The most interesting facts about the Golden Gate Bridge. Golden Gate in Vladimir How old is the Golden Gate

Many tourists are interested in the origin of the name of the attraction. Researchers adhere to the version that the gate was named so, because the Annunciation Cathedral was built above them. The dome of the church was covered with gold, hence the corresponding definition. By the way, the construction of the temple was not small: the height reached 12 meters, and the width - almost 7. However, this is not the only assumption. Some historians refer to Constantinople: there were also Golden Gates, and by analogy Yaroslav the Wise gave the name to the Kiev building.

Reliable defense and the main way to Kiev

The Golden Gate performed not only a protective function. Also, through them it was possible to get into the city, as they say, through the "front door". In this regard, the view at the gate was appropriate: an impressive-sized battle tower, consisting of two tiers, strong brickwork, an arched facade and niches. The gates restrained many enemy attacks, but in 1240 a horde of Batu Khan destroyed them.

Further fate and primary reconstruction of the monument

After the Mongol invasion, the gates were no longer used, and in the 18th century they generally had to be covered with earth, since there was a threat of their complete disappearance due to the war with the Turks. In place of the former Golden Gate, the architect Debosket began to build new ones. In the 19th century, the monument aroused interest as a historical exhibit, and authorities issued permission to proceed with its excavation. In 1832, almost from oblivion, the remnants of the walls reappeared, and Vincent Beretti immediately set about restoring them. For this purpose, the walls were reinforced with screeds and brickwork was made.

Golden Gate shine again over Kiev

1970 was the year of the revival of the legendary structure. At that time, the place around the gate was put in order, and the best architects of Kiev got down to business. Specialists studied all historical information and drawings, prepared sketches. By the 1500th anniversary of Kiev, the Golden Gate appeared before the inhabitants and guests of the capital in its original form - with an iron lifting grill and swing doors.

Elements of the ancient gate are located in the inner part of the pavilion. There are also other museum exhibits - tools with which reconstruction and construction works were carried out. The museum organizes excursions, exhibitions, and excellent acoustics allows concerts and thematic presentations.

Exiting the Golden Gate metro station will lead you directly to the monument.

The Golden Gate in Vladimir can be called almost the main attraction of the city. The Golden Gate is a unique monument of Russian architecture, a symbol of the greatness and power of North-Eastern Russia. The Golden Gate in Vladimir was built in 1164, unfortunately, to this day has not been fully preserved.

The Golden Gate in Vladimir was built during the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky. The gates were part of the defensive fortifications of the city. They also served as a triumphal arch. It was through these gates that honored guests came to the city of Vladimir, it was through the Golden Gate that Andrei Bogolyubsky solemnly returned after military successes.

Inside the arch of the Golden Gate, heavy oak leaves were covered, upholstered in gilded copper (hence the name of the gate is Golden). The Golden Gate was the main entrance to a noble part of the city, where princes and boyars settled mainly. The Golden Gate was built by local craftsmen. This assumption is based on the fact that a princely sign is left on one of the stone blocks of the gate. Golden gates are stacked by builders in half-life masonry. This technique of building stone products was widespread in the cities of North-Eastern Russia. This fact is another reason to assume that they were built by Russian masters. The Golden Gate was not the only gate of the city. In the massive walls, the Copper Gates, Irinins, Serebryany and Volzhsky were “cut down”. Unfortunately, to date, these buildings have not been preserved.


In 1238, during the Tatars' raid on Vladimir, the Golden Gate suffered serious damage. In the 17th century, during the years of the Time of Troubles, the gate was again difficult. In 1778, there was a big fire in Vladimir, during which the Golden Gate suffered.

In 1785, the Golden Gate in Vladimir underwent a serious restoration. These were the years of the reign of Catherine II. The empress, together with her officials, developed urban development plans. So, in terms of Vladimir’s development, there was an instruction to tear down the ramparts that adjoin the Golden Gate and make a road in their place. The structures of the Golden Gate supports were weakened during the removal of the shafts. There was a question about the next reconstruction. So, in 1795, the architect Chistyakov developed a project for the reconstruction of the Golden Gate. Now buttresses were attached to the corners of the pylons, which were “driven” into round towers. The vaults of the Golden Gate were also reconstructed, and a new brick church was built on the vaults themselves.
Since then, the view of the Golden Gate in Vladimir has not changed. Back in the early 19th century, officials and architects tried to develop a project for the restoration of the Golden Gate in its original form. However, this did not lead to anything.

What else is so unique and famous for the Golden Gate? Similar buildings existed in different years in large Orthodox cities - Jerusalem, Kiev and Constantinople. And until today only the Vladimir Golden Gate has survived.

The city of Vladimir, which was founded in 990, has a large number of attractions preserved from medieval times. One of the most important is the Golden Gate, built in the middle of the XII century and partially preserved to this day.

The history of the Golden Gate in Vladimir

These gates are known as a monument of ancient Russian architecture, which is located in the city of Vladimir. They are also considered a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The year of their construction is the 1164th. This is the time of the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky. Initially, they were used as a defensive structure. The gate was the main entrance to the very rich boyar and princely part of the city.

Presumably, the Golden Gate in the city of Vladimir was created by princely masters. In favor of this hypothesis is the fact that on one of the blocks of white stone used in the construction, there is a princely sign. The gates were laid in 1158, their construction was completed at the end of April 1164, when they consecrated the Rizpozhensky church, located above the gates. During the reign of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, the city was surrounded by a rampart, and there were six gates; these were Torgovye, Ivanovo, Copper, Orinins, Volzhsky and Serebryany. However, up to now only Golden ones have remained intact.

Golden Gate in the city of Vladimir

It is said that the prince ordered the tops of the gates to be covered with sheets of copper with gilding, which sparkled brightly in sunny weather. To the gates from the south and north adjoined the constructed bulk shafts, next to which there were deep ditches located on the outside. A retractable bridge was built across the moat that led outside the city.

The height of the arched span was 14 meters; there were massive gate sections made of oak planks. They were mounted on strong forged hinges and joined to the jumper located on the arch. This jumper also served as the basis for wooden flooring, which was an additional defensive battlefield. Only holes in the walls where the beams for flooring were fastened have survived to our time.

The entrance to the site itself was made in the south wall, inside which a stone staircase was built, it led to another flooring located above. On the latter there were serrated pommels serving as loopholes.

White stone church

The Golden Gate in Vladimir in the center of the upper tier area has a square church built of white stone, which was erected in the name of the Position of the Virgin's Robe. Most likely, the church was a four-pillar square structure with three altar apse. The building had three arched portals and a cylindrical design with a pommel. The middle of the church facade was decorated with a stucco molding decorative belt.

Until today, the construction has come with major overhauls and alterations. The original parts of the building include a wide passage arch and massive side pylons, as well as a combat platform located above them, however, preserved fragmentary. The building itself was made using half-foot masonry, which was widespread in the Vladimir-Suzdal architecture of the time. The church was very similar to the temples built during the reign of Yuri Dolgoruky.

Golden Gate Restoration

Numerous invasions of enemy troops and strong fires significantly changed the image of the Golden Gate in Vladimir. According to a number of sources, the restoration of the church built above the gate was carried out in 1469 under the guidance of the wealthy merchant Yermolin, who was also an architect. In 1641, Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich issued a decree according to which the architect A. Konstantinov made an estimate for the restoration of the Golden Gate, however, all restoration work began to be carried out only in the last quarter of the 17th century.

In 1778, during a severe fire, the gate was significantly damaged. A few years later, in connection with the general urban redevelopment, the bulk shafts, which joined the walls at the gates, were removed, providing free passage past them. Because of this, the gate supports weakened, and there was a need for the reconstruction of an ancient building. In 1795, the project of architect Chistyakov was approved, according to which buttresses were attached to the corners of the pylons and enclosed in rounded towers. At the same time, the gate arches are shifted using the old stone, and a new brick church is being erected.

Golden Gate Museum in Vladimir

The famous Vladimir Gate is an integral part of the museum-reserve, called the “Vladimir-Suzdal”. It includes 56 architectural monuments of the XII-XVII centuries. The church, located at the top of the gate, houses a military-historical exposition. The main one is a diorama, which shows the events of 1238, when a horde of Batu Khan attacked the city of Vladimir. The working hours of the Golden Gate in Vladimir can be clarified on the museum’s official website, as restoration work is currently underway there.

And also in the museum are widely presented combat equipment of warriors, weapons belonging to different periods. Here you can see: arrowheads and spears, dating from the XIII century, chain mail of the Russian squad, berdysh, trophy crossbow of the Polish army of the beginning of the XII century, flintlock guns that were used during the time of Catherine II. And also a musket and metal cuirass, relating to the period of the Patriotic War of 1812. The museum presents portraits and documents of the Heroes of the Soviet Union, who were originally from Vladimir.

Hotel at the Golden Gate. Vladimir

Near the gates themselves a cozy small hotel is built. Go to them for about three minutes. It offers 24-hour front desk service, comfortable rooms and free parking near the hotel. Other city attractions are also nearby.

You can book a hotel room at the Golden Gate in Vladimir by phone or through a large number of sites that provide such a service. Numerous reviews of vacationers suggest that this hotel has the best combination of price, quality and availability of the main attractions of the city of Vladimir.

Once in Vladimir, you must definitely look at the Golden Gate, which is one of the architectural pearls and a monument to ancient Russian architecture. The beauty and history of this beautiful building will not leave anyone indifferent.

1. The Golden Gate was built by princely masters in 1164, during the reign of Andrei Bogolyubsky. This is evidenced by a special princely sign, which the builders left on one of the white stone blocks.


3. The appearance of the Golden Gate is significantly different from the original. Frequent fires, raids of enemies and feuds contributed to this. From the ancient building there was only a travel arch, powerful side pylons and part of the battlefield above them. Everything else was repaired many times, completed and changed. The vaults and the gateway of the Rizopozhenskaya church were rebuilt, side elements were added, which were not originally there.

4. Now in the church above the Golden Gate there is a museum. The military-historical exposition (weapons and military equipment of different times) is presented. And a diorama telling about the defense of Vladimir during the attack of the troops of Khan Batu in 1238.

5. One of the best specialists in ancient Russian architecture, Vladimir archaeologist Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronin believed that the architecture of the Golden Gate in Vladimir is unique to medieval Europe. For the West, only tower structures that performed purely defensive functions were characteristic. The Vladimir Golden Gate, however, was not only built for defensive purposes, they served as the main front door to the city, and also had a religious purpose - the Church of the Deposition was active.

6. The shafts on both sides of the Golden Gate, according to one of the legends, were torn down in 1767 by order of Empress Catherine II. Her carriage was stuck in a huge puddle under the arch at the entrance to the city. Then the detours of the golden gate were organized. But without shafts, the gates began to collapse, so lateral fortifications were soon built.

7. In the XIX century, the Golden Gate wanted to make the catchment-distributor. Fortunately, this idea was not realized, and for these needs a water tower was built, which now has a museum and an observation deck.

8. One of the legends says that during the construction, the Golden Gate vault partially collapsed, burying 12 people underneath. No one had any doubt that people were dead. Andrei Bogolyubsky ordered to bring the Miracle-working icon and began to pray to the Mother of God, asking for the salvation of the workers. As a result, people under the rubble remained alive, and the prince ordered to build a small church on the gates of the Position of the Virgin’s Robe.

9. After the collapse of the vault, Andrei Bogolyubsky replaced the brigade of masters - the Italian builders who subsequently erected the Dmitrievsky and Assumption Cathedrals, the Church of the Intercession on the Nerl and the residence of the prince completed the work.

10. In February 1238, the troops of Batu Khan failed to get into the city through the front door of the Golden Gate - they withstood the onslaught of the invaders. But still the city was taken - the Tatar-Mongols penetrated there through a breach in the wooden wall of the fortress. Oak gates lined with gilded copper have not yet been found. During the export to the Horde, they sank in Klyazma.

1. The creators of the Golden Gate

The construction of such a huge structure lasted only 4 years! Joseph Strouss - project developer, well-known architect Irving Morrow was his consultant, and Charles Alton Ellis performed all the mathematical calculations. But the name of the latter was not included in the plate of the builders of the bridge, since he had a bad relationship with Strouss. Such an injustice!

2. Where does the name come from?

The poetic name of the bridge has its own background. Military topographer John Fremont in 1846 noticed the similarity of the Pacific Gulf with the Golden Horn in the capital of Turkey - Istanbul.

3. The complexity of the design

The construction of such a structure required considerable effort. Just imagine what load was supposed to lie on a 1970-meter-long bridge with a support height of 230 meters above water and a mass of almost a million tons! He had to withstand the Pacific current of 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of wind, causing vibrations of the bridge up to 9 meters.


4. Opening day

On the first day of opening at 6 a.m. on May 27, 1937, the bridge was accessible only to pedestrians. But the very next day the first cars left him. On the fiftieth anniversary of the Golden Gate, 300,000 people visited. Until 1964, it was considered the largest suspension bridge in the world!


5. Why is the bridge so popular?

The Golden Gate Bridge is popular for several reasons. Firstly, its bright red color makes it easily recognizable. Secondly, it is depicted on the emblem of the NBA basketball club Golden State Warriors and Cisco Systems. Well and thirdly, the picturesque landscape of the vicinity of the Golden Gate flashed in many films, in particular - X-Men: The Last Battle and Vid to kill ”- one of the parts of Bondiana.

6. But there is a bad reputation

Bad bridge brought to this bridge the number of suicides committed on it. According to statistics, every two weeks someone’s life ends on it.