At the first mention of the administrative center of the Vologda Oblast, associations with lace, linen and butter are born in the minds of most tourists. The direction of thought is generally correct, but far from complete. The picturesque settlement in the north-west of Russia will definitely not disappoint travelers with its architectural historical heritage, it will amaze the imagination with the very openwork carved palisades immortalized in a popular song, and will delight with the hospitality of local residents.
Vologda Kremlin
To the great regret of inquisitive researchers, admirers of historical artifacts, today's complex is already miserable crumbs of its former greatness. The initiator of the creation is Ivan the Terrible himself. His aspirations were dominated by a plan to build one of his royal estates here, so the builders tried with all their skillful forces. The area of the construction is still more than 55 hectares.
Walking here is a real pleasure, the only pity is that from the day of birth in 1567, there are not so many rarities left in the Kremlin walls as before. The representative of that stone power is the Bishop's Court, the churches of St. Sophia and the Intercession, a safe haven for Vologda clergy. Various buildings on the territory were erected sequentially from the ХΥΙ to the ХΙХ century.
By the way, not many rich religious residences with perfectly preserved elements of authentic decor have been preserved on Russian soil. The Vologda Kremlin is one of the rare examples of not only a majestic constellation of buildings, but also a kind of “town in a big city”. So the second name “Nason-city” is a well-deserved status.
Sophia Cathedral
Geolocation – the territory of the Vologda Kremlin, so you won't have to look for an object for a long time. The main cathedral of the region began to be built in the ХΥΙ century. Since then, its shiny gray domes and snow-white walls have remained the key symbol of the city. The most famous architectural analogue is the Assumption Church in Moscow. The builders once spent 20 long years on everything about everything, the first service here took place in 1867.
A quarter of a century later, a serious test fell on the share of the holy monastery, the troops of Lithuania and Poland destroyed the complex almost to the ground. The business card of Vologda is lucky. Through the diligent efforts of the masters, the temple was quickly restored, and became even more beautiful and majestic. It is necessary to inspect the religious building both from the outside and from the inside. The pearl and pride of the structure is the Last Judgment fresco, recognized as the largest “picture” of this kind in the entire Russian state.
Yes, and other wall paintings in these walls are worthy of admiration, the time of the last reconstruction is the 60s of the XX century. Among the masters of the brush, who happened to decorate the interior of the cathedral, there was such an outstanding artist as Maxim the Greek. Services in the institution are now rare, they are held only in the warm season on special occasions.
Vologda Museum-Reserve
An attraction worthy of the label: “must visit”. On the territory of which there is nothing: the majestic Resurrection Cathedral with an excellent art gallery, an architectural and ethnographic museum, 9 more branches of various thematic directions at other addresses. This is exactly the place where every tourist will find something of interest, everything here is unusual, beautiful, interesting, informative. Among the reserves of the reserve: the house-museums of Peter Ι and A.F.
Mozhaisky, museum-apartment of K.N. Batyushkov, a “sad” museum institution dedicated to the memory of political prisoners, museums associated with art and creativity, such as the Museum of Lace, Literature and Art of the 20th century, a historical museum with an exposition telling about the life of Vologda in the 19th – 20th centuries. When tourists do not have much free time in the city, visiting the protected collection fully helps them get a general idea of the village.
Lace Museum
Classical, in some ways even chamber lace-making has been a local brand since time immemorial. The most tempting advantage of the “openwork” institution is authentic, exclusive products for sale, which have no repetitions, everything is made in a single copy. The museum has several expositions: a dedication to European craftswomen, a peasant wardrobe with lace decorations, old handicrafts (20-40s of the 20th century) by local lace gurus.
After viewing the collection of exquisite products, you can visit the beginners' training class, the showroom, the creative club of interest, drink coffee with excellent desserts in the cafe. Orientation on the ground – Kremlin Square. The museum welcomes guests every day and only on Monday takes a day off from visitors. The attraction is part of a sightseeing tour of the city, in this case the visit is accompanied by a guide who tells many interesting stories about the kingdom of lace.
House Zasetsky
A nondescript architectural monument at first glance has the honorary status of a masterpiece of wooden architecture and one of the oldest buildings in Vologda. The address of the “old man” is the intersection of st. Leningradskaya and Pobedy Avenue, the Noble Mansion with a mezzanine and a portico fashionable in the 19th century is a classic example of urban development in the spirit of classicism.
From its appearance, you can imagine what the settlement looked like a couple of centuries ago. The date of birth of this masterpiece is 1790. In those days, pretentiousness and pomp were not welcomed, but this does not at all mean that living in a house was uncomfortable and uncomfortable. In accordance with the order of Empress Catherine the Great, who considered Vologda the capital of the then northern possessions of Russia, each respectable aristocratic family had to have, in addition to country estates, a city mansion.
And so the fate of this building fell to become the property of the Zasetsky family. The merits of the Zasetskys were noted in local history, as well as in the techniques of weaving lace. Rumor has it that the building once held a huge collection of books and ancient rarities from different countries, but traces of this wealth have disappeared into obscurity.
Cathedral Hill
The main purpose of the attraction is a wonderful observation deck. From the height of this picturesque place, breathtaking views of the opposite bank of the Vologda River open up. This is a favorite place for walking among the townspeople, and it is from here that tourists bring the most charming photographs of the northern settlement.
The wonderful embankment is full of green spaces, the architecture of the buildings pleases the eye, usually the crowds of people here for some reason do not make noise, but walk sedately and calmly, as if the very atmosphere of the calm river surface makes you not rush anywhere and indulge in peace. Tired of walking, you can relax on the numerous benches and admire the surrounding landscapes, it is amazingly beautiful here in any weather.
Museum “The World of Forgotten Things”
It is part of the Vologda Museum-Reserve, and it will be easy to find an institution on the street. Leningradskaya. In the city, the institution is famous for interesting literary gatherings, creative evenings with live music, festive events for young residents, and colorful New Year trees. Behind the scenes, descendants of Vologda aristocratic families like to gather at cultural parties, donating personal property from heritage collections to create an exciting composition about life in Vologda in the old days.
Former family values are combined into 2 thematic sections: actually “forgotten things” from among household items and noble interiors and a collection of portraits that once adorned the estates and city mansions of wealthy citizens. You can visit the museum 5 times a week, including weekends, there is a break in excursions on Monday and Tuesday.
carved palisade
The full name of the institution is the Center for Folk Art Crafts “Carved Palisade”. For those travelers who like to look at “hand-made” products and buy something for themselves as a keepsake from one region or another – expanse and pleasure. There is no better place in the city to buy souvenirs and presents for friends and relatives, though the price tag not cheap, but the creations are a feast for the eyes.
The institution is famous for its friendly, almost homely atmosphere, craftsmen and everyone will tell about their masterpieces, and they will let you touch, and look at it for a long time, but they will not refuse to choose. You will not find antiques here, there is a solid remake around, but very high quality, skillfully made, intricate. Folk craftsmen are focused on the history of the region, in the priorities of the traditions of their ancestors. The caretaker of the center is always ready to answer all the questions of visitors and help with the choice.
Church in the name of St. John Chrysostom
The object of local cultural heritage has the status of an architectural masterpiece of federal significance. You can find it opposite the St. Sophia Cathedral. The magnificent holy cloister is made of stone. Date of construction – ХΥΙΙ century, and a wonderful place was chosen on the banks of the river with nice natural landscapes around. There are 5 boundaries in the church: St. John Chrysostom, Great Martyr Barbara, Basil the Confessor, Myrrh-Bearing Women, Vologda Saints.
During its existence, the temple has experienced several reconstructions, of the ancient rarities, only unique frescoes, icons and stucco have survived. The last restoration of the monastery was carried out in 2010, but there is obviously still something for the restorers to work on here. Local residents favor their temple and are especially proud of its magnificent bell tower.
house with lilies
The institution has a full name – the house-museum of the merchant Chernoglazov “House with Lilies”. Landmark – st. Chernyshevsky. G.P. Yakimov became the founder of the museum, the institution received its status in 2018. The building itself was built much earlier in the second half of the 19th century, but was of little interest to the Vologda authorities. The architectural style of the building is modern, but without the reliable hands of a real owner who stands up for antiquity, everything here almost fell into complete decline.
For many years, a pharmacy was located within the walls of the house, and then the owner of the network of flower shops, Yakimov, bought the architectural rarity that no one needed and gave new life to the legacy of his ancestors. The exposition is based on finds made by builders during the restoration of the building.
You can visit this place only by prior arrangement with the current owner, he usually does not refuse tourists, organizes periodic excursions, the ticket price for one traveler is 100 rubles. The renovated brainchild of Yakimov pleases the eye with bright colors of the facade and magnificent interior decoration in the style “a la Russian nobility and merchant class”.
Botanical Garden Botanika
The address of the collection of flora and fauna in the northern regions under the name Botanika is Orlovsky lane, 10A. For visits, a charming oasis is open on all days of the week, you can choose halls according to your interests: a greenhouse, an animal zone, a butterfly garden, a desert area, a fragment of the natural zones of Australia and other continents. There are no number of themed tours here, the staff is constantly adding new ideas to the list about what else to tell visitors.
Among the latest proposals are interactive events. An exotic garden with a delightful flora is available for colorful photo shoots; newlyweds sometimes rent botanical properties not only for shooting as a memory of a gala day, but also for a wedding party in a bar. The botanical garden often hosts biology classes for students and schoolchildren; adult citizens attend master classes with pleasure.