Yaroslavl is one of a group of ancient towns surrounding Moscow known as The Golden Ring. It lies on the river Volga to the north-east of Moscow and is surrounded by countryside rich in forests, lakes and rivers.

It assumed status of capital of Russia during the Polish occupation of the country in the 16th century and is therefore the only other city besides Moscow and St Petersburg to have done so.

Today it has a population of around 650,000 and is home to a number of important architectural monuments and several fine museums. It is also home to the first professional public theatre in Russia, the Volkov theatre founded in 1750.

Another more recent claim to fame is that the first woman in space, Valentina Tereshkova, came from a small village just outside the city.