Located 100km from Moscow, this historic Russian city has a 16th-century Kremlin, traditional Orthodox churches, and a well-preserved old town with artisan pastila candy workshops.
Kolomna, located 115 kilometers southeast of Moscow where the Moskva, Oka, and Kolomenka Rivers meet, traces its origins to the 12th century. The city's red-brick Kremlin matches Moscow's in size, with remaining towers and religious buildings displaying medieval construction techniques. You can walk along 16th-century defensive walls, see frescoes in the 14th-century Staro-Golutvin Monastery, or try fruit-flavored pastila sweets at the Museum of Forgotten Flavors. Former factories that produced locomotives now share space with modern ice sports facilities. With more than 420 protected historical structures, the city reveals its story through churches, workshops, and riverside pathways.
Kolomna Kremlin: Defensive Walls and Religious Buildings
Tsar Vasily III ordered the construction of Kolomna's Kremlin between 1525 and 1531 as a southern shield for Moscow. Originally containing 17 watchtowers connected by walls as tall as seven-story buildings, seven towers still stand today including the Pyatnitskie Gates and Marinkina Tower tied to Polish invader Marina Mnishek's imprisonment. The Assumption Cathedral inside displays 16th-century religious paintings, while the Tikhvin Church's pointed bell tower represents rare tent-roof architecture. You can explore the 14th-century Spassky Monastery grounds and the New Golutvin Convent's active chapels. Allow at least four hours to walk the perimeter walls and examine defensive features like arrow slit patterns.
Military History and Industrial Development
Armies gathered at Kolomna before pivotal battles, including Prince Dmitri Donskoy's forces that defeated the Golden Horde at Kulikovo Field in 1380. The city transitioned from warfare to manufacturing in 1863 when engineers established the Kolomna Locomotive Plant, which later built armored trains for the Soviet military. Post-war expansion added machinery factories, though the original 1784 street grid designed under Catherine the Great remains visible. Contrasts appear in architecture: 18th-century merchant homes with carved window frames stand near concrete Khrushchev-era apartments. Search for the red-and-white Fire Department Tower near Sovetskaya Square to see pre-Revolution civic design.
Food Museums and Traditional Crafts
The Museum of Forgotten Flavors teaches how locals made pastila, a whipped apple dessert exported to European royalty in the 1800s. Staff in period costumes demonstrate recipes using historic kitchen tools. Three blocks east, the Kalach Museum bakes dough rings in a replica wood-fired oven from 1867, similar to those described in Dostoevsky's novels. Art collectors visit the Museum of Organic Culture in a restored 19th-century mansion to view abstract paintings alongside displays about regional farming. At the Forging Settlement near the river, blacksmiths create replica medieval armor and household items during weekend workshops.
Active Monasteries and Religious Sites
Staro-Golutvin Monastery, established in 1374 by Saint Sergius of Radonezh, combines traditional onion domes with unusual pointed spires resembling Western European Gothic style. Cross the bridge to Bobrenev Monastery to see 19th-century wall paintings in its main chapel and a clear view of the Kremlin's silhouette. Inside the Kremlin walls, Brusensky Convent safeguards a copy of the Donskoy Icon of the Mother of God credited with protecting Russian troops in historic battles. These sites remain operational, with monks and nuns maintaining daily prayer routines visitors can observe during morning services.
Speed Skating Facilities and Competitions
Kolomna's Olympic-grade ice arena hosted the 2016 World Speed Skating Championships and trains national team athletes. The oval's glass exterior and climate-controlled interior allow year-round skating, with public sessions available on weekday afternoons. A small museum inside displays Soviet-era racing suits, handmade skates from the 1950s, and video highlights of record-breaking races. Check schedules for weekend competitions where skaters reach speeds over 50 km/h on the 400-meter track. The complex includes a hotel for athletes, making it easy to watch training sessions from the lobby café.
Transportation from Moscow to Kolomna
Electric trains leave Moscow's Kazansky Station every 90 minutes, reaching Kolomna in 1 hour 45 minutes. Buses from Vykhino Metro Station take 2 hours 20 minutes, passing through farmland and small villages. If driving, follow the M5 highway southeast for 110 kilometers, then take the signed exit to the Kremlin parking lot. Within Kolomna, trams connect the train station to the Kremlin in 12 minutes, with stops near major museums. Consider staying until sunset to see the Kremlin walls lit by amber spotlights before returning to Moscow.
