About Suzdal

Suzdal is a museum-town, one of the most important centers of Russian tourism. It’s a real treasury of Russian architecture - on the square of 6 sq.m there are near 200 monuments of history and architecture, 9 of which are declared by UNESCO as monuments of the world culture.

Suzdal is located on high plains near Vladimir on the banks of Kamenka river, 220 km far from Moscow and 35 km to the north from Vladimir.

This place is known as a town since 10 century. For the first time it was mentioned in Lavrentiyevskaya chronicle in 1024 as Suzhdal and as fortress-town in 1096. From 11 century the form «Suzdal» is used from time to time and then with increasing frequency. Slavic roots of this name are obvious now. Verb that todays is know as «to create» is in its base, in the ancient times this verb meant «to make from clay». Thus the name of the town can be translated as «made of clay», i.e. «clay adobe» or «brick». But it’s much more likely that firstly a name (nickname) of a person - a potter or a brick-maker - was made from ancient Russian word «to create», and then the settlement got the name after him. Existence of ancient Russian forename Suzdal proves that.

Till the first half of 12 century the town was in possession of Kiev princes who gave it as a lot to their young sons. In the first half of 12 century, when Yury Dolgoruky ruled, Suzdal became the center of Rostov-Suzdal princedom, and then was a part of Vladimir-Suzdal princedom. From the middle of 13 century Suzdal was the capital of independent Suzdal princedom.

Suzdal is the oldest christian parish of North-East Russia (in 11 century there was the mission of Kiev-Pechorsky monastery here with church of St. Dmitry).

In 1238 Suzdal as the most towns of Zalesiye, was burnt by Baty-khan. In the first half of 14 century Suzdal was the capital of Suzdal-Nizhegorodsky princedom. In 1392 it became the part of Great Moscow princedom, and in 15 century it was finally fixed in it.

When the town lost its political value, it became the one of the largest Russian religious centers. Till the end of 19 century there was episcopate in Suzdal, and in the end of 17 century and in the beginning of 18 - there was metropolia. From 16 century cathedrals and convents were built actively in Suzdal. Spaso-Efimiyevsky monastery (fratry) and Pokrovsky convent were the largest feudals in Russia.

In the beginning of 17 century during Polish-Lithuanian intervention Suzdal was destroyed and demolished.

From the middle of 17 century in the result of execution of Posad reform of 1646-1652, the period of trade and economic rise began. In 17-19 centuries the following crafts and industries were developed: silversmiths, blacksmiths, leather-dressers, weavers etc. To the beginning of 19 century gardening became popular and it’s still does exist.

From the second half of 19 century, when trade ways were moved, Suzdal was in wane. In 1913 in «Travel guide through ancient Vladimir and towns of Vladimir county» of N. Ushakov Suzdal is mentioned as «an ancient half-remembered regional town». After 1917 Suzdal was also destroyed as other Russian towns. Many monuments of architecture were not used to designed purpose and were not kept and stored properly. 12 churches were destroyed completely.

From the second half of 1960s «museum glut» began. Monuments are being reconstructed and touristic infrastructure is being created. Today Suzdal is one of the most famous and popular touristic centers, a pearl of Golden Ring of Russia.