About Uglich, Russia

The approach to Uglich is one of the most memorable sights of a cruise along the Volga. Bereft of the usual screen of Kremlin walls, its especially fine churches and cathedral rise up from the horizon in a brilliant play of red, blue, and gold.

The city’s visual appeal, as well as its tragic past, have made Uglich one of the most beloved cities in Russia. Founded in 1148, it flourished during the 13th and 14th centuries, and was favored in the 16th by Ivan the Terrible. Not only did Ivan use Uglich as a base for his campaigns against the Golden Horde, but he also selected the city as the location of his seventh wife’s honorary exile from Moscow. Upon Ivan’s death, his son Dmitry joined his mother here, only to be brutally murdered by Boris Godunov as part of his campaign to seize the crown. On the spot where the murder took place, the city built the magnificent Church of St. Demetrius on the Blood, which greets the eye of all who approach the city. The Cathedral of the Resurrection and St. John’s Church are nearby, similar in design and beauty.