Rostov the Great is one of the oldest Russian towns. It is almost three hundred years older than Moscow. Rostov on lake Nero was first mentioned in the XII century chronicle "The Tale of Bygone Years" among the entries for the year 862. Since the XII century the town has been called Rostov-the-Great. "Great" did not mean the size of the town but the degree of the civic and religious authority concentrated in one place. From the time of Christianity strengthening on the Russian lands to the end of the XVIII century Rostov had been the center of the eparchy. In 1207 it became the capital of the Rostov principality, and it merged with Moscow in 1474. Nevertheless, Rostov developed as an economic, religious, and cultural center because of its favorable location on the northern Russia trade route. In the XVII century, great contribution to the town development was made by Metropolitan Iona Sysoyevich. It was under him that the residence for Rostov metropolitans was built which, since the XIX century, came to be called Rostov Kremlin, and it was with his magic hand that bells were cast right there. The architectural ensemble of Rostov Kremlin had been built for about 30 years, and came down to us in its magnificent beauty.

Rostov Kremlin. Principal attractions in Rostov are the marvelously well preserved architectural monuments of the XV-XVII centuries. One of the most interesting sites of Rostov is the ensemble of the Metropolitan House, or Rostov Kremlin (1670-83). Adjacent to the Kremlin wall is a town square with the imposing five-dome Cathedral of the Assumption (1589). Next to the cathedral stands a four-dome belfry with fifteen famous Rostov bells cast in the XVII-XIX centuries, with the biggest bell "Sysoy" weighing 2,000 pounds.