Located 65km north of Moscow, this 12th-century town houses the medieval Dmitrov Kremlin fortress and traditional craft workshops where artisans create Russian folk art.
Dmitrov, established in 1154 by Prince Yuri Dolgoruky, lies 65 kilometers north of Moscow. Walk through the earthen ramparts of the Dmitrov Kremlin to see the Assumption Cathedral’s five-level icon display, or trace the path of cargo ships along the Moscow Canal to the brick church at Borisoglebsky Monastery. Explore Kropotkin Street’s wooden houses, watch ceramic artists at work in Verbilki village, and stop at a museum filled with frog-related objects tied to local legends. Major renovations for the town’s 850th anniversary added walkable paths that weave through areas marked by events like the Tatar-Mongol invasions and World War II defenses. Trains from Moscow’s Savyolovsky Station take 90 minutes, offering an easy day trip with straightforward access to museums, churches, and cafes less frequented than those in the capital.
Start at the Dmitrov Kremlin and Assumption Cathedral
Begin at the Dmitrov Kremlin, a 12th-century fortress where earth walls and dry moats trace its medieval layout. The Assumption Cathedral, completed in 1533, rises at its center with nine gold-painted domes and a multi-tiered icon display spanning four centuries. Walk the grassy slopes of the ramparts to see the rebuilt Nikolsky Gate, once a key entry point for merchants. Inside the Kremlin grounds, dig into exhibits showing 12th-century iron tools, Slavic necklaces, and maps of old trade networks. A short walk leads to the Vvedenskaya Church, where 17th-century wall paintings and detailed wood carvings remain intact.
Discover the Borisoglebsky Monastery and Soviet-Era Art
The Borisoglebsky Monastery’s curved-roof cathedral, built in the 15th century, survived fires, invasions, and Soviet repurposing before reopening for worship in the 1990s. Its brick exterior encloses a small display on monastic routines and religious artifacts. Nearby, apartment blocks from the 1960s-1980s display mosaics of Russian fairy-tale characters, cavalry charges, and a cartoonish doctor surrounded by animals. Sovetskaya Street’s 19th-century merchant homes, with their carved window frames, sit just steps from these Soviet-era buildings. Local guides offer walks explaining how the town’s architecture reflects its shifting political and cultural history.
Follow the Moscow Canal and Kropotkin Street
The Moscow Canal cuts through Dmitrov, connecting the Volga and Moskva Rivers since 1937. Stand on its banks to watch barges haul goods or visit the Peremilovskaya Heights memorial honoring soldiers who halted Nazi advances in 1941. Kropotkin Street’s pedestrian section mixes 19th-century wooden cottages with cafes selling thick pancakes topped with jam. Near the Kremlin, a bronze statue of Yuri Dolgoruky, added in 2001, depicts the founder holding a sword and map. In winter, locals gather on the frozen canal to skate or drill holes for ice fishing.
Take a Day Trip to Podlipichye Estate and Verbilki
Podlipichye Estate, eight kilometers southeast, presents an 18th-century red-brick manor house, a small Kazan Church, and a park shaded by old lime trees. Walk forest trails behind the estate to find quiet clearings or spread a picnic near its algae-covered pond. In Verbilki village, the porcelain factory has operated since 1766, crafting tea sets once ordered by Catherine the Great. Watch painters add delicate flower designs to plates in the workshop, then browse the shop for hand-painted cups. Buses from Dmitrov’s station reach both sites in under half an hour.
Museums and Activities for All Ages
The Frog Museum, a five-minute walk from the Kremlin, holds glass cases filled with frog figurines, taxidermy specimens, and children’s drawings inspired by swamp folklore. At Extreme Park, bounce on trampolines or join a pickup football match on artificial turf. The Harlequin Children’s Theater stages weekend shows with actors in elaborate animal costumes retelling Russian fairy tales. In late December, ice sculptors carve towering figures on the Kremlin grounds, while August’s City Day festival includes folk music and mock medieval sword fights.
Getting There and What to Know
Elektrichka trains from Moscow’s Savyolovsky Station reach Dmitrov in 90 minutes; buses to nearby towns leave from the station square. Entry to most museums costs less than 500 rubles, and guided town walks start around 1,000 rubles per person. For souvenirs, buy birch bark boxes from stalls near the Kremlin or chocolate bars from the Sokol factory, famous for walnut pralines. Check Dmitrov’s tourism office site for event dates like the Golden Autumn festival, which highlights traditional music and crafts.
