Kostroma is the city of the Golden Ring, which is the furthest from Moscow. However, it is rightly considered as one of the historic cities of Russia and is certainly worth visiting. The city retained the appearance of a trading center of 19 century, and it is there that the Ipatiev Monastery is located – the «cradle of Russian monarchy».
Kostroma was founded by the prince Yuri Dolgorukiy (literally Yuri the Long-Armed) in 1152. About the same time there were founded such Russian cities as Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Suzdal, Rostov Velikiy or Rostov the Great and some other cities. Actually, there appearance was shaped at the same time and they were included in the Golden Ring of Russia.
All tourist attractions of Kostroma are rather compactly located in the historical center of the city, with the exception of the Ipatiev Monastery and the Kostroma Sloboda folk wooden architecture museum, which are at a significant distance at the confluence of the river Volga and Kostroma.
Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery is the most interesting tourist attraction of Kostroma. The monastery was laid down in 14 century by a Tatar prince, of whom the family of the Godunov came. But the true importance for Russian history the monastery gained only in 1613, when on the porch of the boyar`s chambers Mikhail Romanov was declared Russian tsar – the first of the Romanov dynasty who ruled the country for over 300 years.
At the walls of the Ipatiev Monastery there is another attraction – the Kostroma Sloboda folk wooden architecture museum. It can be put among the most interesting museums along with the Kizhi island or the Vitoslavitsy of Novgorod Velikiy or Novgorod the Great.
The other tourist attractions are located in the historic center of the city near the Volga River Embankment. In 1781 in the reign of the empress Catherine II it was taken a decision about significant reconstruction of the city, which resulted in fan layout of the city based on the Volga Embankment and the Susanin Square with trading rows.
Not far from the Fire Tower, which became a symbol of the city, the Epiphany Monastery of St. Anastasia is located. Unfortunately, you can visit only the Epiphany Cathedral, where one of the sacred things of Russia – Fyodorovskaya Icon of Our Lady – is kept.
