Getting to the description of the attractions of Ryazan, it should be noted that the city and the Ryazan region are rich in historical and architectural monuments. Indeed, so many historical events took place on this vast territory. In order to visit all the memorable places, it will take a lot of time. Learn more about the attractions of the city of Ryazan with photos and descriptions and save time on their search will help this article. It will tell about the central part of the glorious city, its museums, the Ryazan Kremlin, the Theological Monastery, the Oksky Biosphere Reserve, the old settlement and mosque in Kasimov.
Ryazan Kremlin
Upon arrival in the city, the traveler has the question: “Of all the many attractions of Ryazan, what to see first?” Given that Ryazan was founded in 1095, it has a rich history and a large number of beautiful and remarkable places. The city is located in the north-east of Moscow and is the administrative center of the Ryazan region. The main attraction of Ryazan is considered to be the Ryazan Kremlin.
It is located in the oldest urban area. Today it is an architectural and historical museum-reserve, located in the open air and belonging to the oldest Russian museums. The Ryazan Kremlin was built on a high hill with steep cliffs that surrounded the Lybed and Trubezh rivers.
In the Following Psalter, stored in the Kremlin Museum-Reserve, there is a record of the city’s founding date and the beginning of the construction of the Ryazan Kremlin. In fact, it was a city-forming fortress, around which the city that is currently known appeared.
Cathedrals in the Ryazan Kremlin
Of course, the sights of the city of Ryazan can be considered the cathedrals located on the territory of the Kremlin. Previously, there were many buildings and structures intended for various needs, today the following have survived:
- Transfiguration Cathedral of the XII century. It was the main temple of the Spassky Monastery. The cathedral is decorated with carved platbands of white stone and highly artistic colored polychrome tiles.
- Assumption Cathedral, built in the XVI - XVII centuries. It was erected on the site of the white-stone Assumption Cathedral, which was destroyed by time. The temple has the highest iconostasis in Russia.
- The Nativity of Christ Cathedral, which was founded by Oleg Ryazansky, the Grand Duke, in the 14th century and has been preserved to this day, is greatly rebuilt. This temple is the tomb of the princes and princesses of Ryazan.
- The Archangel Cathedral (XV - XVII centuries) was built as a tomb for bishops and metropolitans, as well as a princely house church.
Kremlin churches
In the Kremlin and Cathedral Park there are several churches and chapels. Here are the names of Ryazan sights with photos and descriptions. These include:
- Epiphany Church of the XVII century. It is considered the second most important in the Spassky Monastery. It is located at the monastery wall, near the Holy Gates. It was erected in the place where the old temple of the 16th century used to be, which was destroyed by fire in 1647.
- Church of the Holy Spirit (XVII century) and a small chapel next to it. They were built in 1642 in the rarely seen in Russia two-hipped architectural style. In the Middle Ages in its place stood the Dukhovskaya Monastery.
- Archbishop's home church of the XVII century. Located in the left wing of the Palace of Ryazan Prince Oleg.
- Ilyinsky Cathedral of the 17th century. It was erected in 1699 on the site of an old wooden church. It was built of brick left over from the destroyed second Assumption Cathedral.
- Church of the Savior on Yar (XVII century). It was created in 1686 on a hill called the Spassky Yar.
- Chapel dedicated to the 900th anniversary of Ryazan. It was erected in 1995 in connection with the celebration of the anniversary of the city. From all sides on the chapel are commemorative tablets that describe a brief history of the Ryazan principality.
- The Church of St. John the Evangelist (XX century) connects both buildings of the theological seminary, forming a building called the Hotel Nobles.
The historical center of Ryazan
A striking attraction of Ryazan is its historical center. Lovers and lovers of architecture will appreciate the numerous buildings and monuments. On the road from Teatralnaya to Sobornaya Street, monuments of architecture and architecture of the 18th-20th centuries are located.
Not far from Yesenin Street is a museum named after I.P. Pozhalostin, a Russian engraving artist. The building itself is an architectural monument of Russian classicism of the 18th-19th centuries. The collection contains more than ten thousand originals of works of Western European and Russian painters dating back to the 15th-20th centuries. The expositions contain works made in various types and techniques of painting.
Art lovers will appreciate the performances at the Ryazan Musical Theater, the Drama Theater or the Theater on Cathedral Square. The cultural life of the city is seething and developing, and any theater-goer will find something interesting in it.
Museum dedicated to long-range aviation
There are other interesting sights in Ryazan, such as the Long-Range Aviation Museum. It was inaugurated in 1975 in honor of the 30th anniversary of the victory in World War II.
At a huge open-air exhibition area, various aircraft related to long-range aviation are presented. These are heavy bombers:
- Tu-95 K.
- Tu-22 M-2.
- Tu-22 M-3.
- Tu-16.
- M-4.
As well as other representatives of long-range aviation. In addition to the open-air exposition, there are five indoor halls in which there are aircraft and other exhibits related to military aviation.
This Ryazan landmark is also considered unique because all the presented combat vehicles are in working condition. Each of the aircraft at any time can take off and be used for its intended purpose.
This museum is one of the first in the country dedicated to this type of air force. Its territory can only be reached by appointment. Fans of unusual and unique places will be very interesting here.
Museum of the Airborne Forces - description of the attractions of Ryazan with photo
The only museum in the world dedicated to the airborne troops is located on the base of the airborne school in Ryazan. It presents expositions with the banners of units of airborne units that took part in the war. And also awards of fighters, various weapons, military uniforms and documents.
The total number of exhibits of this Ryazan attraction exceeds 35 thousand units, many of which are of unique historical value. The initiator of the foundation of the museum was General Margelov V.F., Hero of the USSR. Thanks to him, in 1972, the museum let the first visitors. The building houses a cinema hall, which shows documentary, historical and educational films about the airborne troops.
Museum-Reserve of S. A. Yesenin
Undoubtedly, a story about the museum-reserve of the poet S. A. Yesenin, who was born in 1895 in the Ryazan province, in the village of Konstantinov, should be added to the description of the attractions of Ryazan and the region . This museum is one of the largest complexes in Russia.
Every year, tens of thousands of connoisseurs of Yesenin's poetry come to these places. On the territory of the reserve is the estate of the poet’s parents, in which he was born and raised, the church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, where he was baptized. And also the Konstantinovsky Zemstvo school, where the poet studied, and a chapel dedicated to the Holy Spirit.
The literary museum presents valuable exhibits, for example, publications of the works of Sergei Alexandrovich, published during his lifetime, books with autographs. And also a table at which the poet wrote his beautiful works, personal belongings and the death mask of Yesenin.
St. John the Theological Monastery
Description of the attractions of Ryazan will be incomplete without mentioning the St. John the Theological Monastery, located in the village of Poshchupovo, which is 25 km from Ryazan, which is male. In the Ryazan diocese, this monastery is the oldest, which is not surprising, because the date of its foundation dates back to the XIII century.
According to legend, the monastery was founded by missionary monks who came to Ryazan lands to convert local pagans to Christianity. The monks brought to these places the icon of St. John the Theologian for the blessing of the newly consecrated Russian land. It is considered miraculous and is one of the main shrines of the Church of Constantinople. This face became the main shrine of the monastery.
In the monastery there are crayfish with particles of the relics of the healer Panteleimon, St. George the Victorious, St. Nicholas the Wonderworker and other God's Pleasures. Not far from the monastery, near the ancient caves, there is a Holy spring, considered miraculous. The monastery conducts sightseeing tours, which tell the rich history of the monastery.
Natural attractions
Continuing the description of Ryazan sights with photos, I want to pay attention to the Oka Biosphere Reserve - the only one in Russia. There are 14 such reserves in the world. On its territory there are 256 species of birds, 57 species of mammals and 37 species of fish. Here they study and protect rare species of animals. Particular attention is paid to breeding rare purebred bison, muskrat and other mammals.
In this place there is also a rare-species crane nursery. This is a unique reserve in which all types of cranes that live on our territory are represented. When you are on an excursion in the Oka Reserve, you can learn about the history of this unusual complex, the features of the flora and fauna of these places and visit the Museum of Nature.
Old settlement - another attraction of Ryazan
Not far from Ryazan are the ruins of an ancient city called the Old Ryazan fort. It was abandoned after a horde of Batu Khan attacked the city in 1237. The hillfort today still contains many secrets and mysteries, since the only historical handwritten source telling about the invasion of the Horde on these lands is the "Tale of the Ruin of Batu Ryazan."
Now it’s quite difficult to establish what is written in the story corresponds to reality, and what was added by the chroniclers, and the very time of creation of these texts is not known for certain.
Here, archaeologists found the foundations of several churches: the Assumption, Borisoglebsky and Spassky Cathedrals. Scientists also managed to restore the exact location of the main gates of Ryazan: these are Serebryany, Oksky, Vodnye, Yuzhny, Spassky, Borisoglebsky and Ryazhsky. And also make a general plan for their location. Thanks to the efforts of archaeologists, the plan of the settlement was recreated.
Khan's mosque in Kasimov
Here is another description of the attractions of Ryazan with a photo. In the Ryazan region, in the city of Kasimov, there is a monument of history and architecture - the Khan's mosque of Kassim Khan and the minaret. According to legend, the mosque was erected by the first Tatar ruler of the Kasimov Khanate Kassim in the 15th century. According to another version, the mosque was built by decree of Shah Ali in the middle of the 16th century.
It is a two-story building with a dome located on a massive base and a minaret consisting of two cylindrical tiers. This building is a monument of ancient Tatar architecture in the style of classicism. Currently preserved buildings are used as a historical museum. All year round he meets thousands of tourists who want to learn about the interesting history of the Ryazan region of that period.
Having studied the description of Ryazan sights and photos with names, we can conclude that, traveling around the city and the region, you can see a large number of attractive places. Each tourist will discover a lot of new things, it will be interesting for both lovers of nature, history, and lovers of architecture and poetry. Ryazan and its environs are a real treasury of attractions, which is why tens of thousands of tourists visit these beautiful and amazing places every year.