinted on the walls.

The murals of all the Kremlin churches carry the theme of Christ, but each has its own events with a corresponding emotional mood.

Not all the frescoes of that time have come down to us, they are best preserved in the churches of the Resurrection, John the Theologian and the Savior on Senya.

Milky white, light blue dove, solemn cinnabar, a quiet glow of golden ocher, pale tints, a deep cobalt background - the rich and pure colors of the frescoes look the same as they were at the end of the 17th century. Fabulous visions of murals soar under the dome, they are everywhere, they are illuminated by natural light.

1. In the Church of the Resurrection, a contrasting combination of the lower part, richly decorated with tiles and brick patterns, and an ascetic top with almost no decorations.
   On the frescoes - the earthly life of Jesus, his passion and resurrection.
2. The Metropolitan's home church is the Church of the Savior on Senya, standing on a high basement.
   The interior space in it is divided by a gilded arcade into two unequal parts.
   Two-thirds is allotted to the place from which the Metropolitan is serving. It is elevated by eight steps so that each one praying, kneeling down, seems to be bowing at the feet of the one leading the service - the priesthood is higher than kings.
   The frescoes feature the theme of God's judgment, before which everyone is equal.
   Between the church and the chambers of the metropolitan at the height of the second floor, as a reminder of paradise, hanging garden with flowers and berry bushes.
3. Exquisite gate church of the Apostle John the Theologian - elegantly decorated with rich tiles interspersed in architectural details, directed upwards with its five domes.
   Magnificent frescoes - understanding people say that the Sistine Chapel, in comparison with them, is resting.
   On them are pictures of the Apocalypse, the life of John the Theologian, the glorification of the Mother of God, pictures of paradise life, birds and flowers.
4. Church on the foundations of the former Grigorievsky Monastery - in the name of Gregory the Theologian.
   Five-domed, white and pretty, but decorated much more modestly: it has neither rich architraves, nor tiles, nor a columnar belt. Interior decoration - the middle of the XVIII century.
5. A beautiful church with one cupola in honor of the icon of the Mother of God "Hodegetria". What the word Hodegetria means and why the icon is called that can be seen here.
   Columns, carved platbands - oh, how good! The flat surface of the temple is painted in such a way that it looks like faceted. She reminded me of the design.
6. But without a doubt, the majestic Assumption Cathedral, along with its belfry, makes the strongest impression.

Since metropolitans lived here, it is not surprising that there are many churches on the territory. Most of them are summer, only then you can see their interior decoration.

The churches of the Rostov Kremlin now also house museums.

Let's go to the garden - there is a piece of paradise

Between the Red and White Chambers there is a low and narrow gate. It leads to the Metropolitan Garden. There is a pretty church of St. Gregory the Theologian and a large Apple orchard and vegetable garden.

Cabbage sings of unprecedented sizes! The trees are bursting with delicious apples! When they ripen, they are laid out on a special table, where everyone can choose a fruit to their liking.

We did not manage to taste an apple, or even sit on the wide benches in the garden, but on the other hand, in the Garden Chamber we enjoyed drinking hot fragrant tea from currants and herbs grown here. Warmed up! Tea is served in faceted glasses with glass holders, boiling water is poured from a pot-bellied samovar, jam from the fruits of their garden, gingerbread and pies with cherries are offered.

Questions and mysteries of the Kremlin in Rostov the Great

The priceless treasure - the Kremlin of Rostov the Great - gives rise to scientists and local historians not only reverence and admiration, but also questions. Too much is unclear with its construction.

First of all, why is the immortal masterpiece of architecture erected as a powerful fortress?

All this does not really look like an exclusively “decorative” design of the Kremlin, no matter how much they talk about it. There is another opinion, according to which a full-fledged fortress was built. Wall bricks weighed eight kilograms, almost 20 million of them went in total. In the massive impregnable walls there are rows of embrasures, crevasses, they could shelter thousands of soldiers behind them. All existing potential weaknesses could be easily eliminated in case of a real threat.

And then another interesting question arises. What sense did it make to build such a structure in a city located in the very center of the state, and even in the absence of a direct military danger? Defend - from whom?

What was in the mind of its creator? The mysterious man was Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich...

Secondly, the construction lasted 30 years - what funds did it carry out?

It is believed that it was paid exclusively by the real income of the Rostov Metropolis. But is it?

Let's remember a little. The disasters of the Time of Troubles swept over Rostov, all the churches of the city were plundered. They were followed by a terrible plague. By 1654, the city was completely depopulated and run down.

And after 10 years, the grandiose construction of the sovereign's court begins.

It is known that Peter I in 1691 takes 15 pounds of silver utensils from the storerooms of the metropolitan, and then the metropolis pays an unbearable amount to the treasury - 15 thousand rubles. Yes, and Iona Sysoevich did not lose the bells on the temples and on the famous belfry. Why? Did you buy it too?

Of course, the Rostov Metropolis was rich, but not that rich. No matter how much they spend, her financial situation only improves, “good does not fail.” Did Iona Sysoevich find those same legendary Rostov treasures? Were they not allowed to build a unique Rostov Kremlin?

About "overseas eggplant caviar"

We go down the stairs, a couple runs past us with a laugh - a guy and a girl dressed in historical costumes ...

In the early 1970s, some episodes of the film "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession" were filmed in the Rostov Kremlin. Now those who wish can recreate the plot with their participation: dressed in a boyar fur coat or wearing a kokoshnik with a luxurious blond scythe, or armed with an archery halberd. There is a choice!

Museum workers tell how this funny tradition appeared. The shooting of the film took place with inventions and jokes that were born impromptu. They worked in an atmosphere of perky fun. At the moment when the episode of the archers chasing the swindler Georges Miloslavsky and the house manager Bunsha along the walls was filmed, a group appeared foreign tourists with a tour guide.

They were completely unaware of the filming going on. "Live to take the demons!" - the artists in caftans shouted excitedly, shaking the reeds in their hands. The enthusiasm of the bourgeoisie about the original immersion in the past prompted the museum workers to the idea of ​​acquiring outfits and paraphernalia, like Gaidai's.

This marked the beginning of costumed photo shoots so popular now in excellent natural scenery, where costumed boyars frolic so merrily ...

And the last

Russia is an original and unique country with a rich natural and cultural heritage.

In 2013, it was held, in which each person could vote for any of the seven hundred outstanding monuments of nature, architecture, and culture. There were three rounds of voting. Finally, ten equal winners were named. And one of them was a wonderful monument of Russian culture, the most beautiful in Russia - the Kremlin in Rostov the Great.

Category: Russia

The address: Russia, Yaroslavl region, Rostov the Great
Start of construction: 1670
Completion of construction: 1683
Number of towers: 11 pcs.
Main attractions: Assumption Cathedral, belfry of the Assumption Cathedral, gate church of the Resurrection, Judgment Order, Church of St. John the Theologian, Church of Hodegetria, Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands (in the hallway), Church of St. Gregory the Theologian, Red Chamber, White Dining Chamber
Coordinates: 57°11"05.2"N 39°24"59.6"E
An object cultural heritage Russian Federation

The construction of the Kremlin in Rostov was carried out in the period from 1670 to 1683. The local metropolitan Iona Sysoevich was the customer of the construction works. According to his plan, the building was supposed to convey paradise in its full accordance with the biblical description. In religious literature, paradise is represented as a garden with a pond in the center, and the garden itself is surrounded by walls with towers.

Kremlin from a bird's eye view

In 1787, the metropolis moved to Yaroslavl, so the Rostov Metropolitan Court (another name for the Kremlin) lost its purpose and gradually fell into decay. Divine services were no longer held in the local churches, and the bishops planned to sell the entire metropolitan complex for scrap.

However, the Kremlin escaped such an unenviable fate thanks to the enlightened city merchants - the architectural ensemble was restored with the funds allocated to them (the work was carried out in the 60s and 80s of the 19th century).

View of the Rostov Kremlin from Lake Nero

In the autumn of 1883, the Rostov Museum of Church Antiquities was opened in the Kremlin chamber called "White". The initiators of this decision were Titov A.A. and Shlyakov I.A. Since 1886, the museum came under the patronage of the heir to the imperial throne of tsarist Russia - it was Nicholas II, who later became tsar. In 1910, the State Duma finally secured the all-Russian status for the institution and decided to allocate a certain amount from the treasury for its maintenance. In 1953, due to a strong tornado, most of the monuments of the ensemble were damaged, but somewhat later they were all restored.

From left to right: Hodegetrievskaya Tower, Church of St. John the Evangelist, main entrance, ticket office

The territory of the Rostov Kremlin is represented by three zones. These are the Bishop's Yard, the Metropolitan Garden and the Cathedral Square. The oldest building in the city is also located here - the five-domed Assumption Cathedral, built in the distant 16th century. The majestic building of the shrine took the place of another, more ancient temple, once built of stone. The outer part of the Cathedral of the Assumption is finished with a variety of decorative details that give the building a special expressiveness.

Architectural features of the Rostov Kremlin

In addition to the Assumption Cathedral and the belfry, there were also administrative buildings on the territory of the Metropolitan's Court. One of them was the building of the Judgment Order.

From left to right: Church of Hodegetria, Assumption Cathedral, Church of the Resurrection

A two-storey building appeared here in the middle of the 17th century. Some time later, a gate church of the Resurrection with a pair of fortress towers was erected next to it. Directly under the church were the Holy Gates, which acted as the main entrance to the courtyard. Due to the small number of architectural delights in the upper part of the church, it seems formidable like a watchtower. But the lower part, flowing into the arch of the Holy Doors, thanks to the icon case, tiles and brick pattern, seems simply luxurious.

Also, according to the plan of Jonah, metropolitan mansions were erected for his residence and the preservation of considerable monetary savings.

Church of the Resurrection

Initially, they were a 2-story building, but at the end of the 17th century, a 3rd floor was added to them, and a century later the whole building was decorated with classic decor. Today, the metropolitan mansions are identified by the narrow windows on the first floor and the ornamental belt.

State mansions, or the Red Chamber, is another solid building that is a landmark of the Rostov Kremlin. The special beauty of the building is achieved by the porch, completed with two tents. No less valuable historical monument on the territory of the Bishop's Court there remains a complex of the Church of the Savior of the Icon Not Made by Hands.

Church of St. John the Evangelist, view from the courtyard of the Kremlin

The lower floor of this building, erected in 1675, was occupied by household services, on the upper floor there was the church building itself, the Otdatochny chambers and the Refectory. This shrine was considered the home temple of Jonah.

The Gate Church of St. John the Evangelist with five domes was built last. It became the best building of that time - it was distinguished from previous buildings by rich decor on the entire outer surface of the building. The elongation of the main part of the shrine, together with the drums, makes it visually taller. The construction of the Hodegetria Church was the final point in the formation of the ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin.

Church of Hodegetria

As for the Kremlin walls and towers, their erection was usually carried out after the construction of most buildings. As befits real fortress walls, they were equipped with loopholes. At the same time, wide window openings were cut in the Kremlin towers, which is not typical for a fortress. From the general decor of the towers, it also becomes clear that neither the towers nor the walls played any protective role, and the loopholes served as a tribute to traditions.

Of the buildings of economic importance, the private brewery and bakery deserve special attention. Their design was quite primitive, which made both buildings stand out against the backdrop of the rich residence of the metropolitan.

Left to right: Assumption Cathedral, belfry

Modern life of the Rostov Kremlin

Today the Rostov Kremlin exists as a museum-reserve of national importance. It is also the repository of the largest collection of finift - the oldest art of painting on enamel. Arriving in Rostov in the 17th century, it has remained in demand in the city to this day.

The art gallery of the museum is represented by several halls. They exhibit portraits of the local nobility and merchants, nobles in the 18th - 19th centuries. The works of Russian artists famous in the late 18th and early 20th centuries are also kept here. Among their works there is also the avant-garde.

Red Chamber

Inside the White Chamber of the Kremlin, which previously served as a dining room for the Rostov rulers, an exposition of church antiquities has been deployed. In part, it reproduces the first exposition of 1883. In the Red Chamber, built for the great sovereigns, cutters of beads, porcelain, and ceramics are on display today. There is also a valuable exhibition called "Archaeology of the Rostov Land".

Previous photo Next photo

The "visiting card" of tourist Rostov is the Kremlin with its five churches, the Assumption Cathedral and a complex of residential buildings, surrounded by powerful fortress walls. According to its original purpose, the Kremlin was the residence of the bishops of the Rostov-Yaroslavl diocese. It can be divided into three independent parts. The central one is actually the bishop's court. In the northern part there is the former cathedral square with the Assumption Cathedral, and in the southern part - the metropolitan garden.

Bishop's Court

Walled with beautiful towers, decorated with numerous domes of temples and tower tents, the Bishop's Court, which is now commonly called the Rostov Kremlin, was founded in the 1660s on the site of an old and much more modest Bishop's House, from which only fragments of buildings have survived.

The first built temple, a kind of cornerstone of the ensemble, was the Church of the Resurrection of Christ above the northern gate. This is not just a church, but a whole complex architectural complex, consisting of a five-domed temple, a gate with three bays, a gallery and two towers framing the gate. The Church of the Resurrection was supposed to play the role of the Holy Gates in the complex of the Bishops' Court and was oriented outward, towards the Assumption Cathedral.

Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich did not have time to complete his brainchild, and his successor, Metropolitan Joasaph, was finishing the work. The complex turned out to be really grandiose: two magnificent Holy Gates with gate temples, eclipsing with their beauty the central temple of the courtyard; many stone chambers, a small pond in the middle of the yard.

The second gigantic gate church - John the Theologian, located above the western gates of the Kremlin. If the Church of the Resurrection was the first temple of the ensemble, then Ioannovskaya is one of the last. The largest and most famous chamber in the Kremlin, the Red Chamber, adjoins the Church of St. John. Another wonderful temple of the Rostov Kremlin is the Church of the Savior on Senyah. This is the main, central temple of the Bishop's Court, conceived by Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich as a front church. Although it is not located in the center, but slightly covered by the building. The White Chamber, built approximately at the same time as the temple, is closely adjacent to the Church of the Savior. It is assumed that this complex was built exactly like the Patriarchal Palace in the Moscow Kremlin.

Assumption Cathedral

The existing cathedral is already the fifth one on this site; before him in the center ancient city four more temples were replaced. The first was Cathedral Assumption of the Mother of God “from oak trees”, wooden, founded back in 991 under Prince Vladimir, one of the first cathedrals in Russia.

It is known that at the turn of the XII-XIII centuries, the father of the hero Alyosha Popovich was the rector of the cathedral.

Built at the beginning of the 16th century, the Assumption Cathedral is a truly magnificent building worthy of being the central cathedral of Rostov, one of the main cities of medieval Russia. Its architecture is clearly influenced by the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin - probably, the architects who built the cathedral visited Moscow and carefully studied the capital's church. The powerful walls of the Rostov Assumption Cathedral are divided by shoulder blades into three strands from the west and four from the north and south.

Initially, the domes were somewhat different (perhaps helmet-shaped), and in the 18th century they were replaced by the current bulbous ones, covered with a plowshare. During the Troubles, the cathedral, like the whole city, was captured and plundered by the Tatars and Cossacks who were in the army of False Dmitry, and Metropolitan Filaret was captured and sent to the camp of the Tushinsky thief.

The luxurious baroque iconostasis, which has survived to this day, was installed in the cathedral under Archbishop Joachim in 1736 after another fire. The burial places of many Rostov princes and clergy, including the builder of the Rostov Kremlin, Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich, have been preserved in the cathedral. During the replacement of floors in 1884, a shrine of St. Leontius was discovered in the southern apse - a gift from Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky.

The complex of the Assumption Cathedral is a separate part of the current Rostov Kremlin, and much more ancient. However, the architects were able to arrange all the other temples and walls with towers in such a way that they all became a single and harmoniously combined architectural ensemble, one of the most beautiful in Russia.

Belfry

The famous Rostov belfry was built at the cathedral in 1682-1687 in two stages. Of course, there was an older octagonal bell tower before it, the foundations of which were discovered by archaeologists to the south of the cathedral. The "bell towers" at the Assumption Cathedral were repeatedly mentioned in the Rostov chronicles. A little later, an additional pillar was added for the largest bell, and a bell weighing 33 tons was placed in it, named Sysoi in honor of the father of Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich, the customer of the bells. And now in the repertoire of the Rostov chimes there is a special "Ring with Sysoy".

Everyone who is at least a little interested in the history of Russia or the Golden Ring knows about the bell ringing of Rostov. The notes of many bells, which are performed even now, have been preserved: Ioninsky, Georgievsky, Kolyazinsky ...

Helpful information

Opening hours: daily from 10.00 to 17.00, except January 1. Frescoes and fortress walls are open for viewing from May 1 to October 1.

Entrance fee: a single ticket with a discount to visit all museum expositions - 700 RUB.

Very beautiful and really impressive building! On the this moment it is almost completely restored and impresses with its scope and majesty of architecture. The Rostov Kremlin is a whole complex of buildings united by common walls: there are multi-domed churches, belfries, ancient chambers, and towers covered with wooden tiles. The Rostov Kremlin is much more interesting than the Kremlin in Pskov and Veliky Novgorod. Undoubtedly, this is the most important of the sights of Rostov the Great.
Do not be surprised if it seems to you that you have already seen the Rostov Kremlin somewhere: that's right, it was here that the "Old Russian" episodes of the famous film by Leonid Gaidai "Ivan Vasilyevich Changes Profession" were filmed.
Address of the Rostov Kremlin, you definitely won't need to find the Kremlin in Rostov: as soon as you arrive in the center of Rostov the Great, you simply cannot help but notice the whole bunches, clusters of domes towering over one- and two-story buildings!

The Kremlin in Rostov the Great is actually not quite the Kremlin. This is the residence of the bishops of the Rostov-Yaroslavl diocese, the Bishop's House, which began to be built in the 1660s under Metropolitan Ion Sysoevich. Therefore, the correct name of the Rostov Kremlin is the Bishop's (or Metropolitan's) Court.

The Rostov Kremlin consists of three large parts, each of which has a spacious courtyard. The central part is the Bishops proper or the Lord's Court with residential and outbuildings, enclosed by high walls and surrounded by temples (in the diagram below - B). To the north of the central courtyard is located Cathedral Square with the Assumption Cathedral (in the diagram - A). And from the south, the Bishop's Court adjoins the territory Metropolitan Garden(AT).

Designations on the scheme of the Rostov Kremlin:

1. Church of John the Evangelist. Main entrance, ticket office.
2. Church of the Hodegetria. Exhibition "Shining gold and azure".
3. Church of the Resurrection. Crossings along the walls of the Kremlin.
4. Bell towers.
5. Entrance to the Cathedral Square.
6. Judgment order. Finift Museum.
7. Pond.
8. House in the Cellars. Hotel, cafe "Pogrebok".
9. Water tower. Viewpoint.
10. Samuil Corps. Department of ancient Russian art. Picture gallery.
11. Church of the Savior on Senyah.
12. White Chamber. Museum of Church Antiquities.
13. Red Chamber. Museum lounge. Historical exposition. Meeting restaurant.
14. Passage to the Metropolitan Garden.
15. Church of Gregory the Theologian.
16. Pond in the Metropolitan Garden.
17. Tent in the Metropolitan Garden. Cozy cafe.
18. Clock tower.
19. Princely towers.
20. Wood tower.

Rostov Kremlin - photo and walk

Let's start the walk with Cathedral Square . Entrance to this part of the Kremlin is free.

Assumption Cathedral- most ancient temple on the territory of the Rostov Kremlin, it dates from 1508-1512. It is crowned with five powerful chapters. Temples have stood on this site since ancient times. One of them, built in the 12th century under Andrei Bogolyubsky, left the Leontief chapel, which is also called the cave chapel, since it is much lower than the level of the altar. It contains the relics of the Rostov Bishop Leonty, who was killed in 1071 by pagans.

In 1314, the son of the Rostov boyar, the infant Bartholomew, the future Sergius of Radonezh, was baptized here.

Back in the 1660s, the walls of the Assumption Cathedral were painted with frescoes, the work was carried out by the famous artel of masters Guria Nikitin (she also painted the Trinity Cathedral of the Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma). The first frescoes survived only in fragments - later a new layer was laid on top of them. At present, the inside of the cathedral makes, of course, a depressing impression.

From the Cathedral Square you can climb the Belfry (1682-1687) - this is no longer free. Here hang 13 unique bells of different sizes and weights, cast in the XVII - XIX centuries. Most of the bells have their own names. The largest, 2000-pound (about 32 tons) bell is called "Sysa": in honor of Metropolitan Jonah. The second largest (1000-pood) is called "Polyeleos", as it calls for polyeleos church holidays. There is also "Swan", "Ram", "Goat". The bell, which was used during the days of Great Lent, is called "Hunger". Visitors are strictly prohibited from ringing the bells.

Downstairs in the building of the belfry there is a souvenir shop, as well as a very interesting shop-workshop "Black Polished Ceramics" - this traditional folk craft has existed in Rostov since the 16th century. Fired in a smoky flame without access to oxygen, ceramics get a deep black, charcoal color, then it is already painted with paints. In this workshop, you can see the process of making souvenirs and various figurines and immediately purchase these figurines, they are inexpensive.

We are heading to the next, central part of the Kremlin - Bishop's Court . We pass under the richly decorated front gate of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. Here you have to buy a ticket.

Church of the Resurrection of Christ(1670) was specially built on high basements, in which openings were cut for two asymmetric gates - travel and pedestrian. In the photo below - the same Church of the Resurrection, but this time the view from the side of the Bishop's Court.

So, we ended up in a cozy courtyard with a pond in the middle. Notice the corner towers built in the 1670s. The characteristic bulbous ("snub-nosed") tops of the round corner towers make the silhouette of Rostov Veliky always recognizable.

To the left of the Resurrection Church we see building at the clock, the base of the former Clock Tower, which had to be dismantled in the 19th century due to the danger of destruction.

The next red building is the economic building "House in the cellars". There used to be cellars here. And now - a hotel where absolutely anyone can stay. The hotel, however, is not of a very high standard, while everything is rather "Soviet", and the rooms are not very cheap. But if someone has a desire to live in the Rostov Kremlin itself - please! Moreover, hotel guests have a rare opportunity to wander around the Kremlin in the evening after its closing, and in the morning you can wake up under chimes instead of an alarm ;)

Among the buildings of official, economic and residential importance, the White Chamber, built around 1675 on the model of the Patriarchal Palace in the Moscow Kremlin, almost does not stand out. Adjacent to it is a small one-headed Church of the Savior Not Made by Hands on Senya(pictured right), conceived as the Metropolitan's home church. It is called so because it stands on a two-story basement, where the canopy was located: pantries and other utility rooms. The church is unusual in its completion: each of its facades ends with a triangular pediment, and it turns out that the church is covered with eight slopes. To get into it and see the frescoes, you need to buy a ticket for "Crossing the Kremlin Walls".

Inside, a very small and outwardly inconspicuous church is richly decorated, and two-thirds of the temple's premises are occupied by soles - an elevation in front of the altar - dozens of priests could be placed here during the service! Metropolitan Jonah was very fond of solemn and crowded services.

The yellow three-story building in the Bishop's Yard - the Samuil Corps - was the former residential quarters of the Rostov metropolitans. They say that hanging galleries stretched to this house from all sides, and from here, without going outside, one could go to any room, utility or residential, to any tower or church.

On the opposite bank of the pond stands an unusually colored Church of Hodegetria, erected in 1692-1693, its colorful ornament imitates the relief. The church differs from other buildings of the Kremlin, it was built in the style of "Naryshkin baroque".

To the left of the church Hodegetria rises Church of John the Evangelist with dark green domes (1683). In the interior wall painting of the temple there are not only traditional scenes from the life of Christ, but scenes from the lives of John the Theologian and Abraham of Rostov are also depicted. For example, the fresco "John and Prokhor melting the bathhouse" in the third tier of the western wall is very interesting))

To the left of the Church of St. John the Evangelist is the Red Chamber, which consists of several buildings. "Red" because it's beautiful. Tsars and emperors who came to Rostov stayed here.

This building is an interesting example of residential premises of the 17th century. It is impossible not to pay attention to the porch.

On the first floor of the Red Chamber, an excellent restaurant-museum "Collection" has recently been opened. To be honest, we usually avoid restaurants located in the very epicenter of attractions, they are often unreasonably expensive, and the quality of food leaves much to be desired ("well, why bother, there will still be visitors"). But on that day, it started to rain and recurrent hunger “driven” us to this particular restaurant. Here the portions were large, the food was delicious, and the bread, the freshest buns of their own making, just melted in your mouth! And the price tag, I must say, is not Moscow. Recommended.

Finally, we pass into the third part of the Rostov Kremlin - Metropolitan Garden . Left - Church of Gregory the Theologian. On right - Wood (Garden) tower. The walls surrounding the Metropolitan Garden have been recently restored. The garden is also gradually being put in order. In May, apple trees and other fruit trees bloom profusely here. You can relax in the garden, sit on the grass or on a bench, have a bite to eat in a cafe located on the opposite side of the passage to the central part of the Kremlin.

Outwardly, the Rostov Kremlin was inspected!
To enter the ancient temples of the Kremlin, see their beautiful frescoes, walk along the upper passages, you need to buy a ticket "Crossing the walls of the Kremlin" (you can get inside the temples of the Resurrection, St. John the Evangelist and the Savior on Senya). We advise you to do this if time permits. Buying these tickets will certainly not ruin you, and the impressions will be more complete.

We also visited the observation deck in the Water Tower of the Bishop's Court (for a small fee): we did not regret it.

The Rostov Kremlin is currently largely restored and restored. From the federal budget: of course, there is no money in the local budget. And now the Kremlin in Rostov is a striking contrast with the dilapidated buildings surrounding it. This picture is rather sad. Restoration work in the Kremlin is still ongoing. Most likely, when the restoration of the last structures is completed, the first ones will already need renovation - as is often the case in Russia.

The Rostov Kremlin has a number of permanent and temporary exhibitions, their admission is paid separately, but the price of tickets is low.

State Museum-Reserve (GMZ) "Rostov Kremlin" open daily except January 1, opening hours from 10.00 to 17.00. Frescoes and fortress walls can be seen from May 1 to October 1.

Total 66 photos

In the history of Russia there were only two Great cities - Velikiy Novgorod and Rostov the Great. Today we will find ourselves in Rostov the Great - an ancient Russian city that has left a glorious mark on our history. It is the Rostov Kremlin that is one of the most beautiful in the world, definitely evoking from the depths of the unconscious the image of a fabulous epic Russian city.

This is historical place and, captivating not only with its ancient Russian flavor, but also with something special that made the heart beat faster from the very realization of where you are and what you see. Since childhood, we all know the image of the Rostov Kremlin according to the already domestic film classics “Ivan Vasilyevich Changes His Profession” and not only. Its majestic walls, towers, temples evoke an archetypal image of bright, mighty Russia in the Russian person and fill it with undivided love for their Fatherland. Lake Nero, on the banks of which the Rostov Kremlin stands, is worthy of special mention, since it evoked a lot of different exciting emotions in my soul, including during the processing of these photographs.

On the fourth day of my journey along the Golden Ring, the weather began to deteriorate, in the morning a fine, nasty rain began to drizzle, so that the whitish skies are actually the very ones that I saw at that time. Since there is always a positive component in every event, such a gloomy context only contributed to my solemn and strict perception of this amazing architectural structure in Rostov the Great, which, perhaps, has no equal at all.

One note. Since at least two posts of different emotional components have accumulated visual material, I faced a dilemma - to talk about the Rostov Kremlin, paying selective attention to its architectural masterpieces, giving clear concise information about them, posting targeted photographs, or try to convey to you how my visit the Rostov Kremlin in great detail and post the photos in chronological order. In the end, I decided to use the second option, because for the reader, perhaps the integrity of the story, its logical outline and the impressions received in this continuous process are important.

Now the Rostov Kremlin is a state museum-reserve. It feels like it Holy place now it is as if in a long lethargic dream, but we always have the opportunity to hear and feel it, to understand and accept the information and its feelings that it touches us and strives to convey in a whisper. To begin with, and subsequently, a little historical information without which it would be difficult to make such an attempt to fully capture the message that this ancient land carries.

Even in the most distant times, here - at the confluence of the Sara River into Lake Nero, a Finno-Ugric settlement was founded, now called "Sarsky". Four high shafts then divided this settlement into three parts. Later, in the X-XI centuries, a mixed population lived in this place with a significant proportion of Slavs (Slovenes and Krivichi). For more than 20 years, from 988, Yaroslav the Wise reigned in it. At the end of his short life, the city was also ruled by his younger brother Prince Boris, who became one of the first Russian saints. Sergius of Radonezh was baptized here, and one of the abbots was the father of the legendary Russian hero Alyosha Popovich. However, first things first.

Rostov remained the capital of the northeastern possessions of the Russian princes until 1125, when Prince Yuri Dolgoruky moved the center of his possessions to Suzdal. In 1207, Rostov the Great became the main city of a small specific principality. It had its own icon-painting school. Local monasteries - Petrovsky, St. John the Theologian - were the centers of book learning. Especially famous was the St. Grigorievo-Theological Monastery called “The Shutter”, where famous monks studied, including Stefan of Perm and Epiphanius the Wise. Despite the annexation of the Rostov Principality to the Moscow Principality in the 15th century, the significance of the city was preserved.

Holy gates of the Rostov Kremlin. Here are the ticket offices and the entrance for visitors.
02.

Rostov remained the center of the archdiocese, and then the metropolis, from the 11th century until the end of the 18th century. Therefore, from ancient times, the city was built up with buildings that would correspond to its position as the spiritual center of a vast Christian region. So, back in the 11th century, the first monastery in the Rostov land, Abrahamiev, was founded here, which has survived to this day. Large-scale construction in Rostov was also carried out in the middle of the 12th century under Prince Vladimir Andrey Bogolyubsky and at the beginning of the 13th century under Konstantin, the son of Grand Duke Vsevolod the Big Nest.

The Tatar-Mongol invasion for almost 200 years suspended, as well as throughout the territory of Russia, monumental construction in Rostov. But, starting from the 15th century, it resumes. In the middle of the 16th century - during the heyday of Russia's international trade across the White Sea, in which Rostov also participated - a large stone construction was being carried out here. The art of Rostov architects was known far beyond the Rostov land. They were invited to build in Moscow, the Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery and other places. But the most grandiose structures were erected in the second half of the 17th century. This is the Bishop's House, which has been under construction since the 1660s for more than 30 years. In the 19th century, it began to be called one short sonorous word "Kremlin".

The construction of the Kremlin began after the return in 1664 of the Metropolitan of Rostov, Iona III Sysoevich, from Moscow, where he served as Locum Tenens of the Patriarchal Throne for two years. Jonah, following Patriarch Nikon, considered such buildings a means of asserting the power of the Church and metropolitan authority. Therefore, their rapid construction began in Rostov. Jonah's idea involved the creation of paradise on this site in full accordance with the biblical description: a garden of Eden surrounded by walls and towers with a pond mirror in the center.
04.

According to the head of the architectural department of the Rostov Kremlin, A.G. Melnik, “according to the plan of Metropolitan Jonah, the ensemble was supposed to symbolize the heavenly city, the mountainous Jerusalem, with unprecedented clarity for that time.” And according to the Apocalypse, the heavenly Jerusalem "has a large and high wall, has twelve gates." The residence of the metropolitans is an almost rectangular fortress with walls 2 meters thick, up to 12 meters high and 12 towers.

The Kremlin was not designed for defense. Its machicules (hinged loopholes), loopholes and crevices, platbands, decorative belts and plaits perform a decorative function. And many repeating elements of traditional church architecture - five domes, columnar belts (a decorative motif of small arches), gabled pediments - create the impression of antiquity and unity of the ensemble, reflecting the greatness of the Russian Church.

Let's look around a bit. This is the Hodegetria Church.
05.

In the photo to the right of the Hodegetria Church - the Assumption Cathedral behind a high stone wall and the Church of the Resurrection, and under it - the transition to the Cathedral Square. The church is very beautiful, but at the time when I was there it was almost completely covered with scaffolding.
06.

In the center of the Kremlin there is an open square with a square pond in the middle, next to which there was an apple orchard in the old days. Along the perimeter of the picturesque asymmetric composition are civil and church buildings.
07.

The building of the Judgment Order was built first in the 1650s-1660s. It was the center of general administration of the diocese, and also carried the role of judicial functions.
08.

Already around 1670, a characteristic building was erected next to it in the “style of Iona Sysoevich” - the northern Holy Gates with the five-domed Church of the Resurrection, surrounded by a gallery. Frescoes with graceful, slender figures and an abundance of architectural and landscape backgrounds were painted around 1675 under the direction of Dmitry Plekhanov and Gury Nikitin. They depict in detail gospel events, including the suffering of Christ. The gallery of the temple is painted with scenes from the Old Testament and the Apocalypse.

Church of the Resurrection - on the right."Judgment order" - is visible a little more to the right of the Church of the Resurrection.
09.

On the opposite, southern side of the courtyard is the building of the metropolitan choir. Its first floor was built in the 16th century, and the second - in the early 1670s. After 100 years, in the 1770s, under Archbishop Samuil Mislavsky, a third floor was built on, the building received a new classic look and was renamed the Samuil Corps. Nearby are the State mansions, which were intended to meet the sovereign. They were built in the 1670s, partially dismantled in 1840 and reconstructed in 1968-1969.
10.

Behind the Samuil building, the complex building of the White Canteen, erected in 1672, is "hidden". Its one-pillar interior goes back to the Moscow Palace of Facets. In 1675, a one-domed house church of the Savior on Senya was added to it. We'll take a look at it too.

To the left of the Samuil building is a two-story red building, the so-called "House in the Cellars".
11.

"The House on the Cellars" got its name due to the fact that it stood just on them. A two-story building adjoining the Hierarch's Chambers and the Water Tower from the north. The building is very simple and devoid of any decorating elements, only a few windows in the basement have platbands, the other two floors are completely devoid of them. Arched lintels are replaced by flat three-center ones. The second floor is made of wood, so it was often exposed to fires, after the fire of 1758, the log house stood for more than 200 years and was finally replaced in 1973-1974.
12.


13.

Outbuildings of the 16th-17th centuries adjoin the southern and eastern walls of the Kremlin: a cookery and an acolyte, a brewery, a dryer on a glacier and storerooms, as well as the Hierarchal Chambers, in which, according to legend, at the beginning of the 17th century, Metropolitan Filaret of Rostov, the father of Tsar Mikhail, lived Fedorovich. Almost all buildings of the Kremlin were united by transitional and "hanging" galleries.
14.

Hierarchical chambers in the background.
15.

Church of the Savior on Senya from the side of the Hierarch's chambers.
17.

18.

In 1683, the western gate with two towers and a slender five-domed church of St. John the Evangelist on a high basement was built. The four lower tiers of frescoes are dedicated to the lives of John the Theologian and Abraham of Rostov. Of particular interest is the painted stone iconostasis, which is rare in other cities. In addition to the Church of St. John the Evangelist, such iconostases have been preserved in the Churches of the Resurrection and the Savior on Senya.

To the left of the photo is the Church of St. John the Evangelist
19.

It is believed that the construction of this church was the final link in the creation of the unique image of the ensemble of the sovereign's residence, in the embodiment of the grandiose plan of the customer and creator of this ensemble - Metropolitan Jonah of Rostov. Among the temples of the Bishop's House, the Church of St. John the Theologian stands out for the exquisite harmony of its proportions and the elegance of the design of the facades. Even Y. Shamurin considered it the best architecturally of all the Kremlin churches.
20.

After the transfer of the bishop's chair to Yaroslavl in 1788, the Church of John the Theologian, like other house churches, was left without worship. The premises under it began to be used for wine and salt warehouses. At the same time, the outer openings of the gates were laid, the structures of the vaults were damaged, and the iron ties were sawn out. The walls of the church began to sag, the building as a whole was tilted, and by the beginning of the 19th century it was in disrepair.
21.

In 1698, the successor of Iona Sysoevich, Metropolitan Joasaf Lazarevich, completed the construction of the last church in the ensemble of the Rostov Kremlin - the Hodegetria Church. He tried to continue the building policy of his predecessor, but better times the Rostov metropolitan house had already passed: the reforms of Peter I undermined its economic power.
22.

The temple closely adjoins the wall of the bishop's house. The first floor was used for domestic purposes, since there were many rooms. In architectural style, the Hodegetria church is more suited to the Baroque style of the second half of the 17th century.
23.


24.

Already under the successor of Metropolitan Jonah - Joasaph in 1692-1693, a separate refectory chamber was built with a pillarless church in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. With its slightly later design - coloring in "chess", 20 stucco cartouches and bas-relief angels and cherubs in the spirit of the Naryshkin baroque - this building stands out from the general ensemble of the Kremlin.

The Red Chamber got its name due to its beauty, and the whole palace got the same name from it.

The Red Chamber is on the left.
25.

The Red Chamber has two floors in its structure. On the first floor, with an area of ​​250 sq.m. there was "Khlebnaya", as well as eight residential chambers.
26.

The vaults of the "bread" rested on a pillar, which was located in the very center of the room and penetrated the building through and through. Light was given by ten windows located on both sides. On the second floor (it was destroyed in the 19th century) there was a refectory, painted with frescoes, the floor was covered with cast-iron plates. Next to the refectory there was a vestibule, and, like on the first floor, eight residential chambers through which one could go along the hanging galleries to the southern and western walls of the Kremlin, to the churches of St. John the Theologian and Gregory the Theologian.
27.


28.


29.


30.


31.


32.


33.

34.

35.


36.

In 1675, on the site of a wooden church that burned down in 1671, the Church of the Savior on Senya was built. Initially, the church was conceived as a home church of the Metropolitan, in which solemn services were held and guests of high rank were received.
37.

38.


39.

The Church of the Savior on Senya was the main temple of the Rostov Bishops' House. In the Chronicle of the Rostov Bishops, compiled already in the 18th century, it is reported that the stone Church of the Savior was preceded by a wooden church, built by the same Metropolitan Jonah and burned down in a fire in 1671.
40.

41.


42.


43.


44.

In 1730, the Church of the Savior on Senyah suffered from the "great" Rostov fire that destroyed half of the city. Then its wooden roof burned down and the head, soldered with white iron, “fell off” an iron cross covered with gilded copper. After the fire on the Church of the Savior, as well as on other burnt house churches, a four-slope plank roof was built, and the head was covered with a plowshare.
45.

The period of truly capital and for its time high-quality restoration began with the start of the Commission for the Restoration of the Kremlin Buildings and the opening in 1883 in the restored White Chamber of the Museum of Church Antiquities.
46.

Now we are going to the Cathedral Square to the Assumption Cathedral.
47.

From the north, at the end of the 17th century, the cathedral part of the city square with the Assumption Church was attached to the metropolitan court. It is surrounded by a low wall.

This is the Holy Gate with the gate church of the Resurrection.
48.

During the archaeological excavations conducted by N. N. Voronin in 1939 and 1954-1955, it was found that the modern brick five-domed six-pillar Assumption Cathedral was built on the basis of the walls of the previous stone church. It was erected in 1161-1162 almost simultaneously with the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl. In addition to well-hewn stone blocks, stones with ornamental carvings, glazed ceramic floor tiles, remains of frescoes from 1187 and bronze door handles have been preserved from it.
49.
The cathedral and the belfry successfully harmonize with each other, although the time of their construction is separated by more than one century.

57.

The facades of the belfry are divided vertically by flat ledges - blades; and horizontally - three belts. On the lower floors there is the Church of the Entrance to Jerusalem and utility rooms.
58.

The top floor is an open area with a four-span arcade. Each of the spans is fenced with an openwork metal lattice and completed at the top with a keeled zakomara, above each of the spans a head topped with a cross is placed on a round drum. A steep, narrow intra-wall staircase leads to the upper floor, revealed by tiny windows on the facade. From the spans with bells to the ground, the belfry has solid voids, which makes the building an excellent resonator. The proximity of the belfry to the open space of Lake Nero enhances the acoustic effect.
59.

Souvenir shop on the ground floor...
60.

...with a fairly traditional assortment.
61.

The belfry was built in two stages. Construction began in 1682. During this period, the main three-span belfry was built. By order of the Metropolitan of Rostov, Iona Sysoevich, craftsman Philip Andreev made two of the largest bells for the belfry - "Polyeleiny" and "Swan".
62.

The final construction of the belfry was completed in 1689. Then 13 bells were hung in one row and firmly fixed on metal hooks and a thick oak beam, except for four of them hanging on another beam attached to the main one at a right angle. In the second half of the 19th century, 2 more bells were added to them. Since then, 15 bells have been hanging on the belfry of the Rostov Kremlin.
63.

And this is the Church of the Savior at the Market - outside the Cathedral Square - we will see it again in the second part of the observation deck Rostov Kremlin.
Site vidania.ru Museum-reserve "Rostov Kremlin"
Russian History website
Site Tourism in Russia
“Church of the Savior on Senyah in Rostov Veliky”, author T.L. Nikitin, publishing house "Northern pilgrim", Moscow, 2002
Wikipedia