What is the youngest Golden Ring town? 2. Which town was the first to be included in the Golden Ring? 3. What changes were necessary to promote the Golden Ring route? 4. Why were certain towns included in the list? 5. What town has a great religious significance? 6. When did the name the Golden Ring first appear? 7. What cities are older than Moscow? A. The Golden Ring of Russia unites old Russian cities of five regions usually exclud- ing Moscow as a well-known tourist route. The idea of the route and the term was created in 1967 by Soviet historian and essayist Yuri Bychkov, who published in Sovetskaya Kultura in November December 1967 a series of essays on the cities under the heading: "Golden Ring". The Golden Ring of Russia includes: Vladimir Suzdal Ivanovo Yaroslavl Rostov the Great Pereslavi-Zalessky Sergiev Posad Kostroma- B. These ancient towns preserve the memory of key events in medieval and Imperial Russian history. The towns have been called "open-air museums" and feature unique monu ments of Russian architecture of the 12th-18th centuries, including kremlins, monasteries, cathedrals, and churches. These towns are among the most picturesque in Russia and prom onion domes of the churches. ently feature Russia's end locals debated about which cities were "officially" part of the Golden Ring. Sergiyev Posad is the only city in the Moscow Region to be included in theGolden Ring. It is closely linked with the UNESCO-protected Trustan Bergieva Lavra which was founded in the 14th century by St. Serghus of Radonezh. The Lavra is now one of the most important religious sites in Russian and St. Sergius is one of the most revered R saints. D. Rostov Velikiy is among the oldest of cities in Russia, having first been mentioner! in chronicles in 862. Ita most impressive sight is the white stone kremlin which stands on Lake Nero and is now a museum-reserve. Yaroslavl is considered the unofficial capital of the Golden Ring. It is believed to have been founded in 1010 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, after whom it is named. It is just a 3-hour express train ride from Moscow. E. Kostroma is believed to have been founded by Grand Prince Yury Dolgoruky in the 12th century. It is the Golden Ring city furthest from Moscow and can be reached by a night train from the capital. Ivanovo is both the youngest and most industrialised of all Golden Ring cities. It is forever connected with its once-booming textile trade which led to the city being known as Bride City and Russian Manchester. F. Suzdal and Vladimir must be the most famous as well as the most visited cities of the Golden Ring. They are often referred to as open-air museums for the number of old build- ings. Several sights are protected by UNESCO. Naturally they were the first ones which saw building of new types of infrastructures such as hotels, theme parks, museums and malla that encouraged economic growth and promoted the popularity of the Golden Ring as a tour ist route.