The historical center of Yaroslavl is the oldest part of one of the ancient and well-preserved Russian cities. Being a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Yaroslavl is also a part of the Golden Ring, a group of cities northeast of Moscow that had an important role in Russian history. Thanks to the city’s rich architecture, it became the model for town planning during the Neoclassical Age in Russia. Nevertheless, the pinnacle of the Yaroslavl School of Architecture is considered to be St. John the Baptist Church.
Built between 1671 and 1687 in the Tolchokovo district, the stone church has a unique design with 15 onion domes and 500 frescoes painted by 16 artists in only one year. Considered the acme of 17th-century Russian art, the frescoes encompassed the images of all the Orthodox Saints as well as hundreds of biblical scenes. As for the exterior design, the façade was decorated with colorful tiles, paintings, and patterns made with figured brick. Later in 1690, a 45-meter-tall bell tower was built near the church in Moscow Baroque style.
Unfortunately, St. John the Baptist Church underwent a poor restoration in 1911, following the Russian-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Furthermore, the church was used as a storage by a chemical plant during the 1930s. Luckily, the Yaroslavl Museum took over the management of the historical structure.
