Suzdal, Russia

Suzdal (Russian: Су́здаль) is a town in Vladimir Oblast, Russia, northeast of Moscow. It stands 26 km from the city of Vladimir, on the River Kamenka. Population: 11,357 (2002 Census).
The history of the town dates back to at least the year 1024. For centuries it functioned as the capital of several Russian principalities. It forms part of the Golden Ring.
After a decline in political importance, the town rose in prominence as a religious center with numerous monasteries and a remarkable ratio of churches to citizens: at one point, forty churches for four hundred families. Today, the town operates as an important tourist center, featuring many fine examples of old Russian architecture — most of them churches and monasteries. Walking through the town one might get the feeling that every third building is a church. Although having over ten thousand residents, Suzdal still retains the look and feel of a small village with streams and meadows everywhere nearby, and chicken and livestock a common site on the city streets, some of which are unpaved. This juxtaposition of stunning medieval architecture with its pastoral setting lends Suzdal a picturesque charm, and in the summer artists and easels are a common sight.

There are about 300 architectural monuments in Suzdal. Four of them, the Nativity Cathedral (Rozhdestvensky Cathedral) (the 13th-century) that is situated in the Kremlin, the Saint Boris and the Saint Gleb Church (the 12th-century), the ensembles of the Intercession (Pokrovsky) Convent and the Monastery of our Savior and St Euthimius (Spaso-Yevfimiyev Monastery) were included in the list of the World Cultural Heritage of UNESCO (photo). Most of the monuments in Suzdal are owned by the Federal government. The small number of monuments is owned by the town government of Suzdal. During the last 10 years, two monasteries (Pokrovsky and Vasilyevsky) and a number of cathedrals were given to the Russian Orthodox Church.

europe, map of europe, travel europe, 89 europe, europe tour, eastern europe, flight to europe, great britain europe, europe cruise, europe vacation, history of europe, travel europe france, map of western europe, britain europe general great, cheap flight to europe, europe car rental, europe news, wow europe, rail europe, map of eastern europe, western europe, europe trip, europe travel guide, backpacking europe, europe hotel, central europe, europe germany, europe travel package, nfl europe, eastern europe travel, europe ireland, europe train, cheap travel europe, blank map of europe,  europe river cruise, europe airfare, ski europe, cheap airfare to europe, europe country,  country in europe, holiday, visit europe, europe france, europe atlas, union europe, europe beach, cheap ticket to europe, united kingdom and europe,