Tourist Guide

Museums

1. Kostroma State Museum of History and Architecture
   

   Exhibitions situated inside the monuments of architecture narrate the Russian history, culture, and traditions of the Russian aristocracy. Works of masters of Russian portrait school of the 18th century, landscape paintings of the 19th century are exhibited in the halls of the museum. The museum possesses a unique collection of fairy canvases by E.V. Chestnyakov. Nowadays, a priority subject of the museum is “The 400th anniversary of the house of Romanov”. Collections to be found in the museum satisfy the interests of the most ambitious and exigent history buffs and art amateurs.
   
   Address: 156000, Kostroma, Prospect Mira, 7
   Tel./fax : +7 (4942) 31 68 37, 31 26 41
   E-mail: kosmuseum@kmtn.ru
   www.kostromamuseum.ru
   

2. Open-air Museum “Kostromaskaya Sloboda”
   Kostroma Museum of Architecture and Ethnography, and Open-air Landscape Museum “Kostromaskaya Sloboda” is situated in the most beautiful place – at the junction of the rivers Kostroma and Volga, near the ancient Ipatiev Monastery. The pearl of the museum – the oldest wooden church of Russia – is the church fr om the Cathedral of Our Lady (1552). The museum possesses 28 monuments of wooden architecture – residential and utility constructions, samples of church architecture. They are interesting if you want to see old Russian izbas (wooden houses) and churches gathered in one place. It is better to  go to a village to see the izbas, but if you don't have enough time, you can see them in this museum.  Tourists are offered diverse sightseeing and interactive programs, folk holidays are celebrated.
   
   Address: 156004, Kostroma, Prosveshcheniya St., 1A
   Tel./fax:  +7 (4942) 37 25 73, 37 25 04
   E-mail:   kossloboda@kmtn.ru
   www.kmtn.ru/~kossloboda/
   

3. Ecclesiastical Museum of History and Architecture
   Ecclesiastical Museum of History and Architecture (Kostroma Eparchy, Russian Orthodox Church) is situated directly in the Ipatiev Monastery. Exhibitions in the museum recount the role of the Ipatiev Monastery and Kostroma region and the destiny of the houses of Godunov and Romanov.
   
   Address: 156000 Kostroma, Prosveshcheniya St., 1
   Tel./fax: +7 (4942) 31 25 89
   www.ipatievskymuseum.ru
   

4. Museum of Linen and Birch Bark
   “Linen Kostroma” – so an exposition is called where old and modern cloths are presented and flax processing is visually demonstrated. The name of the other hall of the museum is “Birch Bark Fairy-Tales”. The central position is held by a unique collection of Russian birch bark fairy-tales. There are not only tours, but also master classes at the museum. One can  see works of Kostroma craftswomen and also goods to buy are available. The museum offers a great variety of flax, birch bark, ceramics souvenirs, and archaized household articles.
   
   Address: 156002, Kostroma, Tereshkovoy St., 38
   Tel./fax:   +7 (4942) 31 05 89
   E-mail: muzejlon@kmtn.ru
   www.linenmuseum.ru
   

5. Exhibition and amusement complex “Snegurochka’s Chamber”
   Exhibition and amusement complex “Snegurochka’s Chamber”offers various types of excursions, interactive and entertainment programmes with Snegurochka’s participation.  The guests have an opportunity not only to get acquainted  with the Slavs traditions, the way of  Snegurochka's life, but will have a chance to visit the “Ice room”, made of  the lake ice, wh ere Snegurochka feels herself comfortable even in Summer time. Snegurochka and Ded Moroz (Father Frost) hold New Year Show Programs every week with multiple competitions, games and other entertainment in the cosy restaurant, located close by the Chamber.
   
   Address: 156006 Kostroma, Lagernaya St., 38/13
   Tel. +7 (4942) 42-66-42
   www.hotel-snegurochka.ru
   

Theatres and concert halls

1. Ostrovsky Kostroma State Drama Theatre
   The Old Provincial Theatre which was founded in 1808 and is now called the Ostrovsky Drama Theatre, also operates in Kostroma. The theatre is one of the oldest provincial Russian theatres. Its history is inseparably connected with life and work of a great dramatist A. Ostrovskiy (1823-1886), who created his best plays while living in Kostroma region. All Ostrovskiy plays were run in our theatre named after Ostrovkiy since 1923. 29 performances are in the theatre repertoire (Russian and foreign classics, contemporary plays and performances for children). 446 seats are in the Great Hall of the theatre.  The small stage was opened in 2004. The Museum of the theatre and historic costume exists in the theatre.
   
   Address: 156000, Kostroma, Prospect Mira, 9
   Tel.: +7 (4942) 51 47 31
   www.kostromadrama.ru
   

2. Golodnitsky chamber theatre
   
   Adress:156000, Kostroma, Symanovsky St., 11 
   Tel.: +7 (4942) 31-48-24, 47-11-19
   E-mail: Kamerniy.teatr.kos@gmail.com 
   www.kamerniy-teatr.ru
   

3. State Concert Hall of Kostroma region
   Kostroma State Concert Hall is considered to be one of the best in the Central part of  Russia.  Guests can enjoy majestic Russian music culture. Annually more than 300 concerts are held here. A whole number of the Concert Hall performers are internationally recognized: V. Sorozhkin Russian folk orchestra, folk music group “Dolinushka”, folk dance group “Kurazh”, symphony orchestra, A. Melkov academic choir etc.
   
   Address: 156005, Kostroma, Sovetskaya St., 58
   Tel.: +7 (4942) 31 28 43, 31 04 09
   E-mail: orkestr@kosnet.ru, kosphil@kosnet.ru
   www.kosphil.ru
   

4. State Concert and Exhibition Hall “Gubernsky”
   
   Address: 156002, Kostroma, Deputatskaya St., 49
   Tel.: +7 (4942) 55 28 61, 55 26 12
   E-mail: kvc-kos@mail.ru

Cinema halls

1. Cinema Hall "5 Zvezd" (5 Stars)
   Address: Kostroma district, Krasnoselskoye Highway, 1
   Tel.: +7 (4942) 496-496
   http://www.5zvezd.ru/

2. Cinema Cafe "Druzhba" (Friendship)
   Address: 156000, Kostroma, Sovetksaya St., 22
   Tel.: +7 (4942) 30-27-24
   http://www.1-pab.ru/

What to see

• The Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma is one of the most beautiful monasteries of the so-called "Golden Ring" around of Moscow. The monastery was founded in 1330 and it is also an important place of the Russian history, because Michael Romanov, who finally became the first Tsar of the Romanov dynasty, was living in 2 small chambers of this monastery with his mother when he was chosen to become the Tsar of Russia. That way Kostroma was always given a lot of attention by the Romanov-family that reigned Russia for more than 300 years.
• The Trinity Cathedral of the Ipatiev Monastery is one of the highlights of a visit in Kostroma! Trinity Cathedral is the main church of the large Ipatiev Monastery across the Kostroma river, in the outskirts of town. This cathedral looks really beautiful yet from outside and even more beautiful from inside.
• Susaninskaya Square is a really giant square in the centre of Kostroma. At one side there are large arcades of the ancient markets and at the other side there are the firewatch-tower, the Guard House and the palace of General Borshov. In the centre of that square you will find a small monument for Mikhail Romanov: he had spent his childhood in the Ipatiev Monastery before he was offered to become the Кussian Tsar in 1613. In 1913 they planned to build a large monument for the Romanovs and their 300-year anniversary at this place in Kostroma, but the revolution of 1917 changed these plans.
• The Guard-House is the building on the square that is next to the firewatch and its Russian name is "Gauptvakhta" . A funny name and a good example of how close German and Russian are in some cases: H does not exist in Russian alphabet and is mostly replaced by G. "Hauptwache" (Main Watch) is the German expression for this building and the Russian expression gauptvakta was certainly derived that way. This building is a museum nowadays.
• The Palace of General Borshov was built opposite of the firewatch between 1819 and 1824 and so it became one of the several buildings in the same, so-called "palace-style" and painted in yellow and white. General Borshov was a hero of the so-called "Patriotic War" of 1812, later he became a senator. In 1849 the building was sold and finally turned into a hotel, called Hotel London.
• The firewatch-tower is 35 meters high, and it was built in 1827 in order to watch out for fire, as at that time most of the buildings in Kostroma were made of wood. This building stands on the central square next to a lot of other great buildings with interesting architecture; this is why it was built like a small palace by the architect P.Fursov. Nowadays there is a  museum of firefighting inside of that building.
• The old shopping-arcades of Kostroma are dating back to 1796. The idea behind these giant markethalls, was that the tax-authorities could easily watch over the income of the merchants and also for the customers is was much easier to compare prices and find everything in almost the same area. Some of these arcades were transferred into posh, modern stores lately; many of them are also still standing empty.
• The Bogoyavlensky (Epiphany) Monastery is an active church with a lot of prayers going there all day long and you will hardly find a time without them. Tourists are welcome, but you always have to be very careful not to hurt the religious feelings of the believers. The Bogoyavlensky (Epiphany) Monastery is right in the town-centre of Kostroma. This is not a museum but an active monastery, and it is surrounded by strong walls and several massive towers. Take a look inside as well, the monastery-church is open to the public.
• Another treasure of Kostroma is the Church of Resurrection-on-Debre built in the XVII century with the donations of the merchant Kyrill Isakov. He was a rich merchant, after making the largest initial donation began a fund-raising campaign in order to get funds for building a new church. What followed then may be considered just an interesting legend, but who knows these days what was true and what was imaginary. Anyway, Kyrill Isakov had partners in England from whom he bought dye for his own textile business. One day he discovered that in one of the barrels which was supposed to contain dye there was something different and apparently heavier. It turned out that the barrel was full of gold coins. He reported back to his English partners and asked what their idea about the treasure's origin was and whether he had to send it back. The legend goes that both sides agreed on using the gold for good Christian purposes.
• The Drama Theatre is one of the oldest in Russia. It is in the Prospect Mira, next to the Gentry Assembly. It was built on donations of a successful fund-raising campaign and was opened in 1863. Originally it was built in the architectural style known as classicism, but throughout decades of all sorts of embellishments became much more eclectic combining a number of architectural styles. In 1923 the Kostroma Theatre was named after the famous Russian playwright Alexander Ostrovsky. And it's the only theatre in Russia where at different periods of its history every play by A. Ostrovsky was staged. There is a monument to Alexander Ostrovsky opposite the building of the theatre.
• Kostroma was twice ravaged by the Poles. It took a 6-month siege to expel them from the Ipatiev monastery. The heroic peasant Ivan Susanin became a symbol of the city's resistance to foreign invaders; several monuments to him may be seen in Kostroma. Ivan Susanin took the enemies to thick woods and deadly swamps, where he met his death, but where the enemy troops vanished, too. The monument to Ivan Susanin was placed in the middle of the city in 1851. Its author, V.Demut-Malinovsky, created a two-figure composition united by the pillar as its central part. He put a bust of the young Mikhail Romanov on top of it with kneeling figure of Ivan Susanin at the base. During the Soviet period of history the monument was dismantled and a new one was built not far from the location of the original. It presents an imposing standing figure of the bearded peasant hero facing the Volga.

Where to eat

Restaurants| Bars| Cafe

Restaurants

• Beloe solntse, Lesnaya St., 2 Official site
• Berendeevka, recreation park Berendeevka, Lenina St. 150 Official site 
• Karetny Dvor, Prospect Mira, 4
• Pyat' Zvezd, Krasnosel'skoye Hgw, 1 Official site
• Volga, Yunosheskaya St., 1 Official site 
• Slavyansky, Molochnaya gora St., 1 Official site 
• Metelitsa, Lagernaya St., 38/13 Official site 

Bars

• Zolotoe Koltso, bar&billiards, Kineshemskoe Hwy, 41
• Manufactura, Tkachey St., 5a
• Macho, bar&billiards, Shagova St., 179b Official site
• Zheltaya Podvodnaya Lodka, Sovetskaya St., 79/73 Official site 
• Svoi da Nashi, beer house, Davydovsky-3, 32 Official site 
• Dorogaya, ya budu pozdno, Nizhnaya Debrya St., 2/15 

Cafe

• Susanin House, Susanina St., 54 Official site
• Sushim Vesla, Sovetskaya St., 59 Official site 
• Roga I Kopyta, coffee house, Sovetskaya St., 2 Official site 
• Fiori, coffee house, Bolshye Muchnye Ryady, 6 Official site 
• Pervy Pab, Sovetskaya St., 22 Official site 
• Mcdonalds, Oktyabr'skaya Sq., 1 Official site
• Commun Cafe, Sovetskaya St., 130 Official site 
• Dudki Bar, Prospect Mira, 18 Official site
• Tratorry Pinnokkio, Sovetskaya St., 59 Official site
• Hundert Wasser, Oktyabrskaya Sq., 3 Official site 
• Traveler's Coffee, Sovetskaya St., 17 Official site
• Vasabi & Rozario, Kalinovskaya St., 42 Official site
• Barkas, Nizhne-Naberezhnaya St.., 66
• Gambrinus, Sovetskaya St., 119
• Gigant, Nikitskaya St., 58a
• Zolotoy Drakon, Titova St., 2b
• Izbushka, Lenina St., 95
• Traditsiya, Pyatnitskaya St., 39/1
• Ispaniola, Skvortsova St., 4
• Velikaya Stena, Chinese café, Zavolzhskaya St., 16a
• Merano pizza, Sovetskaya St., 134/10 Official site 
• Merano pizza, Simanovskogo St., 6 Official site 
• MUSH, Pyatnitskaya St., 2/18
• Poligon, Nikitskaya St., 47
• Sibao, Chinese café, Ostrovskogo St.., 2