Rostov is one of Russia’s oldest cities, and it is one of the cities in the so-called golden ring northeast of Moscow. Rostov was already mentioned in the year 862 as an established city, and Vikings from Scandinavia may have traded with the city, which they called Raðstofa. In the 900s, Rostov became the capital of the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal, which was one of the leading states in what was then Rus, and in 988 Rostov became the seat of the Diocese of Yaroslavl.

After some time, Rostov again became the capital of the principality in 1113, but Yuri Dolgoruky moved the capital to Suzdal in 1125, thereby shifting political power there. In the 13th century, Rostov again became the capital during a period when the city housed the prince’s residence, boyars and the merchants and craftsmen who made up most of Rostov’s inhabitants. The 13th century was also the century that brought decline to Rostov and to Russia in connection with the Mongol invasion of the city in 1238. In 1474, Rostov became part of the Grand Duchy of Moscow, whereby the city lost its political power, but culturally and religiously, Rostov was still one of the kingdom’s important cities.

Rostov was invaded by Polish occupation troops during the Troubled Times of Russia in 1608, but this overcame the city, which also had traditions as a trading town. From the 18th century, annually recurring markets were held, strengthening Rostov’s commercial interests. In the 19th century, industrialization came to the city, and it was the textile industry that was Rostov’s economic engine during this time. The railway also contributed to the development when it opened in 1870, and by the end of the 19th century the population of Rostov had grown to approximately 14,000. During the 1900s, it increased to approximately 30,000, which also corresponds to the population today.

In the middle of the city is the impressive castle complex, Rostov Kremlin/Ростовский кремль, which contains countless beautiful buildings; including many onion-domed churches that give the city a unique skyline not seen in many other places in Russia. The facility was originally built to be the residence of the Metropolitan of Rostov. The central Assumption Cathedral was built 1508-1512, and in the period 1667-1694 noble residence buildings, churches and defenses were built around it. Everything forms a particularly evocative whole, and the facility is well worth a visit if you want to experience typical buildings in a rich castle complex in the Russian province.

From the Rostov Kremlin, you can take a walk to the promenade along Lake Nero, along which the city is located. You can also take some nice walks in the relatively small and manageable cultural city, which is located around the Kremlin’s walls and churches. Southwest of the Kremlin, you can visit the St. James the Savior Monastery, which is located along Nero on the outskirts of the city. The monastery was founded in 1389 by Saint Jacob of Rostov, and during the first centuries the complex consisted entirely of wooden buildings that can no longer be seen. The oldest preserved building in the monastery is the beautiful Cathedral of Conception of St Anna from 1686, and you can also see the Annunciation Cathedral from the same century. The monastery is also known as a place of welfare for Saint Dmitry of Rostov.

You can also take a walk in the City Park, which is close to the Rostov Kremlin. In the 18th century, the park was home to the city’s English office, and in 1836 the park was laid out for the city’s citizens. If you continue in this direction, you come to the city’s second large monastery, Abraham Monastery, which was founded in the 11th century, and which is therefore one of the oldest in Russia. The monastery’s cathedral was built by Ivan IV in 1553-1555 as a monument to the conquest of Kazan in 1552. In the complex you can also see churches from the following century, and this monastery is also beautifully located along the Nero.

There are also other things to see in the city. You can, for example, go to Victory Park, which was created to commemorate the Soviet victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War, as World War II is called in Russia. In the park there is a monument to the soldiers from Rostov who defended the Russian motherland. In the city there are also several museums, of which the museum in the Rostov Kremlin is the most famous. You can also visit the city’s museum of folk art, and there is also a museum that conveys the history of Rostov’s merchants.