For more than 250 years Vladimir played a very important part in the history of Russia, when it was the capital of the ancient Russian State. Up to 1432, Grand Princes of Russia were crowned in the Vladimir Cathedral of the Assumption of Holly Mother of God.
According to some chronicles the town was founded at the end of the X century and named after Kievan Prince Vladimir the Saint, the baptizer of Russia. Archeologists date the founding of the town back to the beginning of the XII century, and associate its name with Prince Vladimir Monomach. The town reached the climax of its historical significance in the middle of the XII - the beginning of the XIII centuries under Prince Andrey Bogolubsky and his brother Vsevolod the Big Nest. It was the time when the basis of the new state was being laid, when international trade and cultural ties were developing vigorously, and Vladimir school of architecture was taking shape.
Today, Vladimir is a major administrative, industrial and cultural center with a population of about 350,000 residents. Its unique historical and architectural monuments testify to the former beauty and power of the ancient Russian capital. Vladimir has preserved its ancient defensive ramparts, the main gateway to the city - the Golden Gate, the golden-domed Cathedral of Assumption with Andrey Rublev's frescoes, and the Cathedral of St. Dmitry whose walls are lavishly decorated with relief carvings in white stone.
The Cathedral of the Assumption. The Cathedral of the Assumption is a world known monument of architecture. The original cathedral was built in the center of the city on a high bank of the Klyazma River in 1158-1160 under Prince Andrey Bogolubsky. Not only was it to be the main church of the Vladimir-Suzdal principality, its cultural, political and religious center, but it was to become the main church of all Russia. In September 1164 a most worshiped icon of Russia - the Miraculous Icon of Mother of God - was brought into the cathedral. Since then the image has been called the Vladimirskaya Icon of Mother of God. During the reign of Prince Vsevolod III, after the fire of 1185 the cathedral was rebuilt to become five-domed..
The Cathedral of St. Dmitry. The Cathedral of St. Dmitry was built in 1194-1197 in the reign of Prince Vsevolod III who dedicated it to his heavenly patron St. Demetrius of Salonica. It used to be part of the buildings of the prince's court, and was one of the most beautiful and original cathedrals of ancient Russia. The cathedral of St. Dmitry clearly embodies the concept of the omnipotence of Vsevolod III, and the political power and independence of the Vladimir - Suzdal principality.
The Golden Gate. The Golden Gate is the only existing monument of military engineering architecture of ancient Russia. The gate was built in 1158-64, under Prince Andrey Bogolubsky. It was the main, most spectacular, and imposing gate of northeastern Russia's capital. Such gates had been erected in big cities of the Christian world starting with the gate in Constantinople that commemorated the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem through the Golden Gate of the city. The gateway of the Golden Gate in Vladimir was closed with heavy oak gates covered with Arabian copper, which was probably gilded.
All the museums of the city are incorporated into the State Vladimir-Suzdal History, Arts and Architecture Museum-Preserve. There are six topical museum exhibitions and the building of the Museum Center for Culture and Education.
The Exhibition of Military History. The museum is housed in the former Church of the Deposition of the Robe that tops the archway of the Golden Gate. The focal point of the exhibition is a diorama and sound track that recreate the battle of 1238 against the Mongol-Tatar invaders. Weapons and armor of the XII-XIX centuries, materials about famous Russian generals are also displayed there.
Crystal and Mstera Miniature Lacquer-work and Embroidery Exhibition. The exhibition was opened in 1974 in the former Old Believers' Trinity Church located near the Golden Gate. Exhibited here are objects of decorative and applied art traditional for the Vladimir region: crystal and colored glass from Gus-Khrustalny, miniature lacquer-work from Mstera that includes papier-mache boxes and caskets painted and covered with lacquer, and embroidery in white satin and "Vladimirsky" stitch.
The Museum Center for Culture and Education. A little aside from the main thoroughfare, between the two ancient cathedrals is an interesting monument of civic classical architecture - the building of the former Provincial Administration (XVIII century). It houses a whole world of museum exhibitions both for children and adults. The museum complex was created in1993-2000. The names of the exhibitions speak for themselves: "Russian Home", The Birth of the Book", "Old Russian School". The building also accommodates the Picture Gallery, the Museum of the Nobility Country Estates, as well as halls for traveling and temporary exhibitions. Up-to-date techniques of making exhibitions, their ideal integrity and educational value, attendants dressed in the XIX century clothes add to the peculiarity and attractiveness of the center.
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