This is the final leg of my two-week journey through the land of birch trees, as I want to take in everything about Russia in the land of the great sacred bear symbol.
Sacred Land of the Russians
When I was a child reading the Russian comic book "The Little Blonde and the Three Bears", I was always surprised why such large, fierce bears were described as lovable animals for children. The content revolves around the story of a little blonde girl who got lost in the house of a bear family living warmly in a snow-covered birch forest. Russian fairy tales have long drawn stories connecting bears and humans like that.
The practice of “making friends” with bears dates back to the time of the Finno-Ugric tribes of ancient Eurasia. They recognized the dominance of this predator in the forest and considered it a good thing. The ancestors of the Russians respected the bear, considering it the incarnation of the ancient Slavic mighty god Veles.
The simple life of Yaroslavl people
But after the adoption of Orthodoxy, everything gradually changed. Conflicts arose between humans and bears and the war began. Bears were considered a symbol of polytheism in this vast land. Finally, the war ended with the defeat of the bears. The “Bear Empire” was officially overthrown. Bears were domesticated and became objects of human amusement and were present on the streets of Russia at that time.
In the historic city of Yaroslavl, bears have their own legends. The historical milestone was in 1010 when the Rus-Kiev region was torn apart by tribal wars. Bandits were rampant, plundering the Russian fields and forcing the population into slavery. This land was once inhabited by a pagan tribe who worshiped the “Sacred Bear”.
To stop the robbers, Duke Yaroslav personally killed the “Sacred Bear”, built a small wooden fortress on a high mound by the Volga River, and named it Yaroslavl. Perhaps because of that, the image of the bear with the axe has gone down in history and become the symbol of the city. On the streets of Yaroslav today, I see the symbol of the “Sacred Bear” everywhere. From the motifs on the window frames, flower carpets in the park to the large bronze statues on the streets or squares, all depict the image of this great bear.
Ancient city on the Golden Ring
I chose a boarding house inside the old town, just a few hundred meters from the Volga River. I liked staying here partly because the guests were mainly Russian students and young officials who came to Yaroslavl to relax, study or work. They spoke basic English and were quite friendly with foreign tourists. This helped me understand more about the city and the people of Yaroslavl.
Not as grand and majestic as Saint Petersburg nor as bustling as Moscow, Yaroslavl is an ancient city, poetic enough to create strong emotions for anyone. This place is considered the starting point of the journey to explore the famous Golden Ring of Russia. The cities located on this belt such as Pereslavr, Alkeksandrov, Ivanovo, Sergiev Posad, Vladimiar, Suzdal... all have their own beauty and historical value.
For Yaroslavl, the unique architectural works and historical relics associated with ancient Russia have been recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritage. Russians consider this land as a place to fully preserve the country's ancient cultural features.
Unique architecture of a church in the center of the old town
Before taking in the architectural marvels of the old town, I strolled along the banks of the Volga River while the sun was still hidden behind the clouds. The mist hung from the river like a soft silken veil over the city.
History records that Yaroslavl was a bustling commercial center from the late 16th century. The conquest of the Kazan and Astrakhan kingdoms opened up trade routes with the East along the Volga River.
With its favorable location at the confluence of rivers, Yaroslavl was chosen by the British as a port to distribute goods to downstream areas. Then the Dutch, Germans, and French also transported many valuable goods here.
Yaroslavl's exports included animal skins, freshwater fish, flaxseed, and works of art. Dozens of large and small churches and elaborate sculptures testify to the importance, wealth, and glory of Yaroslavl in the past.
I walked to one of the buildings that my Russian friends introduced as the most beautiful in Yaroslavl - the church of the prophet Elijah. Built between 1647 and 1650, Elijah is one of the best preserved and most complete monuments of Yaroslavl. Located in the center of the old town, the church has a unique architectural style and is considered a masterpiece of ancient Russian architecture. With two tall, intricately carved main towers and five mushroom-shaped domes, this is a balanced and harmonious whole with the city's architecture.
Classical dome architecture of Orthodox churches in Yaroslavl
Five interesting things in Yaroslavl
- Cruise on the Volga River
- Visit the "Sacred Bear" Monument
- Stroll in the central old town
- Panoramic view of Yaroslavl from the Transfiguration Monastery
- Explore the architectural art of the Orthodox church system in Yaroslavl.
It can be said that the exquisite frescoes are one of the characteristics of the Orthodox churches in Russia and Elijah is no exception. In addition to the paintings inside the main hall area, the gate is also covered with square ceramic tiles with many animal symbols originating from the stories of this land. The colors and patterns are carefully crafted by Russian artisans using natural materials, making these religious buildings still retain their original features from hundreds of years ago.
A stop for football fans
Located 270km from Moscow, 420km from Nizhny Novgorod, 700km from Saint Petersburg and 770km from Saransk, Yaroslavl is centrally located between the major cities hosting the World Cup finals this summer. All of these stadiums can be reached by clean and comfortable trains.
However, the eleven cities chosen by the Russian government as official competition venues do not include Yaroslavl, perhaps they want to keep the inherent tranquility for tourists? Indeed, this place is purely a cultural tourism destination for football fans to understand more about the Russian spirit after enjoying the exciting matches.
A peaceful corner in Yaroslavl
During the slow days of living in Yaroslav, I felt that spirit clearly. Besides sincerity and simplicity, the Russian character is always strong and unyielding. In the West, people compare Russians with the character of bears! But the reason why people call Russians “Russian Bears” is still unclear.
Supposedly, because foreigners can see bears walking on the streets, it seems unconvincing, because we know that in India, elephants also appear on the streets, but the British did not intend to compare elephants with the people here! This proves that the spirit of the Russian people is clearly revealed through that great bear.
The Russians are keen to show off their strong revival to the world through their home football matches. But if you want to know what the “Russian Bear” is like, you can easily learn about the character of the people of Yoraslavl.
If you are planning a backpacking trip to Yoraslavl,Find out what you need to know here.
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