The Golden Ring Author:Fiodor Kudriavtsev From the Preface: — The "Golden Ring" is the name of a tourist route popular with both Soviet and foreign lovers of old Russian architecture. The route, winding in and out of cities and villages in the north-eastern part of what used to be the State of Muscovy, is hardly circular, but it certainly is "golden" in the sense that... more » it is rich in historical relics and towns that are museums in themselves. ... Each of the sixteen sections of this book is devoted to the most remarkable places of historical and cultural interest.
Fifty years ago many splendid specimens of medieval architecture were in nearly total neglect. It is due only to the enormous efforts of Soviet experts that the buildings have been restored to their former beauty and elegance. ...
The scope of restoration work expanded considerably after the end of World War II. In 1966, the government of the Russian Federation set up the All-Russia Association for the Preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments, and it is this organization which conceived the idea of making the Golden Ring a special sightseeing route.
---
Includes over 100 color photographs of the exteriors and interiors of many of these architectural gems, together with brief descriptive text accompanying each of the sections.« less