Rostov the Great is a historic town located in the Yaroslavl Oblast region of Russia, approximately 200 km northeast of Moscow. It is home to several notable landmarks, including the Rostov Kremlin, which features stunning onion-domed cathedrals and bell towers. The town is also known for its beautiful lakes and waterways, which offer opportunities for boating and fishing. To get to Rostov the Great from Moscow, it takes around 3-4 hours by car or train.
Rostov is the oldest city of the Golden Ring of Russian cities. It was first mentioned in the chronicles in the IX c.. It is famous mainly for its religious architecture and its bishop’s residence often called ‘the Rostov Kremlin’. Filming in Rostov is cheap and gives great possibilities to film stories about the Russian middle-ages.
Located on a lakeside, Rostov appears to be an enclave of untouched antiquity even among the Golden Ring cities, because it escaped rebuilding in Soviet time. For example – the Bishop’s court. It is the historical center of the city: the high-walled Bishop’s Court is bordered by the Cathedral square and by the Bishop’s Garden with the five-domed Church of Grigory the Scholar.
The most elegant looking temple of the ensemble is the Church of St. John the Evangelist. It is the gateway church of the Bishop’s residence and adorns the site with its strict yet elegant appearance. Inside, you can film the impressive well-restored frescoes that completely cover the temple’s walls. Some of these temples are in use. Consequently for filming at these locations you need a permit from the Russian Orthodox church. However the processing times won’t be very long, around 7-10 days.
On the territory of the Kremlin, you can also film secular buildings, the so-called White And Red Chambers. In those luxurious apartments with a huge front porch, the Bishop used to receive his influential guests.
The famous Rostov Trading Arcades are situated just near the walls of the Kremlin. They occupy an entire block and in addition are the only fully extant Trading Arcades of the Golden Ring. This is a site perfect for filming the everyday life of the city: here commerce is blooming and, as the central market of the city, the Arcades attract both tourists and locals.
Alexei Kekin’s Gymnasium: the oldest school in the region, now functioning
The Convent of Our Lady and the Nativity: a functioning convent in Rostov founded in the XIV c.
The Varnitsky Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius: a functioning monastery very popular among pilgrims.
Yakovlevsky Savior Monastery: a spectacularly looking monastery with high beautifully decorated towers situated on the bank of the Nero lake
John the Evangelist Church situated near Rostov, on the Ishna river. This church is built of wood and, since it is isolated from other modern looking places, it is perfect for filming on historical subjects.
At FilmspbTV, we are thrilled to be organizing a TV production in the historic town of Rostov the Great in Russia. Our experienced scouts know the area like the back of their hand, having successfully executed several complex projects in the region. We’re excited to bring our skills and expertise to Rostov the Great, where we plan to capture the town’s unique charm and character on film.
As an experienced production company, we understand the challenges of organizing a production in a remote location. We’ll need to bring all the filming equipment and crew from Moscow to Rostov the Great. This will require careful planning and coordination to ensure that everything arrives on time and in good condition. Our team is well-equipped to handle the logistics of this operation, and we’ll work closely with local suppliers to ensure that we have everything we need to make the production a success.
We’re particularly excited about the opportunity to showcase Rostov the Great’s stunning architecture and natural beauty on film. With its picturesque lakes, winding rivers, and impressive Kremlin, we’re confident that our production will capture the town’s essence and leave a lasting impression on viewers.
