Golden domes
Trinity Cathedral.
Slav Yakounin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Slav Yakounin — CC BY-SA 4.0 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · A.Savin — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Ipatiev Monastery is a white complex enclosed by walls and towers with green conical roofs, on the bank of the Kostroma River facing the city. The golden domes of its Trinity Cathedral rise above it, and from the far bank it seems to float on the water. It was founded around 1330 by a Tatar prince who converted to Christianity, named Chet, whose descendants included Tsar Boris Godunov. In 1613 Mikhail Romanov was staying in the monastery when he was proclaimed tsar, linking it to the Romanov family. Most of its buildings date from the 16th and 17th centuries, and here the historian Karamzin found the chronicle manuscript known as the Hypatian Codex. You enter through the main riverside gate and walk between the cathedral, the bell tower and the walls. The Trinity Cathedral is famous for its colourful painted interior. It is about 2.2 km in a straight line west of central Kostroma. Dress modestly; women should cover their heads in the churches. The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to Russia, and non-Russian bank cards may not work, so read the current advice before you plan.
Trinity Cathedral.
On the walls.
From the far bank.
Bank of the Kostroma River, west of central Kostroma, Kostroma Oblast
One to two hours.
From the opposite riverbank.