| The cradle of the House of Romanovs
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The city is located on the banks of the Volga River 330 kilometers northwest of Moscow. Kostroma, like Moscow, was founded by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky in 1152. Over the centuries such numerous disasters as internecine wars between princes, devastating wars with Mongol invaders, terrible fires and Polish-Lithuanian invasion befell the town. Yet, each time it rose again from the ashes and healed its severe wounds.
In 1778, Kostroma became the center of a gubernia (province), and several years later a master pan for its development was adopted, by which all its radial streets were to converge on the central square with a huge Shopping Center on the bank of the Volga. Today Kostroma is the only city in Russia which has retained the layout and architectural ensemble formed in its central part during the XVIII - early XIX centuries. Of the buildings erected in the XIX century no two were alike, which is an indication of a high standard of town planning in that period. A peculiar feature of the old part of Kostroma is the abundance of wooden houses. Their facade decorations and forged balcony railings add very special features to their appearance. However, Kostroma`s principal attraction is the Ipatiev Monastery. It is from this monastery that Michael Romanov, the first of the Romanov dynasty, was called to become tsar of Russia. |
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The Ipatiev Monastery. The Ipatiev Monastery founded around 1330 is located at the confluence of two rivers - the Volga and the Kostroma. The monastery was first mentioned in chronicles in 1435. Its architectural ensemble was formed during the XVI-XIX centuries. Since the middle of the XVI century the monastery entered the period of prosperity, the development being attributed to the rise of the Godunovs who used to give great donations to the monastery. Stone construction subsidized by the Godunovs was under way there. With the Godunovs support a school for icon painters was set up in the monastery. Most renowned masters were Guri Nikitin and Sila Savin. After the fall of the Godunovs the Romanov dynasty became the monastery patrons. It was here that 16 year old Michael Romanov got the news that he had been elected Tsar of Russia.
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The Ipatiev Monastery
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Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. The crowning glory of the Ipatiev Monastery ensemble is the five-dome Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. The original stone cathedral was built in 1558-64 with the Godunovs` contributions. In the middle of the XVII century the cathedral was destroyed by a gun powder explosion. The new church was built in 1652. The crowning glory of the Ipatiev Monastery ensemble is the five-dome Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. The original stone cathedral was built in 1558-64 with the Godunovs` contributions. In the middle of the XVII century the cathedral was destroyed by a gun powder explosion. The new church was built in 1652.
The exterior of the cathedral features some decorative and architectural details: the majestic main porch, blind arcading along the walls, brick decorations of the windows and decorative drums of the domes glittering with gold. The murals painted on the walls are regarded as some of the most valuable art treasures in the country. A perfect match for these frescoes is the picturesque wooden Baroque iconostasis made by Kostroma masters, and comprising 80 icons arranged in several tiers. The cathedral houses the family vault of the Godunovs. |
Cathedral of the Holy Trinity |
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Boyars Romanovs` Chambers. The monastery complex also includes the Boyars Romanovs` Chambers. Originally there were monk cells there wherein the Prior of the monastery used to live. In 1613 Michael Romanov and his mother, nun Marfa, occupied two small rooms on t
he first floor. In the middle of the XIX century the monastery building became ramshackle and was rebuilt to look like a tsar palace. The grounds of the monastery accommodated monuments of Russian wooden architecture: the Church of Holy Mother of God from Kholm village (XVI century), the Church of Our Savior and the Transfiguration from Spas-Vezhi village (XVII century) and others. The monastery kept the Chronicles of the Ipatiev Monastery - a most valuable historical and literary relic (the beginning of the XV century).
In 1918 the monastery was abolished, and in1946 it became a museum that was turned into a History and Architecture Museum -Preserve "Ipatiev Monastery" in 1958. |
Boyars Romanovs` Chambers |
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Church of the Resurrection-on-the-Debre. Another treasure of Kostroma is the Church of the Resurrection-on-the-Debre built in the XVII century with the donations of the merchant Kiril Isakov. The church catches the eye with its amazingly festive appearance. Its red-brick walls are decorated with white-stone inserts and green glazed tiles on the domes. A covered gallery runs along its three sides. Three ornate tent-shaped porches lead to the gallery. Another treasure of Kostroma is the Church of the Resurrection-on-the-Debre built in the XVII century with the donations of the merchant Kiril Isakov. The church catches the eye with its amazingly festive appearance. Its red-brick walls are decorated with white-stone inserts and green glazed tiles on the domes. A covered gallery runs along its three sides. Three ornate tent-shaped porches lead to the gallery. Frescoes of the XVII century decorate the walls and the vaulted ceiling. The exquisitely carved iconostasis of the XVII century in the Three Saints Chapel is a real gem of Kostroma. Until recently the church had a most worshiped relic in Kostroma - Feodorovskaya Icon of Holy Mother of God ( the XIII century) which had been used for invoking God`s blessing upon Michael Romanov as the Tsar of Russia. Now the icon is in the Epiphany Monastery.
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Church of the Resurrection-on-the-Debre |
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The Epiphany Monastery (founded in the first quarter of the XV century), residence of the present Archbishop of Kostroma, is in the center of the city and accommodates a seminary, workshops for making church clothes, icons, as well as a printing house for publishing a newspaper.
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The Epiphany Monastery |
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Kostroma Museums |
The State History and Architecture Museum-Preserve "Ipatiev Monastery" was established in 1958. It is located on the grounds of the Ipatiev monastery, and incorporates Architecture and Ethnography Museum founded in 1957.
The Museum-Preserve is one of the biggest museums in Russia. With its collection numbering over 400,000 objects the museum has more than 50 monuments of architecture of the XVI-XIX centuries. Exhibitions housed in the Ipatiev monastery include the "Sacristy of the Trinity Cathedral" (donations of boyar and tsar families), "History of the Kostroma Region from Ancient Times to the End of the XIX Century", "Church Antiquities of the XIV-XIX centuries", "The Boyars Romanos` Chambers", "Natural History of the Kostroma Region".
The Natural History Department of the Museum is housed in the former almshouse of the Ipatiev monastery. The collection of I.M. Rubinsky, a local scientist, containing about 4,000 specimens of insects from different continents is of special interest for visitors.
The Museum of Wooden Architecture is Russia`s first outdoor museum of this kind. Houses, barns, bath-houses, four mills, wooden churches and chapels were moved there from different parts of the Kostroma region. Brought together, they give us a full idea about country life in the Upper Volga Region. The pride of the museum is the Cathedral of Holy Mother of God (1552) from the village of Kholm.
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