Sights of Russia

White-Stone Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal

These are among the most ancient Russian cities that were at the helm of the old-Russian Vladimir-Suzdal principality in the 12th and 13th centuries and which still preserve some unique architectural and artistic features you won't find anywhere else. These features include masonry from white limestone, refined proportions, exquisite stone carving, and an exterior "lightness" of the buildings that all blend in with the surrounding landscape. The Uspensky and Dmitrievsky cathedrals in Vladimir, the Golden Gates, Cathedral of the Nativity in Suzdal, and the bishop's chambers in the Suzdal Kremlin, Spaso-Evfimiyev and Pokrovsky monasteries are the most prominent examples of this architectural style.