About Rostov

Rostov (formerly (12th-17th century) Rostov Veliky ("Rostov the Great")), city, Yaroslavl oblast (province), northwestern Russia. It lies along Lake Nero and the Moscow-Yaroslavl railway. First mentioned in the chronicles in 862, Rostov was an outstanding centre of early medieval Russia. It became the capital of the Rostov-Suzdal principality in 1207, was annexed by the grand duchy of Moscow in 1474, was made the seat of an Orthodox metropolitan in 1587, and served as an important commercial center from the 16th to 19th cent. Rostov's ancient kremlin contains the Uspenski Cathedral and other splendid 13th-century churches with precious murals. The palace of the metropolitan is now a museum.