Vladimir

Understand

Geography Vladimir is in the central part of the Eastern-European plain, on a steep hill beside the Klyazma River. The land to the north from the city is known as Vladimir Fields (Владимирское Ополье), while the land to the south is mainly covered by forests.

Orientation

Vladimir is somewhat elongated along the river that forms its southern boundary. From the north, the city is bounded by a "semi-circle" road, formerly a part of the M7 highway. Inside the city, small rivers flow into the Klyazma and form deep valleys that were used as fortifications. The inner layout of Vladimir is fairly simple. The main street runs roughly from west to east close to the Klyazma River and passes through the historical centre. Different parts of this street have different names: Московское шоссе (entry from Moscow) – проспект Ленина – улица Студёная гора – Дворянская улица – Большая Московская улица – Большая Нижегородская улица – Добросельская улица (entry from Nizhny Novgorod). Several major streets branch off to the north, cross the "semi-circle" road and turn into the roads towards Suzdal and Ivanovo (Суздальское шоссе) or Yuryev-Polsky (улица Горького). A single street (Муромское шоссе) also runs to the south, crosses the river and continues towards Sudogda, Murom, and Gus-Khrustalnyi. The main sights, along with a number of hotels and restaurants, are found in the historical centre, close to Bolshaya Moskovskaya Ulitsa (Большая Московская улица). If you arrive to Vladimir from Moscow, you enter this part of the city at the Golden Gate. Moving further to the east, one leaves the historical centre after passing the Nativity Monastery and the Hotel Vladimir. The Cathedral Square (Соборная площадь) is in the middle of this way. The train and bus stations are found to the east from the historical centre, at the bottom of the hill.

History Vladimir was founded in 1108 by Vladimir Monomakh. There is an alternative version that ascribes the foundation of the city to Vladimir the Red Sun in 990. Yet the exact year does not seem to be very important for the average traveler, since the oldest existing monuments date back only to the middle of the 12th century. At that period, the city was rapidly developing due to the activity of Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky who established the capital of North-Eastern Russia in Vladimir. The city's period of greatest importance was probably in the late 12th and early 13th century, up to the Mongol invasion. Several of Russia's greatest architectural monuments were built in Vladimir during that time, including Assumption Cathedral and

Getting there

Vladimir is halfway between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod, so you will be able to get in from both cities. It is also possible to visit Vladimir during a trip around the Golden Ring.

By plane Vladimir Semyazino airport does not have regular passenger communication. Nearest airports are in Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod, both receive international flights. From there, you can easily reach Vladimir by train, by bus, or by car.

By train The main station is next to the central bus station and close to the historic centre.

1 Vladimir railway station. (updated Jun 2021)

From Moscow Four or five suburban trains per day run to Vladimir from Moscow's Kurskaya Station. The journey takes 2½-3 hr. Buy tickets at the regional (short-distance) train ticket counter in the right wing of the Kurskaya station (Poezda Prigorodnogo Napravleniya - Gorkogo). Tickets cost from 505 руб (June 2019) one way. There are several daily departures with the earliest at 08:00. The 18:00 express is the quickest of these local trains but it has limited seats available. It returns from Vladimir at 06:00. Some super-fast Sapsan trains also call at Vladimir en route between Moscow and Nizhny Novgorod. The journey takes 1hr 45min and a seat costs 1400-3000 руб. The 06:45 departure may appeal to early risers. They use a different section of the same station as the local trains. Regular long-distance trains also call at Vladimir. They are more frequent than the suburban trains but they are generally not faster. Prices from Moscow range greatly from 500 руб to around 1000 руб. They mainly leave from the same station as the Sapsan high-speed trains but many also leave from Moscow's Yaroslavsky rail terminal. One or two depart from Moscow's Kazansky rail terminal. Heading beyond Moscow, Vladimir is well connected to many cities including Saint Petersburg and Vladivostok. From Moscow, taking one of the hourly local trains to Petushki is an alternative. Local trains between Vladimir and Petushki run 3 times per day. The overall journey is longer (3½-4 hr) but it may be helpful in case you miss other trains and the buses are overcrowded.

From Nizhny Novgorod All trains to Vladimir depart from the main railway station. There is a direct express local train, which leaves Nizhny Novgorod at 16:10 and returns from Vladimir at 07:00. The trip takes 3½ hr. The high-speed Sapsan train takes around 2 hr and costs from 1200 руб. Several long-distance trains from all over the country also connect Vladimir and Nizhny Novgorod. Price range from 400 руб to 1000 руб. The journey takes 3-4 hr. Ordinary local

Getting around

The historical centre is easily explored by foot, so the regular traveller is unlikely to use the public transport in Vladimir. Still, there is an extensive network of trolleybuses, buses, and minibuses (marshrutki), serving the whole city. The most useful option is the trolleybus #5 that connects the train station to the historical centre and runs along Bolshaya Moscovksaya Ulitsa. Normally, you have to pay to the driver or to a special lady who sits in the bus and collects the money.

See

Must-see list These monuments are recognized by UNESCO and included in the World Heritage List. They are essential tourist destinations in Vladimir.

1 Cathedral of the Assumption (Успенский собор), Соборная площадь (Cathedral Square). It is one of the most historically important Russian Orthodox Churches. For a short period in the 14th century, the cathedral was the seat of the Metropolitan, the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church. The cathedral was built in 1158 with only one dome. However, the major reconstruction followed already in 1185: four smaller domes were added, and the building was considerably enlarged in order to resemble St. Sophia's Cathedral in Kyiv. Later on, a similar project was utilized for the cathedral of the Assumption in Moscow Kremlin. The neighbouring bell tower of eclectic style was built in 1810 to replace the former hip-roof tower. The interior of the cathedral includes a number of ancient frescos from the late 12th century (northern wall) and 15th century (vaults), the latter being painted by Andrei Rublev and Daniil Chyorny. The cathedral combines church and museum activities. Services are normally held in the morning and offer free entrance. During the opening hours of the museum (Tu-Su 13:00-16:30), the tickets are sold. (updated Sep 2023) 2 Cathedral of St. Demetrius (Дмитриевский собор), Соборная площадь. This is the other ancient cathedral of Vladimir. The building was constructed in 1194-97 as an in-house church of the Prince's court. Galleries linked the cathedral to the palace, but they were removed during the reconstruction in the 19th century. St. Demetrius' Cathedral is now a detached church, a unique monument of ancient Russian architecture. The bottom part of the walls is flat (here the galleries were attached), while the upper part is covered by fine stone carvings. These carvings depict stories from the life of King David and praise the harmony of the world. Yet the meaning of some carvings remains unknown. The cathedral hosts a small museum that presents enlarged images and detailed explanations for a number of carvings as well as a small piece of original frescos from the late 12th century. The museum is open W-M from 11:00 till 17:00 or 18:00. Don't forget to have a look from the nearby viewpoint!

3 Golden Gate (Золотые ворота), Большая Московская ул (west from the Cathedral square). Once the entrance to the walled city, the gate was built in 1158-64. At that time, the city was surrounded by a rampart with five stone gates. The Golden Gate is the only remaining part of the complex and the unique mo

Do

Theatres Lunacharsky regional drama theater (Областной драматический театр им. Луначарского), Дворянская ул., 4 (next to the Golden Gate and the church of St. Trinity), ☏ +7 4922 32-42-58, +7 4922 32-30-92, +7 4922 32-27-77. Puppet theater (Владимирский областной театр кукол), ул. Гагарина, 7 (north from the Trading Rows), ☏ +7 4922 32-31-41, +7 4922 32-36-88, +7 4922 32-42-28. Evening theater (театр Вечерний), ул. Гагарина, 7 (north from the Trading Rows), ☏ +7 4922 32-36-88. The evening version of the puppet theater with real (mainly, comedy) performances. Razgulyai Folklore Theater (театр фольклора Разгуляй), Добросельская ул., 194a (extension of Bolshaya Moscovskya St., in the very eastern part of the city), ☏ +7 4922 21-67-70, +7 4922 31-29-77.

Concert halls Taneyev regional concert hall (концертный зал им. Танеева), просп. Ленина, 1 (west from the Golden Gate), ☏ +7 4922 36-63-54, +7 4922 32-74-94.

Cinemas Kinomax-Burevestnik (Киномакс-Буревестник), просп. Ленина, 29 (western part of the city), ☏ +7 4922 24-55-78, +7 4922 24-08-61, [email protected]. 09:15-02:00. 70-230 руб. Khudozhestvennyi (Художественный), Большая Московская ул., 13 (in the historical centre), ☏ +7 4922 32-39-64, +7 4922 32-37-77. The cinema is in the special cinema-house from 1913. Russia (РусьКино), Суздальский просп., 8 (eastern part of the city, buses 21,22,24,26), ☏ +7 4922 400-004, [email protected]. 09:30-01:00. Renovated building, entertainments for children, an Italian cafe and a bar. 80-200 руб.

Buy

Souvenirs Traditional Russian souvenirs can be found right on the street next to the Golden Gate. It is also possible to find icons and other authentic gifts in the nearby St. Demetrius' Cathedral. Don't miss the shop of local crystalware in the church of St. Trinity.

Malls Vladimir has several shopping centres and lots of smaller shops that offer a great variety of food, drinks, clothes, etc.

Trading Rows (Торговые ряды), Большая Московская ул., 19a (between the Cathedral square and the Golden Gate), ☏ +7 4922 45-16-37, +7 4922 45-16-42. Daily 10:00-22:00. This is a huge mall in the very centre of the city. Here, you will find a number of small shops, boutiques, services as well as a food court (upper floor) Supermarket Valentina (ЦУМ Валентина), Дворянская ул., 10 (next to the Golden Gate and the church of St. Trinity), ☏ +7 4922 42-02-02. M-Sa 09:00-21:00; Su 10:00-20:00. Another mall in the city centre. This shopping centre is less luxurious as compared to the Trading Rows and houses lots of useful services, including a huge food supermarket (ground floor) and a small food court (upper floor) Cruiser (Крейсер), просп. Ленина, 46 (western part of the city), ☏ +7 4922 45-09-79. M-Sa 10:90-21:00, Su 10:00-19:00. A huge mall with a food supermarket, a supermarket of electronics, smaller shops, numerous cafes and restaurants.

Supermarkets SPAR – an international network of supermarkets. The shops are open daily from 09:00 till 21:00 (sometimes, from 10:00 or till 22:00). Мостостроевская ул. 2 (the largest one) – south-western part of the city Большая Московская ул. 19а (inside the Trading Rows) Dobryak (Добряк) – пр. Ленина, 23 (round-the-clock) Magnet (Магнит) – a food supermarket: ул. Усти на Лабе, 1 (daily 09:00–21:00)

Eat

Budget Blinchiki (Блинчики), Большая Московская ул. 32 (across the street from the Trading Rows). This small cafe preserves soviet and pretty much fast-food style. However, the menu is rather diverse. The pancakes are very tasty and will certainly satisfy your hunger. Canteen # 2 (Столовая № 2), Вокзальная ул. 15 (west from the train station). Daily 07:00–19:00. A cheap Soviet-style canteen. Magic flute (Волшебная флейта), просп. Ленина, 2, ☏ +7 4922 -32-10-09. Mister Hamburger (Мистер Гамбургер), Большая Московская ул., 15. Daily 10:00–22:00. Local version of McDonald's. Pasties (Пирожки), Большая Московская ул. 22, ☏ +7 4922 -32-61-66. Daily 08:00–20:00. Potato father (Картофельный папа), Большая Московская ул. 22а. Daily 10:00–23:00. Fast-food with potato-based meals. Food court of the Trading Rows, Большая Московская ул., 19a. The food court (upper floor of the mall) houses a number of national and international fast-food stands: Sbarro, Baskin Robbins, Kebab-tun, Tashir-pizza, etc. Supermarket Valentina (ЦУМ Валентина), Дворянская ул., 10. The food court on the upper floor includes several fast-food brands (Tashir-pizza, Mister Hamburger, Vo-Blin, etc.) that work all day long. On the ground floor, there is a very budget dining hall with more adequate food (open M-F 11:30-15:30).

Mid-range Shesh Besh (Шеш Беш), Большая Московская ул., 78 (eastern part of the historical centre). A stylish restaurant of Azerbaijan cuisine. Don't expect to find a variety of food (and, especially, vegetarian food) here. Still, different kinds of meat, either grilled (shashlyk) or chopped (lulya-kebab), are perfect. Additionally, there is a buffet with a selection of salads and pickles, spicy eastern-style soups, nice grilled fish, and home-made tea. It is certainly worth to have lunch or dinner in this restaurant, unless you are already experienced in Azerbaijan cuisine. Main dishes: 150-250 руб. Coffee house Na Chekhova (кофейня На Чехова), Большая Московская ул., 67 / ул. Чехова, 2 (eastern part of the historical centre). This is a regular restaurant rather than a small coffee house despite the name. The design is stylish, the choice is wide, and the food is excellent. If you are a gourmet, this coffee house is probably your choice in Vladimir, because you are unlikely to find more delicious and less trivial food in a city like this. Moreover, the prices are really encouraging. Main dishes: 200-350 руб. Sushi bar Kabuki (суши-бар Кабуки), ул. Спасская, 1/8 (east from the Golden Gate), ☏ +7 4922 32-38-98. Biblos (Библос), Большая Московска

Drink & nightlife

Beer Beer is probably the only local speciality in Vladimir. Vladimir brewery used to be known for a variety of beer sorts, but the diversity has been substantially reduced, because the brewery joined the brand of "live beer" Fifth Ocean (Пятый океан) – a wheat-free unfiltered beer with a special storage technology that allows to keep fresh unfiltered beer for rather long time. This beer is produced in several breweries and distributed all round the country. In Vladimir, it can be found in SPAR supermarkets. A few filtered lager beers are produced under the general brand Vladimirskoe (Владимирское). They are not very special, but they are local and may be thus expected to be fresh.

Night clubs Velvet (Бархат), просп. Строителей, 20 (north-west from the historical centre). A huge nightclub with several bars, disco, a hookah-room, and a strip club. Golden ring (Золотое кольцо), ул. Чайковского, 27 (north-west from the historical centre). A huge complex including a number of bars, a casino, a nightclub, bowling, billiard, and a strip club. Lump sugar (Рафинад), проспект Ленина, 46 (buses 12, 25, 26, 17 from the historical centre, or 20, 21, 24, 23 from other locations), ☏ +7 4922 45-27-27.

Sleep

Budget Cosiness (Уют), ул. Горького, 52 (north from the historical centre, take trolleybuses 2 or 8 from the Golden Gate or #10 from the train station), ☏ +7 4922 -43-21-52. Hostel-type accommodation (former dormitory) with an inconvenient and hard-to-find location. Bathrooms are shared, and shower is additionally charged. Dawn (Заря), ул. Студёная гора, 36а (west from the Golden Gate), ☏ +7 4922 -32-14-41. Soviet-style accommodation close to the historical centre. All the rooms are equipped with WC and toilet. The "renovation" implies the renewal of the furniture, but the rooms do not look modern anyway (suites are better though). Breakfast is served in the cafe inside the hotel and may be included in the price depending on the room quality. The hotel does not have its own parking, but there is a guarded parking nearby. Double room (non-renovated/renovated) 1100-1200 руб/1600-1800 руб. Hotel of Vladimir Training Center (гостиница при ГУП Владимирский учебный центр), ул. Кирова, 18а (north from the historical centre, take trolleybuses 7, 8, 14 or 15 from the Golden gate or trolleybus #10 from the train station), ☏ +7 4922 -23-14-49. Soviet-style accommodation far from the historical centre. Bathrooms are private or shared depending on the room quality. No breakfast, no guarded parking (still, it is possible to leave the car near the hotel). Double room 1060 руб. Hotel of the Academy of public service (гостиница при РАГС), ул. Горького, 59а (north from the historical centre, take trolleybuses #2,8 from the Golden Gate or #10 from the train station), ☏ +7 4922 -23-22-27. Soviet-style accommodation far from the historical centre. Private bathrooms, poor renovation (if any), no breakfast, no parking. Double room 1100 руб. Pilgrimage hostel (Паломническая служба Владимирской епархии), ул. Студёная гора, 1 (west from the Golden Gate), ☏ +7 4922 -36-62-32. Vinyl Hostel (Винил Хостел), ул. Студеная гора, д. 14, кв.12 (1.5 km from train station by trolleybus #5), ☏ +7 4922 47-46-01, +7 920 944-78-88. European hostel in the centre, shared rooms with 6, 10 or 12 bunk beds, self-service kitchen. Free Wi-Fi. From 600 руб.

Mid-range Vladimir (Владимир), Большая Московская ул., 74 (east from the Cathedral square), ☏ +7 4922-32-44-47, +7 4922-32-30-42, +7 4922 -32-27-01, [email protected]. A nice hotel in the heart of the city. The rooms are freshly renovated and fully equipped. Breakfast is included, while parking is additionally charged. There is a restaurant in the ground floor. Laundry and tourist information are also available. Double room f

Go next

Further destinations From Vladimir, you can easily reach any place in Vladimir Oblast, and the trip should not take more than 3-3.5 hours. Below, the nearest destinations are listed:

Bogolyubovo – a village near Vladimir with remarkable white-stone monuments from 12th century. The must-see destination for any traveller coming to Vladimir. Suzdal – the pretty, but quaint, world heritage site. Suzdal supplements Vladimir in the UNESCO list and presents lots of architectural sights from 13th-17th centuries. Yuryev-Polsky – another part of the Golden Ring, a very provincial town with a nice and unusual white-stone cathedral dating back to 13th century. Gus-Khrustalny – the town at the crystal factory. The local crystalware is really remarkable and compares to the international brands. Additionally, the town is a gateway to one of the few active networks of narrow-gauge railways in Central Russia. Vyazniki – a remarkable town with several ancient churches, interesting secular buildings, and a really splendid viewpoint on the hill above the Klyazma river. Vyazniki is close to Mstyora, a famous region of handicrafts, including miniature painting and magnificent emroidery. Sudogda – some people say that this is one of the most typical provincial towns in Central Russia. Sudogda preserves the complex of provincial buildings from 19th century and sufficiently reflects the present state of Russian province. Kovrov – an industrial area and the second largest city of Vladimir region. Kovrov does not have any popular tourist attractions, but a number of buildings from late 19th – early 20th century are remarkable. Lakinsk and Sobinka – small industrial towns to the west from Vladimir with several notable buildings from late 19th – early 20th century.