3 facts about the ancient St. George's Cathedral in Yuryev-Polsky (PHOTOS)

1. One of the oldest Russian churches

The Church of St. George the Victorious was built in the 1230s by order of Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich, grandson of Yuri Dolgoruky, Moscow's founder. Very few such ancient churches remain; in central Russia, they’re primarily concentrated in the city of Vladimir and its environs, as well as around Yaroslavl Region.

2. Adorned with magnificent carvings

Originally, the facades of St. George's Cathedral were decorated with a "carpet" of carved bas-reliefs depicting biblical scenes, saints, prophets, as well as exotic animals.

In the 15th century, the cathedral was partially destroyed and, during its reconstruction, the carved stones were mixed up. Only the lower sections of the walls and part of the northern façade have survived unchanged. But, even today, the cathedral creates an incredible impression of a "book in stone": magical sirens and alkonost birds soar, while a lion, the symbol of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality, lies propped on its forepaws. And lurking on the northern façade is… an elephant – the first and, apparently, only depiction of one in ancient Russian architecture.

3. The cathedral's sacred relic – the Svyatoslav Cross

This is the name given to a white-stone crucifix depicting Christ, saints and martyrs. According to one version, it was erected after one of Prince Svyatoslav Vsevolodovich's battles in 1220. He miraculously survived a storm that broke out on the Volga River and returned home victorious. 

*You can learn more about the cathedral in the ‘The White Temple. The History of St. George's Cathedral: ‘And They Built a Marvelous, Carved Stone’’ exhibition, which is on display at the Shchusev Museum of Architecture until October 26, 2025.