Bogolyubovo is an ancient city in the Suzdal district, on the banks of the Klyazma River, 14 km from Vladimir. In the twelfth century, it was the residence of Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky, and a century later a monastery was located there.
Understand
Bogolyubovo is located on the high bank (right) of the Nerl River, a few kilometers from its confluence with Klyazma. On the south side of the village, at the foot of the hill, the Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod railway passes and the Bogolyubovo station is located. Behind the railway is the Bogolyubovsky meadow nature reserve complex, where the Church of the Intercession is located on the Nerl River. The old Moscow – Nizhny Novgorod motorway runs parallel to the railway, right through the town, and within the limits of Bogolyubovo it is called Lenin Street.
How to get
You almost always need to go to Bogolyubovo through Vladimir.
By train
1 Bogolyubovo railway station (south of town). Electric trains from Vladimir east, three times a day, all in the morning. All trains in the opposite direction, towards Vladimir, for some reason lose the Bogolyubovo station. May 2018 edit Wikidata Element
By bus
Several city buses from Vladimir go to Bogolyubovo. Perhaps most convenient, the number 152, is the route that runs through the central streets of Vladimir, and you can take the bus directly at the Golden Gate or the Cathedral Square. Route 53 is not so convenient, but it can also be useful.
The town of Bogolyubovo is easy to see thanks to the great monastery located to the right of the road: here you must exit (stop “Bogolyubovo-Center”). The road on the right immediately after the monastery will lead to the railway station.
By car
Bogolyubovo is the first settlement after Vladimir when it moves towards Nizhny Novgorod. The road here is quite narrow, so there is not much parking space. There is free parking at the entrance of the monastery and paid parking near the train station.
Attractions
Distinctive emblem for cultural property.svg See also the list of cultural heritage sites. There are few attractions in Bogolyubovo, but most of them are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List and deserve a must-see.
Church of the Intercession in the Nerl
Church of the Intercession in the Nerl (full name – Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Theotokos in the Nerl) This property is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. , Vokzalnaya St., 10 (at the station, cross the railroad through an elevated passage equipped with elevators and more along the Wikidata Element road) One of the most harmonious structures in Russian religious architecture. The church was built in 1165 by Andrei Bogolyubsky, who chose a surprisingly good location for her: in the middle of a field, on a hill, at the confluence of the Nerl River in Klyazma. You need to go to church through the meadow (traffic is prohibited here), and the trip turns out to be similar to a pilgrimage. The road is very picturesque, because you can see the church on one side, the Bogolyubsky monastery on the opposite side and a beautiful flooded meadow around you. In the spring, in high waters, the meadow is underwater, and you can only reach the church by boat (pay attention to the corresponding photos, which are usually sold inside the church). The road to the church takes about 15 minutes and starts from the train station (if you arrived by car, you will have to cross the train tracks in the transition). Here you must cross a narrow strip of forest and go on a paved road, after which the church is immediately visible. During the day, the church is open, but there is practically nothing interesting inside: a small space that resembles the Cathedral of St. Demetrius of Vladimir in form is enclosed by a later iconostasis, which makes it narrow and uncomfortable. Nov 2018 edit
Bogolyubsky Sacred Convent
Sacred Monastery of Bogolyubsky. This property is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was founded at the end of the 12th century, however, almost all surviving buildings date from the 18th – 19th centuries. and made in the baroque or pseudo-russian style. The main attractions are the Tower of Escaleray and the adjacent gallery. Both buildings were part of Andrei Bogolyubsky’s palace, and are now integrated into the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, erected in the 18th century on the site of the destroyed 12th-century cathedral. The ancient fragments are easily recognizable by unusual stone ornaments reminiscent of the Vladimir Cathedral of St. Demetrius and the Church of the Intercession in the Nerl. These fragments are the rarest example of the secular architecture of pre-Mongolian Rus. Currently, the cathedral houses a small museum that represents the foundations of the old cathedral, archaeological finds and reconstruction of the old city of Bogolyubov. In the monastery you can also see the Cathedral of the Bogolyubsky Icon of the Mother of God (built in 1855-1865 in the pseudo-Russian style, the most notable building of the monastery) and the church of the Door of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin María (built in 1841). What to do
Apparently there is nothing to do: just walk through the countryside in search of a better perspective of the Church of the Intercession in the Nerl or swim in the river (there are good sandy beaches near the Church of the Intercession). All theaters, cinemas and entertainment complexes are located in nearby Vladimir.
Shopping
In Bogolyubov there are many small grocery stores located along Lenin Street, even near the monastery. In these stores you can buy the necessary products and a minimum of household items. For more options and bigger purchases, you must go to Vladimir.
Food
In Bogolyubov there are only restaurants on the road, for proper nutrition you must go to Vladimir.
1 cafeteria, st. Lenin, 52 (in the center, next to the monastery).
2 Monastic food, 51 Lenin street. Economic monastery dining room right on the walls of the Bogolyubsky monastery. Suitable for both a snack and a full lunch. Food products from your own garden, with “intact genes,” as a poster on the wall of a restaurant says.
Night life
As in any other town, nightlife is in full swing watch stores. Participation in it is not recommended. Bars and discos are in nearby Vladimir.
Where to stay
There are no official hotels in Bogolyubovo, although it is possible to spend the night in the Holy Bogolyubsky monastery as a novice (that is, “pay” for participation in domestic work for the benefit of the monastery). Many hotels of different levels are located in nearby Vladimir, and the vast majority of travelers stay there.
Precautions
Despite the ancient history and tourist importance, Bogolyubovo remains a common Russian people, which leaves its mark on the situation. It is not recommended to appear in Bogolyubov in the dark, and there is no reason to do so, because tourist facilities are closed and there is no infrastructure. A night walk to the Church of the Intercession in the Nerl is quite romantic, but it follows a path completely without light and requires some caution. During the day, there are many tourists in Bogolyubovo, and therefore it is safe, although beggars are very annoying and even aggressive.
Neighborhoods
Vladimir is a great city and regional center with many interesting places and a developed tourist infrastructure.