Russia’s Golden Ring, a network of picturesque medieval towns north of Moscow, is once again beginning to sparkle, said Celestine Bohlen in The New York Times. A gradual post-Soviet revival that’s spreading through these towns—“each with its own set of glittering onion-domed churches and medieval fortresses”—means that tourists rounding the circuit can now count on decent hotels, solid restaurants, and religious sites in at least reasonable repair. When a friend and I took on the adventure in a rental car, potholes and poor signage were our greatest challenges.
We concentrated on a handful of the smaller Golden Ring towns, “all of which have kept something of their pre-Soviet character.” The region is known for a “bewildering number of churches, convents, and monasteries,” remnants of a centuries-long missionary movement that was a crucial force in the unification of Russia. In Pereslavl-Zalessky, our first stop, the main road passes half a dozen monasteries, and a tree-lined river is rimmed with restored 19th-century town houses that appear plucked from a classic Russian novel. After visiting a couple of convents and churches, we hit the road for Rostov, a quiet town that “has it all when it comes to the sights and sounds of ancient Russia.” The Cathedral of the Dormition, one of the country’s oldest churches, features a bell tower whose 15 bells weigh from 50 to 70,000 pounds and are “famed for their deep sonorous peals.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.
Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.