Volokolamsk: Kremlin, Churches and City History

Volokolamsk is considered the oldest town in Moscow Oblast; the earliest mentions in chronicles date back to 1135. The town lies in the northwest of the oblast, around 100 kilometers from the Moscow Ring Road. Historical highlights include the Volokolamsk Kremlin complex, its collections and the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin on Vozmishche.

Volokolamsk Kremlin: Building History and Collections

The Volokolamsk Kremlin stands on a hill in the center of Volokolamsk, surrounded by earthen ramparts. Powerful walls once stood here to protect important structures from enemies. The architectural complex includes the Resurrection Cathedral, St. Nicholas Cathedral and a five-story bell tower with a clock and viewing platform. The Resurrection Cathedral was built of white stone in the 15th century. The 19th-century St. Nicholas Cathedral is made of red brick with white details; the bell tower dates from the 18th century. The complex thus brings together different periods of construction and materials.

The exhibition on Volokolamsk’s history is housed in St. Nicholas Cathedral. It includes archaeological finds, models of the medieval trade route and the 15th-century town, various weapons, objects from peasant everyday life, and original documents from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Kremlin collection also includes a 15th-century fresco created by masters of the Dionysius school, and seals of Novgorod princes dating from the 12th to the 15th century.

The Church on Vozmishche

The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin on Vozmishche is a brick church with four pillars. It was built in Volokolamsk in the first half of the 16th century as the three-domed cathedral church of the Vozmishche Monastery for Men. The monastery was founded in the early 12th century by Prince Mstislav of Novgorod; the church formerly served as the monastery’s cathedral. Paintings from the 16th century have been preserved beneath later murals in parts of the altar and on the pillars; some were uncovered in the 1970s. The church thus brings together its architectural history and a history of painting spanning several periods.

Tours and Visit Planning

The Volokolamsk Kremlin Museum and Exhibition Complex organizes tours of the Kremlin museum and grounds, as well as a sightseeing drive to the town’s landmarks. Check current booking details directly with the complex. A walking tour takes in the Kremlin’s ramparts and cathedrals, the site of the old settlement and monuments to Volokolamsk’s military history. A viewing platform offers views over the town; confirm the route’s current availability with the provider.

The Volokolamsk Kremlin offers painting and craft workshops for children and adults. Participants can create a souvenir of their own. The program may vary; check the Kremlin’s current schedule if you are planning to attend a workshop.

Those who want to focus on Kremlin architecture and its exhibition will have a different focus from visitors interested in the history of the Church on Vozmishche and its murals.

Discover more destinations: Novovolkovo, Vorokhobino, Voronino, Noginsk, Shebantsevo, Zelenogradskiy, Sverdlovskiy, Arkhangelskoye.