Discover Kostroma

Kostroma brings together historic buildings, merchant history, and museums with a range of different focuses. The city was founded in 1152; most of the key sights in the historic center can be explored on foot in one day. You can tailor your sightseeing to architecture, dynastic history, or regional crafts.

Romanov History and Historic Buildings

At the Holy Trinity Ipatiev Monastery, Mikhail Romanov was called to the throne as tsar in 1613; the Romanov dynasty began here. The monastery’s interior preserves frescoes from 1685. They were created by a Kostroma painters’ artel led by Guriy Nikitin. The fresco cycle comprises about 450 compositions across more than 1,000 square meters.

The Church of the Resurrection in the Debra dates from the 17th century and preserves its wall paintings. The Epiphany Cathedral of the Kostroma Kremlin was rebuilt at its historic site. The Fire Tower stands in Susaninskaya Square and is considered a widely recognized symbol of Kostroma. These places offer different highlights, from traditional painting and church architecture to a landmark in the cityscape.

The Red Rows and Kostroma’s Merchant Tradition

The Red Rows, also known as Gostiny Dvor, retain their original layout. Today, they house shops, souvenir stores, cafés, and a tourist information center, continuing a two-hundred-year-old merchant tradition. The Trading Rows are considered Russia’s largest surviving commercial complex from the late 18th century. By 1791, 33 shops had already been completed, and the entire complex was finished in 1793. Current uses and dated construction phases are part of the same visitor experience. Individual shops may change.

Museums of Wooden Architecture, Flax, and Cheese

The open-air museum of wooden architecture “Kostromskaya Sloboda” was founded in 1960 and is one of Russia’s oldest open-air museums. It displays original buildings brought from different parts of Kostroma Oblast. The wooden architecture monuments gathered here also include buildings rescued from the area flooded by the Gorky Reservoir. A guided tour introduces the development of folk architecture, historic building techniques, and everyday life in a Russian village.

A guided tour of the Flax and Birch Bark Museum Estate begins in the flax hall and explores the centuries-long history of flax cultivation. Visitors can follow the plant’s entire processing journey, from stalk to finished product. At the Cheese Museum, the exhibition traces the development of cheese-making in Kostroma Governorate, from the first cheese factory, opened by Vladimir Blandov in 1878, to modern production. Kostroma cheeses are available to taste there. Cheese sommeliers help visitors identify nuances of flavor and aroma and understand suitable pairings with other foods.

Walking Route and Literary Sites

A classic walking route leads from Susaninskaya Square through the Trading Rows to the Volga embankment and Ostrovsky Pavilion, then on to the Church of the Resurrection in the Debra. The pavilion on the banks of the Volga also appeared in the film “Zhestokiy romans.” The route gives you a concrete sequence of squares and buildings to help you find your way around the historic center.

The “Masai’s Hares” tourist route takes a different thematic approach. It leads to places in Kostroma associated with Nekrasov’s poem about Grandfather Masai of Kostroma. While the classic walking route follows named buildings and urban spaces, this route links places through their literary connection. Check the latest route details before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Bui, Lunëvo, Sharya, Vysokovskoye, Kirovo, Gustomesovo, Stepanovo, Chukhloma.

For the overview of the wider region: Kostroma Oblast.