Jewel on the Volga

Yaroslavl has always been one of Russia’s most attractive and visitor-friendly cities. Now, as Igor Yunakovsky discovers, its rich history and cultural traditions are providing the basis for a revival of its fortunes. Photos by the author.

As in many provincial Russian towns, visitors to the old city and river port of Yaroslavl may find themselves bombarded with useless and often bizarre information. Like the fact that the population of Yaroslavl is almost 1 1/2 times that of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, or that the Region of which Yaroslavl is the capital is only a few hundred square kilometers smaller than Holland.