Sights of Kostroma

Around Susaninskaya Ploschad

Borschov Mansion

1/2 Prospekt Mira

The elegant classical style mansion located on Susanin Square is known as the Borschov Mansion after its owner General Lieutenant Sergey Borschov, who had it built in 1824 upon his retirement from the army. Talks were held to sell the mansion to the state to house the Public Office, but the owner asked for too much money. After this its owner decided to turn it into a luxury hotel called the London Hotel. However the state eventually did end up purchasing the building in 1870 and… Read more »

Fire Watchtower

1 Ulitsa Simanovskogo
http://kostromamuseum.ru/

One of the main symbols of Kostroma is its Fire Watchtower. It was built between 1824 and 1827 with both the intention to protect the city from fire and to be a landmark. Restoration work was carried out in the mid-20th century and its octagonal watchtower was restored to its former glory. In 2005 the watchtower was transferred to the Kostroma Historical, Architectural and Art Museum Reserve. Read more »

Fish Rows Art Gallery

corpus 3, Ulitsa Molochnaya Gora
http://kostromamuseum.ru/
10:00 - 18:00, daily.

The Fish Rows were built in the mid-19th century as part of the trading rows surrounding Susanin Square. As their name suggests these rows were designated precisely for the sale of fish. In 2010 the building of the Fish Rows was transferred to the Kostroma Historical, Architectural and Art Museum Reserve which now uses it to hold an art gallery and temporary exhibits. Read more »

Ivan Susanin Monument

Susaninskaya Ploschad

This monument to the man credited with saving the life of Mikhail Romanov from Polish interventionists is a Soviet creation which was unveiled in 1967. An early monument to Ivan Susanin was created in 1851 on the orders of Emperor Nicholas I. This monument featured a bust of Tsar Michael on a column with Susanin standing at the base. This monument was demolished in 1918 although there are plans to recreate it. Read more »

Military History Museum (Military Prison)

1/2 Ulitsa Lenina
http://kostromamuseum.ru
10:00 - 18:00, daily.

Located next to the Fire Watchtower is the Military Prison that was built around the same time as the watchtower, between 1823 and 1826. It was used for its intended purpose of holding soldiers who had been arrested up until the 20th century when it was given over to be used as a museum, although it ended up being used as a library and a registry office for a period. Now it holds the Military History Museum and has displays on the Russian Army throughout the ages. The museum is run… Read more »

Miracle-Image of the Saviour Church in the Rows

Krasnye Ryady, Susaninskaya Ploschad

The Miracle-Image of the Saviour Church is often more simply known as the Saviour in the Rows due to its location within the Krasnye (red) trading rows. It was built in 1766 comprising of a small pillar-less cube building topped with five green domes. Slightly behind and to the side of the church is a bell tower that forms an entrance into the trading rows. During the Soviet times it was used as an antireligious museum and its domes and the upper tier of the bell tower were removed… Read more »

Nobility Assembly

7 Prospekt Mira
http://kostromamuseum.ru/
10:00 - 18:00, daily.

The building of the Nobility Assembly dates from the mid-19th century and was built in the classical style. Today the building makes up part of the Kostroma Historical, Architectural and Art Museum Reserve and exhibitions are held here on Kostroma and the life of its noble class in the 19th century. In addition temporary exhibitions and presentations are also held here. Read more »

Prince Yuri Dolgoruky Monument

outside 3 Ulitsa Sovetskaya

The historian Vasily Tatischev credited the founding of Kostroma to Prince Yuri Dolgoruky - a 12th century prince of Rostov-Suzdal and then grand prince of Kiev. Dolgoruky is famous for founding many other Russian cities, including Moscow. This statue depicts Dolgoruky sat in a chair holding out his arm, as Dolgoruky means the Long-Armed, a sobriquet he earned due to his decision to rule Kiev from afar. It was unveiled in 2003 on the 850th anniversary of the city. Read more »

Romanovsky Museum

5 Prospekt Mira
http://kostromamuseum.ru/
10:00 - 18:00, daily.

As its name suggests the Romanovsky Museum was opened in 1913 by Emperor Nicholas II during his visit to Kostroma. The museum is located in a beautiful two-storey building purposely designed to serve as a museum. Today the museum details the history of the Kostroma Region and its people, especially focusing on the Romanov and Godunov Dynasties, both of which have a connection to Kostroma. The museum is run as part of the Kostroma Historical, Architectural and Art Museum Reserve. … Read more »

Vladimir Lenin Monument

Central Park

Kostroma's Lenin Monument is rather interesting due to the fact that it stands on a massive pedestal that was originally destined to become the base of a grandiose monument to the 300th Anniversary of the House of Romanov. By the Revolution only the pedestal had been completed, although it was envisaged that it would include 26 figures of people related to the rule of the Romanovs. Shortly after Lenin's death in 1924 it was decided instead to place a statue of him on the top of the… Read more »

Away from the Centre

Bogoyavlensko-Anastasiin Convent

26 Ulitsa Simanovskogo

The Bogoyavlensko-Anastasiin Convent started its life in the early 15th century when it was founded as the Bogoyavlensky Monastery by St Nikita of Kostroma, a pupil of St Sergius of Radonezh. St Nikita of Kostroma dedicated the monastery to the Epiphany ('Bogoyavlenie' in Russian). In 1565 the monastery's first stone cathedral was completed. In 1608 Polish troops led by Aleksander Lisowski sacked the monastery and killed the monks who refused to renounce their support of Tsar… Read more »

Miracle-Image of the Saviour Church in Zaprudna

2 Ulitsa Zaprudnaya

The Miracle-Image of the Saviour Church is located in the part of Kostroma historically known as Zaprudna. It was built in 1754 in the classical style, supposedly on the site where the Our Lady of St Theodore Icon re-appeared. Religious processions with the icon used to take place from the Dormition Cathedral to this church once a year. It was originally part of the Spaso-Zaprudnensky Monastery which was closed in 1764. The church is an example of an octagon-on-cube style of church… Read more »

St Alexius’ Church

14 Ulitsa Katushechnaya

St Alexius’ Church was built between 1759 and 1762 in the form of a yellow coloured two-storey building with a single green dome. On the front of this there is a round bell tower. The church was closed in the 1930s. In 1991 it was returned to the Orthodox Church and shortly afterwards it became the home church of the re-established Kostroma Seminary. Read more »

St John Chrysostom's Church

5 Ulitsa Lavrovskaya

St John Chrysostom’s Church was built in 1751 to replace an earlier version built using donations from Tsar Michael. In form it has a tall main building with five elongated silver domes. Attached to the front of this via a closed vestibule is a bell tower which was added in approximately 1791. This church remained open throughout the whole of the Soviet era. Read more »

War Memorial

Ploschad Mira (33 Prospekt Mira)

Located on Ploschad Mira (Peace Square) is a massive Soviet-style monument which is dedicated to the heroism shown by the Soviet people during the Second World War. It depicts an idealised version of a Soviet soldier wearing a cape blowing in the wind and holding aloft a machine gun. With his other hand he is supporting a half-naked youth on his knee. Read more »

Znamensky Convent

37 Ulitsa Nizhnyaya Debrya
http://www.znamenskii.ru/

The Znamensky Convent was founded rather recently in 1993 around the pre-existing 17th century Resurrection of Christ Church and the early 19th century Our Lady of the Sign Church. Resurrection of Christ Church The Resurrection of Christ Church is one of the prettiest churches in Kostroma and was constructed between 1645 and 1652. The church is built out of bricks and comprises a four-pillar cube building topped with five silver domes. It also has two side-chapels and is… Read more »

In Sumarokovo

Sumarokovo Moose Farm

village of Sumarokovo
http://www.loseferma.ru/
10:00 - 15:00. Daily.

The village of Sumarokovo, which is located around 25km from Kostroma, is home to one of the very few moose farms in the world. This particular farm was established in 1963 as a research farm to investigate the possibility of domesticating the moose for the benefit of agricultural and military needs. The animals are not farmed for their meat (moose meat production proved too expensive), but they are milked in summer months. It is claimed moose milk is very effective against… Read more »

South of the River Volga

St Elijah the Prophet's Church in the Gorodische

17A Ulitsa Dachnaya

St Elijah the Prophet’s Church is also known as the Resurrection of Christ Church to which it is also dedicated. It is located on the southern side of Volga in what was once the site of an ancient hill fort (gorodische). It was built between 1663 and 1703. The white brick church is made up of a small single domed building with a side-chapel on the back and a small bell tower on the front. It was closed in 1945, restored in the 1980s and returned to the Orthodox Church in 1990. … Read more »

Transfiguration of the Saviour Church beyond the Volga

4 Ulitsa Volgarey

The Transfiguration of the Saviour Church beyond the Volga is located in what was once known as the Spaso-Nikolskaya sloboda (settlement) and previously there was also a church dedicated to St Nicholas nearby. The Transfiguration Church was built in 1685 using the funds of local residents. Upon completion the interior of the church was decorated with frescos, however during the Soviet era the church was used as housing for a factory and the frescos were painted over. In 1968… Read more »

West of the River Kostroma

Ipatievsky Monastery

1 Ulitsa Prosveschenia
http://ipatievsky.ru/

The first mention of the Ipatievsky Monastery came in 1432 when Vasily II of Rus signed a peace treaty with Vasily Kosoy here. However it is believed the monastery was founded much earlier. One legend states that it was founded in approximately 1330 by a Tatar nobleman named Chet who entered the services of Ivan Kalita and adopted Christianity. On his way to Moscow, Chet became ill and rested where the River Kostroma flows into the Volga. In his dream he saw the Virgin Mary who… Read more »

Kostoma Sloboda Museum-Reserve

1A Ulitsa Prosveschenia
http://www.kmtn.ru/~kossloboda/

Located just outside the walls of the Ipatievsky Monastery is the 'Kostroma Sloboda' Kostroma Architectural, Ethnographical and Landscape Museum-Reserve - an open-air museum of wooden architecture. Inside many beautiful examples of wooden churches, houses, huts and banyas have been bought here from neighbouring villages. Unlike other open-air museum of wooden architecture, this museum has the additional charm of being laid out in the plan of a village, complete with cobblestone… Read more »

St John the Theologian's Church

5 Ulitsa Pisatelya Osetrova

Located close to the Ipatievsky Monastery is St John the Theologian’s Church which was built between 1681 and 1687 to replace two wooden churches which burned down. The main part of the building is a four-pillar cube with five domes and attached to a bell tower. It was closed in the late 1940s but returned to the Orthodox Church in 1993 as part of the Ipatievsky Monastery. In 2005 it was separated from the monastery and became a parish church. Read more »