A church at the traditionally identified site of the tsarevich’s death, the palace chamber of the Uglich appanage princes and diverse art collections give Uglich a clear cultural and historical focus. For travellers wishing to combine church architecture with museum themes, the main differences lie in the historical stories each tells: from commemorating the tsarevich to the architectural history of the Kremlin ensemble, and to art and crafts. This makes it possible to decide in advance which aspects of the city’s history are of particular interest for your stay.
Churches and Historic Memorial Sites
According to tradition, the Church of Tsarevich Dmitry “on the Blood” stands at the place where the tsarevich died. In its refectory, visitors can see a reliquary and a bier associated with the transfer of the tsarevich’s relics from Uglich to Moscow. This transfer took place from 29 May to 3 June 1606. The Uglich Exile Bell is said to have announced the beginning of the Time of Troubles in Russia with its ringing.
The Transfiguration Cathedral, Uglich’s main church, was consecrated in 1706 and is predominantly in the Naryshkin Baroque style, which was popular at the time. Together with the Epiphany Cathedral, it forms an ensemble: the “summer cathedral” of the Transfiguration and the “winter cathedral” of the Epiphany flank a shared bell tower and form two wings. The Epiphany Cathedral is almost a century younger. The two cathedrals therefore offer a clear architectural comparison: they belong to the same ensemble but differ significantly in age.
The Palace Chamber in the Kremlin Ensemble
The Palace Chamber of the Uglich appanage princes is one of the oldest residential buildings in Russia to have survived to this day, and also the oldest surviving architectural monument in the Uglich Kremlin ensemble. Its exhibitions cover different periods of the city’s history. On the second floor, an exhibition tells the story of Uglich from its founding to the Time of Troubles. On the first floor, two halls house the department covering the history of the 17th to 19th centuries. The Palace Chamber thus spans a period from the city’s beginnings to later centuries.
The history of arts and crafts is also represented there: the “Uglich terracotta, Uglich tiles” department presents more than 400 exhibits on the centuries-long development of Russian tile art. Together with the departments arranged by period, this creates a shift between city history and a specific art form. The tile art exhibition differs from the Palace Chamber’s historical displays in its particular focus on materials and craftsmanship.
Art Collections and Leather Craftsmanship
The Epiphany Cathedral displays works of Old Russian and religious art dating from the 15th to the 20th century. These are joined by Uglich portraits from the 18th to the 20th century, an exhibition on the iconography of Uglich’s saints, and applied arts. The range combines a long period of religious art with portraits and other art objects. The Uglich Museum has eight permanent exhibitions as well as temporary exhibitions.
Leather craftsmanship is another topic. The exhibition at the Uglich Museum of Leather Craftsmanship is dedicated to one of the city’s residents’ oldest trades: leatherworking. This urban trade complements the themes of architectural history, church art and historical collections. For visitors choosing according to their interests, this gives the attractions a different emphasis: the Palace Chamber and churches take centre stage in the Kremlin ensemble, while leather craftsmanship offers a theme of its own.
Discover more destinations: Kotkino, Voksherino, Pereslavl-Zalessky, Gorki Leninskiye, Korobovo, Andrianovo, Rechnaya, Shaposhnitsy
See the wider travel overview: Yaroslavl Oblast.
