Soligalich is a small ancient town located on the bank of River Kostroma in the Kostroma Region. Its population makes 6136 people (as of 2010).

History of Soligalich:

The town was known from 1335 under the name of Sol (Salt) Galitsky. In the early 14th century salt deposits were found there and started to be extracted, hence was the name of the town. The attribute "Galitsky" specifies the location of the salt trade in the Galitsky Princedom. From the 14th to 18th centuries Soligalich was a large salt-producing of Russia. But salt production was stopped there in 1823, because by that time there had been found salt deposits in other places, where the extraction process was much easier.

In the mid 14th century Soligalich as a part of the Galitsky Princedom passed into the ownership of Moscow princes, and in 1450 was definitively attached to the Grand Moscow Princedom. At this time a fortress and eight-meter earthen shafts were erected in the town to protect it from the invasion of Tatars. Thanks to this mainly Soligalich stood out the siege of the Tatar forces in 1532.

In 1808 the wooden town was almost completely destroyed by fire and had to be rebuilt anew.

On the basis of curative mineral waters discovered in 1841 there was opened the Soligalich balneal resort-sanatorium with mud baths, which have come down to us. Local waters promote treatment of the muscular skeletal system.

In the 19th century the town lost its commercial and industrial value and kept only the functions of a district center.

By the mid 19th century middle tar manufacture and blacksmithing were developed, and iron was not imported, but local, extracted from surrounding bogs. Starting from the 20th century timber industry developed briskly.

Presently the town’s basic enterprise is the joint-stock company Soligalichsky lime industrial complex founded in 1964.

Practically the entire town of Soligalich is built up by ancient wooden apartment houses with remarkable wood carving. Historical building area takes more than a half of the town’s area.

The most interesting monuments of ancient architecture are located on the right bank of Kostroma River. Churches of the former Voskresensky (Resurrection) Monastery are reflected in the smooth mirror of water. Just three hundred meters away, there stands the magnificent Nativity Cathedral. On the other side one can see the ancient Nikola na Navoloke Church (1688) among wooden houses, and a Transfiguration Church (1821) nearby. Below, closer to the river, in dense greenery there are constructions of Mud Cure Resort.

The bridge located on the place of an old bridge leads to the left river bank, where one can see dim contours of the shafts of the former fortress of Soligalich.

Soligalich also has its own Museum of Local Lore.