Gorokhovets is one of the remarkable old towns of Russia. It is located between the Volga River and Oka River, on the right bank of Klyazma, 150 km to the east of Vladimir. Its population is about 14 thousand people (as recorded in 2005).

Experts believe that Gorokhovets is one of the most promising provincial towns from the viewpoint of developing travel industry.

History

Already in the 11th century the lands around Gorokhovets were inhabited with the Slavs. The earth mounds around the town’s centre reached five meters.

In 1239 Gorokhovets was reduced to ashes by Mongol usurpers. It took a long time for the town to recover. In the 15th century Gorokhovets belonged to the Prince of Nizhni Novgorod and then to the Prince of Moscow and was considered the centre of the volost (district).

In 1539 the volost was ruined by the foray of Kazan Tatars. A legend says that when the enemies were attacking Gorokhovets, in the sunset rays above a hill there appeared an image of a gigantic warrior holding a sword in his hands. The panic-stricken enemies retreated and since then the hill has been named Puzhalova Gora (Frightening Hill). Nowadays a town park is located on that hill separated from the old town centre with a deep ravine.

Nikolsky Monastery was built there in the 17-18th centuries. The two-storeyed Trinity Cathedral (1681—1689) is towering over its other buildings.

After the February revolution and the following wave of workers’ demonstrations from March to July an 8-hours working day was established at the town enterprises. In the first days of October revolution local Bolsheviks headed by K. Kiselev established Soviet power in the town.

In the years of the Great Patriotic War 17 thousand of Gorokhovets dwellers went to the front.

Sights:

Among the numerous old church buildings and brick palaces the ensembles of Nikolsky and Sretensky Monasteries, Annunciation Cathedral and the unique paragons of civil architecture, such as houses of the merchants Sapozhnikov, Oparin, Kanonnikov, Shorin and others, deserve special attention. Some of them have been returned to the Orthodox Church, while others are used as museums and exposition premises. Coupled with the inimitable nature landscape they are the special pride of Gorokhovets.

The most beautiful view opens from the Puzhalova Gora: the whole town with its cozy green streets, smooth silhouettes of cupolas and harmonious verticals of belfries can be well observed from here.

One of the attractions in the outskirts of Gorokhovets is the Lysaya Gora (Bald Hill). The archeological diggings revealed that already in the 5th century people of the Merya tribe lived here. Nearby the hill there is a deep and steep ravine overgrown with birch trees. A river is wimpling at the foot of the hill. The illimitable expanses opening to the eye from the top of the Bald Hill remain memorable for a long time.