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The Neglected Jewel.
The ancient town of Uglich, located on the Volga River some 150 miles north of Moscow, has been called the neglected jewel in Russia's Golden Ring of historic cities. While maintaining a fine collection of churches and merchant houses, it was until recently a forgotten backwater, little known to all but art historians.
With just 30,000 people, Uglich has avoided the fate of larger cities like Yaroslavl, where religious monuments have been besieged by modern development. Though this is partly explained by its more modest growth rate, neither have city authorities been standing idle.
In fact, the city administration of Uglich is arguably one of the most aggressive and imaginative in Russia today, with plans in the works to attract western joint ventures, support traditional industries, protect historic monuments, and develop tourism.
Uglich boasts Russia's first woman mayor, Eleanora Sheremetyeva, a member of the same aristocratic family that gave its name to Moscow's main international airport. She is dynamic and colorful -- and commands immediate recognition when she enters a room. Her interview style is no-nonsense, and she will launch into a lecture about the advantages of her city like an American Chamber of Commerce executive.
Sheremetyeva's greatest trump card is Uglich's rich history. Founded in 937 (over 250 years before Moscow) as a river fortress, it became a principality in its own right around 1218. After several sweeps by the Mongols, Uglich came into Moscow's orbit and reached its peak in the 15th century under Prince Andrei the Great, who erected new fortifications, a palace complex and a magnificent cathedral.
It was during this period that Uglich gained the appearance of a medieval Russian town. Its posad, or trading quarter, included several squares and ten monasteries, three of which guarded the city's approaches.
At the end of the 16th century, an event took place here which left a mysterious and tragic mark on Russian history, and has since found expression in literature, drama, music and art.
In 1591, Dmitri, youngest son of Ivan the Terrible, was living in Uglich with his mother. At that time, younger sons of the late Tsar had an appanage over certain principalities, which gave them a shadow court and source of income. The people of Uglich...