Vladimir

Vladimir region was formed on the 14th of August 1944 with Vladimir as a regional centre. The territory of the region is 29000 sq.kms. The density of population is 56.8 persons per 1 sq.km.

There are 19 districts including 3 in Vladimir; 22 towns, 10 of which are of regional subordination (Vladimir, Alexandrov, Vyazniki, GusKhrustalny, Kovrov, Kolchugino, Murom, Raduzhny, Sobinka, Suzdal). The population of 3 of these cities (Vladimir, Kovrov, Murom) reaches more than 100 thousand. There are 37 factory housing estates, 223 village Soviets, 2481 village settlement.

Total population of the district was 1647.6 thousand people by the beginning of 1995.

The Assumption Cathedral of the Princess Convent

The Cathedral of Dormition of the Princess's Monastery is an architectural monument of the 15h-16h centuries. Frescoes by Mark Matveyev, an outstanding 17th century artist, are to be seen on the cathedral's walls in a state of good preservation. Modern Cathedral of Dormition of the Princess's Monastery is an architectural monument of the 15h-16h centuries.

The Cathedral of ST. Demetrius was built in the late 12th century in the yard of Prince Vsevolod the Big Nest. The medium-sized cathedral, which was once connected with the Prince's palace by a structure and was a typical palacial church, is an outstanding white-stone monument of old Russian architecture. It stands out among them by its marvellous carved-stone walls.

The Golden Gate is a remarkable monument of the twelth - century architecture. It was erected in 1164 when the building of ramparts around New City was finished. It is probably the only remaining spesimen of such fine quality of old Russian military architecture. The repairs gradually altered the Gate's appearance.
In 1469 the church of the Deposition of the Robe was refurbished by Vasily Yermolin, a noted Moscow architect and sculptor. It was subsequently twice rebuilt, and its aspect is now that of the late 18-th and early 19-th centuries, when the Gate underwent their last, and most fundamental alteration.
What remains of the original gate of 1164 are the two massive walls of big smooth blocks of white stone. The arch was even higher originally but over the time is has sunk nearly a metre and a half into the earth.

Inside the south wall is a stone staircase in two flights, leading out onto the battlements. The lower flight comes to an end at the exit to the battle platform in the passegeway. Graffiti, presumably scratched by 12-th and 13-th century soldiers, survive on the broad doorpost. The second flight of staircase leads to the upper battle platform and the golden-domed church dedicated to the Deposition of the Robe.

The Golden Gate was built by local craftsmen who had worked in Vladimir and Rostov in 1158-1164. Among the crosses on the South-side stone is a sign which reminds us that the workers belonged to one of the princes.

The Golden Gate was an impregnable fortress when it was necessary: in 1238 Mongol-Tatar invaders were powerless before the Gate and they were able to break into the town only through a breach in the wooden walls.

The 17-th century Church of St. Nicholas-at-Galleys, the smallest in Vladimir, stands at the foot of the hills where a landing platform used to be. It is built according to the traditions of its age. A broad band of kokoshniki runs across the top of the facades, and the nalichniki are particularly ornate. Adjoined to the north-west corner is an original bell-tower, shaped like a square tower with a high spire, the niches of which are set with green tiles.