Yaroslavl



Yaroslavl

Name: Maxim Grigoryev

Age: 28

Profession: Photojournalist

City: Yaroslavl and Tutaev

How long have you been doing photography?  I don't remember how long. Perhaps since my parents bought me a cheap film camera in elementary school. Very soon they regretted this,  because I often asked for money for film and printing.

What style or genre most interests you? My noname camera had a multi-exposure mode. Since then I've fallen in love with abstract photography.​

Can you give us a short description of your city? Where is it located? What is it famous for? 

Yaroslavl is a more than thousand-year-old city situated 250 kilometers from Moscow and sitting on both banks of the Volga River. It was named for Prince Yaroslav the Wise. Legend has it that he was the city's founder. Also, Yaroslavl is the capital of the "Golden Ring" - the most beautiful and histor-laden cities in Russia. Many of them are in Yaroslavl region.

What are some things that only locals would know about the city? 

  • The first professional dramatic theatre in Russia was founded in Yaroslavl in 1750 by a merchant's son, Fyodor Volkov. It was a few years after he became an actor. 
  • The first university in Northeast Russia was founded in Yaroslavl, in the beginning of a thirteenth century. It is called Grigoryevsky Zatvor. 
  • On the main square of Yaroslavl - Bogoyavlenskaya - you can see a monument to Yaroslav the Wise. Locals call it "Man with a Cake" because he is holding a small tower in his hand that looks like a cake.
  • Yaroslavl is one of two cities in Russia whose historic centre is protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The second is St. Petersburg.
  • Yaroslavl's kremlin actually is not a kremlin. It's a monastery, which was a small part of the old city. Now only two sections of the not-a-kremlin walls remain.
  • Yaroslavl was a capital of Russia. But only for a few years, during the Times of Troubles. The first Romanov tsar, Michael, signed the documents on accepting the Russian throne in Yaroslavl.

Which places or sites are a must for someone to see if they visit your city?

If you like real Russian history, you must just take a walk in the historic centre. Many old churches, monasteries and architectural treasures from different centuries are located there. You must also visit Volkov's Theatre, the State Art Museum, Governor's garden, the Volga embankment and Spassky monastery. And don't forget to visit the nearby towns of Rostov Veliky, Uglich, Pereslavl Zalesky and Tutaev. It is best to travel to Yaroslavl region in summer or early autumn.

Anything else? Yaroslavl people are very freedom-loving. History shows that they were the first to fight against injustice. But at the same time they are very peaceful and hospitable.

Instagram: gideonmaximus

 



Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955