The Introduction to Kostroma

FACTS.
Kostroma is the center of Kostroma region and is located 340 kilometers north east of Moscow. It was founded in 1152, where the Kostroma river meets Volga river.
There are 288 000 people living in Kostroma.

IMPRESSION OF KOSTROMA.
Entering the city by bus or train, it feels sad that the neverending landscapes of forests (which you cross coming from Yaroslavl) or the hilly countryside (which you ride through when you come from Ivanovo) disappear under a big city. >Like any suburbs of a town with 300 000 inhabitants, Kotroma's outskirts are morose and grey.
Approaching towards the ancient city center though, it feels different: as you cross the bridge, coming from the station, you discover an older part of Kostroma, just on the shore of the large Volga river. All the streets, like a spider net, converge to the central attraction area, where most of the shops installed under the imposing white stone trading arcades. The air is fresh, and it feels nice to walk around the streets, the markets, the park, the river bank where boats and hydrofoils stop at two embarkment piers. The charm of the ancient trading city remained, and its special location, right on the shore of such a large river gives it a brightness, a special light.

HISTORY OF KOSTROMA.
Kostroma was founded in 1152 on the conjunction of Volga and Kostroma rivers by Yury Dolgoruky (he was the one who founded Moscow also) to secure the north-east part of his Rostov-Kostroma principality.
Many times Kostroma was completely devastated. In the beginning of the 13th century Kostroma was burned because of a quarrel between Russian princes, who couldn't divide the country, in 1238 the Tartars invaded and plundered the town, in 1318 Moscow princes plundered Kostroma again, in 1375 the town was invaded by the river pirates, who came from Novgorod and ransacked the town.
St Ipatiev monastery, located at the place where Kostroma river meets Volga river, was securing the town. In the beginning of 17th century the monastery was captured by Lzhedmitri II, who claimed to be the Tsar (king) of Russia, but he was banished by militiamen.
By the end of the 17th century Kostroma became the third biggest town in Russia, after Moscow and Yaroslavl. It ceased to be a significant fort, and became an important cultural and commercial center.
Kostroma was one of the first cities where they started to make cloths and linens for Russian fleet.
Now Kostroma is a nice and calm provincial town on the river of Volga river, with historical center kept intact. The main industries are machinery, forestry, and textile. In September 2002 there's going to be a big feast: 850 years of the city, so many buildings and streets in the centrum are being prepared for the celebration.

WHAT TO DO IN KOSTROMA.
A bit to the west, where the Kostroma river enters in the Volga, just at the confluence is nested the monastery of St Ipathy, the main architecture and historical attraction of the town. Next to the monastery there's a museum of wooden architecture, that can be interesting if you want to see old Russian izbas (wooden houses) and churches gathered in one place. It's better to just go to some village to see the izbas, but if you don't have enough time, you can see this museum.
The nicest thing to do in Kostroma is to walk along quiet central streets with trading arcades and wooden houses, it's better to do it in the morning, when the city is just waking up. A good place to walk is also the embankment of Volga river.