The Golden Ring of Russia is a tourist route, which unites ancient cities of North-Eastern Russia: Yaroslavl, Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Rostov Veliky, Uglich, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Suzdal, and Vladimir. All of these cities have retained unique monuments of Russian history and culture.
The history of the Golden Ring began in 1965, when art historian and journalist Yuri Bychkov went on a motorcar trip about the cities of the Vladimir region. On his own initiative, he expanded the original list of settlements and came up with an idea of a circular route of about 500 kilometers. In 1967, the Soviet Culture newspaper published a series of articles about this journey, where the name Golden Ring was used for the first time. The route became popular among foreign and Russian travelers.
Most historians believe that the city of Vladimir appeared in 1108. The Novgorod Chronicle gives the name of its founder: Russian prince Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh. As early as by the mid-12th century, the city became the capital of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality and the most influential settlement of North-Eastern Russia. In the 14th century, the city fell under the reign of the Golden Horde, which led to its decline and the destruction of many buildings and structures. Only after Vladimir became part of the Moscow Principality in the 15th century, the city began to gradually restore its former glory.
Today, Vladimir is one of the largest tourist centers of the European part of the country. The Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve introduces visitors to the monuments of Old Russian architecture. Among the most valuable attractions, there are monuments of white stone architecture of the 12th-13th centuries, such as the Assumption Cathedral, the Golden Gate, and the Cathedral of Saint Demetrius.
The postage stamp features the Golden Gate, the Assumption Cathedral, the water tower (places of interest of the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum-Reserve), the Vladimir Regional Puppet Theater, and the building of the old City Duma.
Uglich was founded in 937. In 1218, it became the residence of an independent appanage principality. In 1238, it was plundered and burned down by the Golden Horde. In the second half of the 13th century, the Uglich Principality grew and incorporated several cities, and since 1329, it became subordinate to Moscow Prince Ivan Kalita. By the 15th century, Uglich was rebuilt and gained independence; during the administration of Dmitry Donskoy's son Konstantin, it became economically stronger and minted its own coinage.
Nowadays, Uglich of the Yaroslavl Region and its near vicinity is the host of more than 300 historical and architectural monuments of Russian culture. These include churches, monasteries, palaces of the 15th-17th centuries, and historical civil buildings.
The postage stamp provides images of the Church of St. Demetrius on Blood (Uglich Museum) against the background of the Uglich hydroelectric power plant, the palace chamber of the Uglich appanage princes (Uglich Museum), the Museum of Urban Life of the 19th century, the floodgate arch, and the fire watchtower.
Yaroslavl was founded by Yaroslav the Wise in 1010 at the confluence of two rivers - the Volga and the Kotorosl. The city became a stronghold of princely power and an outpost for the spread of Christianity in the North-Eastern Russia. As early as in the 12th-13th centuries, Yaroslavl became one of the most developed cities, a major center of trade and crafts. Early in the 17th century, it played a key role in the events of the Time of Troubles, becoming the center of the struggle against foreign invaders.
Currently, Yaroslavl is the capital of the Golden Ring of Russia, the cultural and spiritual center of Central Russia. The historical center of Yaroslavl is entered in the UNESCO World Heritage List. There are many ancient streets, the Transfiguration of the Savior Monastery, the Assumption Cathedral and the Church of Elijah the Prophet (17th century).
The postage stamp provides images of the monument to Yaroslav the Wise against the background of the Uglich tower of Transfiguration of the Savior Monastery and the Church of the Epiphany, a Pavilion on the Volga Embankment, the Volkov Theater, the Church of Elijah the Prophet (Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve), and Ivan Vakhrameev's house.
In addition to the issue of the postage stamps, JSC Marka produced First Day Covers and special cancels for Moscow, Vladimir, Uglich of the Yaroslavl Region and Yaroslavl, as well as unstamped postcards; maxi-cards; and an illustrated cover with postage stamps, a label and First Day Covers with cancels for Vladimir, Uglich of the Yaroslavl Region and Yaroslavl, inside.
Design Artist: V. Beltyukov.
Face value: 58 rubles.
Stamp size: 50×37 mm, sheet size: 172×175 mm.
Emission form: sheets with formatted margins with 12 (3×4) stamps.
Quantity: 84 thousand each stamp (7 thousand each sheet).
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