The Golden Ring: traditional Russia in photos

For the first time, Russia is becoming a budget destination thanks to Easyjet’s Moscow routes from Manchester and London. While seeing more of the country takes a lot of time and commitment, the Golden Ring is a great way to see a glimpse of traditional Russia. Made of up several traditional towns in a loop near Moscow, the ring is full of kremlins, monasteries and beautiful buildings in varying stages of preservation, repair or decay.

I spent four months living in Yaroslavl, which serves as a good base for exploring other towns, though many closer to Moscow are easy day trips. The below photos were taken in Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Rostov Veliky and Sergiev Posad.

Alexander Nevsky chapel

Inside the Rostov Veliky kremlin

Walls of Spasso-Yakovlevsky monastery

Yaroslavl assumption cathedral

Ipatiev monastery

Abandoned church walls

Ipatiev monastery

View of monastery across the frozen Lake Nero

Church of Archangel Michael, Yaroslavl

Frescoes

Inside the Sergiev Posad kremlin

Rostov Veilky kremlin

Yaroslavl’s assumption cathderal

Traditional dacha

Inside Ipatiev monastery

Inside the Rostov Veliky kremlin

Traditional wooden architecture

Rostov Veliky skyline

Old church

Inside Ipatiev monastery