Russia - Historic Center of Gorokhovets City

In the twelfth century, on the steep right bank of the Kliazma River, the town of Gorokhovets, guardian of the south-eastern border of the Principality of Vladimir-Suzdal, was erected. The relief, the ravines, the hills and cliffs on the bank of the river and the height of the ramparts of the Detinets1 (citadel) reaching five meters have made this station impregnable. The theme of "the mountain" is a habitual image of inaccessibility, the invulnerability of the city which has become its most important feature with regard to composition. A favorite technique of town planning was to place the Krom (Kremlin) 2 with the main cathedral of the city on a mount, a hill. Often, having lost its value of outpost, the citadel becomes a Templar center like Mount Nikolina Gora of the Kremlin of Gorokhovets where currently stands the Monastery of St. Nicholas (Nikolsky).