silver jubilee tour route

Visit the Jubilee Walkway

Welcome to the unofficial Jubilee Walkway web site - dedicated to helping visitors plan their visit to London and experience the best the London has to offer on foot.

The Jubilee Walkway is London's most popular walking trail and is one of London's seven top walking routes designated as the Strategic Walks Network. The Jubilee Walkway - view 14 miles of London's most iconic landmarks in a relaxed and safe pedestrian walkway through the heart of this magnificent city.

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Jubilee Walkway, history and visitor information

The Jubilee Walkway is the London's premier walking trail and one of London's six designated Strategic Routes. Designed to connect the majority of London's key attractions, it is well managed, easy to follow and provides an ideal way of getting to know London. The Walkway was designed so that anyone walking it would have "travelled through areas of London noted for entertainment, assembly, ceremonial, and open-air activity, passing many historic sites" (Max Nicholson 1977). The Walkway was first developed for The Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 and The Jubilee Walkway Trust was then set up in 1978 as a charity to look after its interest in partnership with strategic and local authorities.

From Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London, the Jubilee Walkway has circular silver plaques set in the pavement, which guide you in the right direction. Along the route there are information panels describing the surrounding buildings.

It is used by well over a million people each year, connecting more than 50 of the London’s top attractions. It was originally created to celebrate The Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 and is now well maintained by The Mayor and surrounding authorities.

The Jubilee Walkway is the London's most popular walking route and it takes a long day to walk the whole of it. The route may be walked at night and there are countless public transport links.

London is perhaps the most beautiful city in the world, and this is an excellent way of experiencing the flavour and panache of the London. The wealth of London's architecture, both modern and historical, are at you beck and call, and the information panels give you a great insight into the machinations of this cities life.

From here you will feel the hum of the metropolis without being in the middle of it, taste its history and splendour, and be excited by its modern innovations and fashions.

What you can see along the way:

City Hall Houses of Parliament St. James's Park British Museum St Paul's Cathedral Tower of London Tower Bridge The Millennium Bridge Trafalgar Square National Gallery Admiralty Arch St. James's Park Parliament Square Westminster Abbey Lambeth Palace London Eye Tate Modern St Paul's Cathedral Lincoln's Inn Fields Royal Opera House Covent Garden London Transport Museum National Portrait Gallery See more links

While London is a fantastic place to visit while on vacation in the United Kingdom, there are loads of other fantastic places to explore in the UK . People visiting the UK should try to travel out of the capital to see other areasa such as Cornwall, Devon, the Lake District and Suffolk.

There are some amazing tourism opportunities in these locations. Here there is fantastic scenery, secluded beaches and historic attractions to extend your knowledge of Great Britain. For those on an extended visit, a trip to Scotland or Wales is a must to fully inderstand the make-up and caharcter of the British Isles.

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• Jubilee Walkway

One of the best ways to get an overview of London is to walk the Jubilee Walkway. This is a self-guided walking route created in 1977 to mark Queen Elizabeth II 25th anniversary on the throne.

The 14-mile (23km) route connects all the main places of interest in central London from Buckingham Palace to the Tower of London.

Circular silver plaques set in the pavement, guide you in the right direction. Information panels along the route describe the buildings in the area.

It takes a long day to walk the whole Jubilee Walkway. If you’re not a keen walker, the route can be divided into five sections which take between 1 and 4 hours to walk.

We recommend the Jubilee Loop and the Western Loop sections for first-time visitors. If you do both, you’ll see the most important sights in central London.

Jubilee Loop Walk – 1 hour walk

This is the section to walk if you’re short of time. The 2 mile (3km) anti-clockwise circular route passes some of London’s main sights: Buckingham Palace, St James’s Park, the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey and Horse Guards Parade.

The walk starts and ends in Trafalgar Square (Charing Cross, Embankment, Leicester Square or Piccadilly tube stations).

Jubilee Loop Walk description (pdf)

Western Loop Walk – 4 hour walk

The 6 mile (9.5km) Western Loop is the best walking route to see London’s historic sites and main tourist attractions. The route passes Trafalgar Square, St James’s Park, Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the river Thames, the South Bank, Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern, St Paul’s Cathedral, Lincoln’s Inn Fields and back towards the West End via Covent Garden.

This one starts and finishes in Leicester Square. If you’ve already done the Jubilee Loop and don’t want to walk through St James’s Park again, start at Westminster tube station.

Western Loop Walk description (pdf) .

Take the circular 3.4 mile (5.5km) Eastern Loop Walk if you want to continue walking along the Thames towards Tower Bridge and the Tower of London and back towards St Paul’s Cathedral.

Last checked: 13 February 2023

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Queen Elizabeth II's momentous silver jubilee visit to the North East in 1977

As the Queen becomes Britian's longest-reigning monarch, we recall her North East visit of 38 years ago

• 18:30, 8 SEP 2015
• Updated 14:46, 10 SEP 2015

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Sixty-three years, seven months and two days...Queen Elizabeth II today overtakes Queen Victoria as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch.

She has been Queen longer than many of her subjects have been alive.

Our region, perhaps surprisingly given the long geographical distance between here and London’s seat of power, has long had Royalist tendencies.

As the Civil War enveloped the nation in the 17th century, our ancestors backed Charles I.

And even in the tough, often impoverished environment of industrial 20th century Tyneside, many of our forebears loved the royals.

In 1906, the Chronicle reported how tens of thousands began lining the rain-lashed streets of Newcastle at 3am in the morning to wait for the arrival of Edward VII hours later and the briefest of glimpses as he passed in his carriage - if they were lucky.

The opening of the Tyne Bridge in 1928, the North East Coast Exhibition in 1929, the coronation of George VI in 1937, and countless royal visits since have seen expressions of Geordie patriotic fervour.

Of the current Queen’s visits to the region, the most momentous was her stop-off in the region during the 1977 Silver Jubilee tour.

The jubilee was proof of the enduring popularity of the monarchy in Britain.

There were street parties and celebrations across the land, and schoolchildren were given commemorative mugs and coins.

During the summer months, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked on a mammoth tour of the country, visiting 36 counties across the UK and Northern Ireland.

On July 15, the North East afforded the Royal couple a rapturous reception.

Thousands cheered as the Royal Yacht Britannia sailed into Newcastle Quayside - and thousands more lined the streets as the Queen’s limousine wound its way to South Shields and Sunderland.

(This was a year, of course, which also saw the high-profile visits to the North East of American President Jimmy Carter and boxing legend Muhammad Ali.)

The Chronicle of Friday, July 15, 1977 led with the headline ‘Queen of the Tyne’.

“The Queen and Prince Philip received a tumultuous Geordie welcome from the people of Tyne Wear today,” we reported.

“Wherever they went, the story was the same - thousands of people shoulder to shoulder wanting a chance to see the Royal couple.

“At every stop along the 64-mile route, huge crowds, cheering and waving Union Jacks, were there to greet them.

“And when the Royal couple set foot on Geordie soil the waiting thousands went wild. Thousands were at the Quayside, and hundreds more lined the Tyne Bridge.”

Enjoy our picture selection from that 1977 visit.

The Queen celebrates her 90th birthday in 2016, making her the world's oldest monarch. This remarkable achievement is being marked by a weekend of national celebration and this is your chance to be in London to experience the unforgettable pomp and pageantry of the occasion, reserve your place today. Book here .

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Circular walk around the city of London – Jubilee walkway

This section of the Jubilee Walkway, known as the City Loop, is a short circular walk around the City of London. At just 2 (or 3) miles in length, you will walk around St Paul’s cathedral, with views across Millennium Bridge. You will navigate the labyrinth of the Barbican, walk down narrow alleys, and see the ancient walls of the city. Oh, and of course the skyscrapers. You can’t come to the City of London and not see the skyscrapers.

What is the City of London?

It’s basically the financial district, of which we have two. The other one is in another part of London. This is the original one though. As such, it is a mix of historic buildings with Roman remains, and modern day skyscrapers. 

If you hear a Londoner say ‘the City’, this is where they mean. 

A few notes about the circular walk around the City of London

I followed the map and description from the TFL website, however, I did notice a few errors. First of all, it tells you to go up a bridge which is no longer there. There is also a bit where the description doesn’t match up to the map. 

But never fear, I work in the City, so know it well. I will let you know where they went wrong and how to fix it. 

Another thing to be aware of, GPS will not work here. Due to all the high buildings, it will get confused with where you are. I tried to track the walk around the City, however, my little dot was flying all over the place. As such, I don’t have a map for you. I will try to describe the route as best I can for you to follow.

Logistics for the circular walk around the City of London

• Start: Number 1 Poultry
• Finish: Number 1 Poultry
• How to get there: Bank tube station is near the start*
• Distance: Apparently 2 miles. My trackers says 3. Although, due to questionable GPS, that can’t be trusted.
• Time: Depends how much you stop….but allow an hour.
• Tip 1: At the time of writing, most people are working from home. However, once things return to normal I would strongly advise you to do this walk around the City on the weekend. During weekdays the place is like a zoo of City workers.
• Tip 2: Look out for the silver discs on the ground marking the route. I have to say though, I almost forgot about the discs. I did spot a few but wasn’t really paying attention.

*God help you if you are arriving from Bank station

A Guide To The Circular Walk Around The City Of London – Jubilee Walkway

Technically I didn’t start at the official start. I did this after work one day so started from there. However, for the purpose of this guide, I will start your walk from the official start point. 

So you can say you are official.

Number 1 Poultry – The start point of the walk around the City of London.

You will be starting your circular walk around the City of London from Number 1 Poultry. It is a pink corner building. The best thing I can say to you is to locate it on the map. If arriving from Bank station, there are a million different exits and I have no idea which one you will come out of. You won’t even know. If you are really unlucky, you won’t even exit at Bank. You will exit somewhere else at Monument. 

For guidance, if you are standing at the big junction where the Royal Exchange is, look west. It’s over there (unless you find yourself at Monument….then good luck). 

If you look at the photo below. This is the view if you are standing with the Poultry building behind you. 

On the ground you should see a gold disc which marks the start of the Jubilee Walkway walk around the City of London

Fun fact: In 2002, the Queen unveiled this panel in celebration of her Golden Jubilee.

From here, walk along the street on the north side of the building along Poultry. Then take the first right after the arches onto King street.

From here you will get a view to the Guildhall at the end. Walk to it. 

The Guildhall

You will now find yourself in Guildhall Yard, with the Guildhall up ahead, and the Guildhall art gallery to the right

Fun fact: The Guildhall art gallery is home to the City of Londons art collection and has been around since the 17th century.

From here, walk along the first alley on the right, which is lined with bollards painted with the City of London crest. You should see a gold pavement disc before you reach it. 

At the end, take a left and a bit further along on the right, you should see an alley with Masons Avenue written above it.

Mason’s Avenue

Mason’s Avenue is a narrow alley lined with shops and a pub with Tudor decor (which is apparently fake). It is named as such as it was originally the home to one of the City’s Livery Companies (the Masons).

There is some very interesting history about this street. Or more specifically, the pub at the end. The Old Doctor Butler’s Head. It is one of the City of Londons most historic pubs, first established in 1610 (then rebuilt after the Great Fire of London in 1666). There were a number of them built, however, this is the last one standing.

It is named after Dr Butler. He is a 17th century doctor who devised ‘miracle cures’ which included dropping people from a trap door into the River Thames. He claimed to cure epilepsy by firing a pistol near patients heads. The theory was that it scared the epilepsy out of them.

He wasn’t very qualified, however, King George I was a big fan and appointed him court physician. He went on to acquire a number of pubs to sell his own concoction of medicinal ale to cure gastric ailments. 

N.B. The pub no longer sells this ale.

Girdlers’ Hall

At the end of the alley, turn left and a bit further along you will see Girdlers Hall on the left. You can’t miss it. It’s a small house with a well manicured lawn, nestled between the modern glass buildings of the City. 

The Girdlers’ Hall is home to the Girdlers’ Company which is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London (along with the Masons mentioned earlier). They specialised in girdle and belt making, however, these things aren’t in demand like they were in medieval times, so the company now works as a charitable body.

London Wall

If you continue along the same road, you will hit London Wall (a bigger road). So, the London Wall was a defensive wall built by the Romans, and until the later middle ages, it marked the boundary of the City of London. So what does a road have to do with an ancient wall? Well, this road runs along the course of the old wall, and a bit later on you will see some remains of the wall. 

For now, it’s just a busy road.

The Barbican

Cross over the London Wall and turn left. There will be an opening to the right with some stairs. This is where the TFL website got it wrong. The stairs they tell you to go up are not these ones. To be fair, there is so much construction work going on and things are changing. The stairs they want you to go up did use to be there.

Anyway, you go up these stairs and follow it around as it heads into the Barbican Estate.

Now this is where things get interesting. The Barbican has quite a complex layout with many entrances and walkways. I challenge anyone to enter the Barbican and not get lost. 

I will do my best to make sure you don’t get lost though.

So, the Barbican is made up of the a Performing Arts Centre (Barbican Centre), and residential complex (Barbican Estate). 

Fun fact: It is a Grade II listed building….and has been voted the ugliest building in London. It’s also very expensive to live there.

Fun Fact 2: There are yellow lines painted on the ground to help people not get lost.

Walk through the Barbican in the City of London

Upon entering the Barbican Estate, turn right (away from the yellow line on the ground) and follow the outer wall all the way around. You will pick up the yellow line along here.

As you approach this tunnel and stairs, go into the tunnel. Continue following the yellow line as it turns left.

Keep on this walkway in a straight line as you go over Gilbert bridge, with lovely views to the lake below. At the end of Gilbert bridge do a little zigzag, left then right to then walk along the Postern Highwalk. 

The Postern becomes Albion Highwalk as you leave the original Barbican, and it becomes more of a modern shopping plaza. 

If you are following the yellow lines, it will divide along here. You take the first right onto Bastion Highwalk.

The real London Wall

As you walk out onto the bridge you will see both to the right and left, the original wall of the City of London.

Continue the walk following the yellow line as it curves to the left towards a green circle, passing by the Museum of London and some art installations. 

Fun Fact: The museum of London is the worlds largest urban history museum.

As you walk around the circle, take the second exit along a bridge, then down the stairs. 

TFL website says the handrails of the bridge are painted yellow. They are not.

Walk towards St Pauls Cathedral in the City of London

At street level, you will be at a roundabout. Take the first right along Aldersgate street. You will walk past this lovely old blue police box…and Little Britain.

When you get towards the end of this road where it splits into two, St Pauls underground station should be ahead, and the Dome of St Pauls Cathedral visible above to the right. 

Fun fact: The dome is one of the highest in the world.

This next bit is where TFL’s description and map don’t match. So follow me.

Follow the road as it curves to the right, then stay on it straight and a bit further along, take the left on the other side of the road onto Queens Head Passage.

From here you get an incredible view of St Paul’s Cathedral ahead.

Paternoster Square

Walk down Queen’s Head Passage, then take the first right onto Paternoster Square. In here you will see a number of monuments and sculptures, surrounded by shops and bars and the London Stock Exchange.

Paternoster (Shepherd and sheep) – A 1975 bronze sculpture by Elisabeth Frink.

Paternoster square column – Designed by Whitfield Partners and erected in 2003. If you look at the top, you will see a gold flame design. It acts as a memorial for both the Great Fire of London and the WW2 blitz. It is illuminated by fibre optic lighting at night.

Fun fact: Functionally, it serves as a ventilation shaft for the service road running beneath the square.

Temple Bar Gate – A massive stone arch way which actually didn’t come from here. It was originally completed in 1672 and lived on Fleet Street at Temple Bar. Explains the name. Temple Bar was the principle ceremonial entrance to the City of London. 

It was moved here in 2004.

Walk around St Paul’s Cathedral

Next, you walk under Temple Bar Gate, with St Pauls Cathedral ahead, then follow the path as it leads around St Pauls Cathedral to the right. The cathedral will be on your left.

You will walk past the famous steps to the western entrance of the Cathedral.

Then continue around to reach the south entrance to the cathedral.

St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most famous sights in London. It is a working church with daily service, and is open to the public (at the time of writing, the tourist fee is £20). I have not been inside recently, in fact, my memories of it are coming here on school trips as a child. Basically, I have not been inside since I was a child.

Fun fact 1: From 1710 – 1963, it was the tallest building in London.

Fun fact 2: Lots of important and Royal stuff is celebrated here. Including the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

Fun Fact 3: It is a Grade I listed building and there are rules as to how things around it are constructed. You may notice that we have some oddly shaped skyscrapers. They are shaped as such so as not to obstruct the view from St Paul’s Cathedral. 

Walk towards the Millennium bridge

Directly across from the south entrance to the cathedral, you should see some grassy bits (Carter Lane Gardens), and further along, the pedestrian square with Millennium Bridge in the distance. 

Now walk towards it.

Fun Fact 1: Designed and built for (you guessed it) the Millennium.

Fun Fact 2: It has earned the nickname ‘wobbly bridge’ because, well, it wobbles. In fact, on opening day, it wobbled so much it had to be shut down. It was then shut for 2 years whilst they made it more safe.

Walking through the square, down odd steps, you will pass these ball sculptures. I walk past here a lot and I’m still not sure what they are.

Walking towards the London City skyscrapers

Now, you are probably wondering where the skyscrapers are that I have mentioned. Well, they are coming next.

Walk down the pedestrian area, then when you reach the main road, turn left onto Queen Victoria street. 

As you walk along this road, you will get a view of the skyscrapers up ahead. Continue along this road which will lead you back to the start at Number 1 Poultry.

Top tip: Make sure to look back at some point along here for another sneak peak view of St Pauls Cathedral.

Final thoughts on the circular walk around the City of London

I know I have mentioned that I work in the area, so know it quite well. Well, what I didn’t know was the history behind everything that I see on a regular basis. They were just things I walked past. 

In writing this blog post and researching stuff, I was truly fascinated and will definitely look at things in the City a lot differently now that I know. 

More walks around London

Continuing on with the Jubilee Walkway, this route is connected to the Eastern loop, and the Jubilee Loop. have done them, but not written them. It’s been a while so I think I need to go do them again. I can’t remember them well enough to write about.

I have also written about two of my favourite walks along the River Thames on my other website, that girl outdoors. One is along the Embankment in Westminster which gives you great views of all the big London stuff. The other is quieter and takes you along the Chelsea Embankment and through the gorgeous Battersea Park .

If you fancy seeing the city skyline views, then I recommend the Parkland Walk in North London. It’s about 4-5 miles long and nice and easy, taking you along a woodland trail, with some incredible views thrown in.

Another walk which will take you through the City, is the Regents Canal walk . Or you could do the shortened version of it from Little Venice to Camden .

Pin it for later: A circular walk around the City of London

zoe tehrani

I like to spend my spare time in the outdoors, and walk a lot all over England. London born and bred, I have previously moved to the South West, and up to Yorkshire, mixed in with some van life, looking for all the best places for hiking.

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The City Loop is one of the best destinations I visited in the City of London. I discovered lots of monuments and parks around the place. I managed to complete the trail in 6 days. It also offers a perfect spot for picnics. It is suitable for all ages, so I brought my 6-year-old nephew, and he loved it. Art lovers should not miss the Guildhall art gallery. I like how you detailed everything here in the post. Great job!

Thank you for this Sierra! 🙂

Thanks for sharing, I have done bits of this walk on other trails, but not to the Barbarian, which I would like to do 🙂

It’s an interesting place. I worked there for years, but it took a long time for me to walk around it. That thing where you don’t explore what’s on your own doorstep.

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Memories of Her Majesty: Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee

In 1977, the United Kingdom and Commonwealth celebrated as it was the Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II, marking the 25th anniversary of The Queen’s accession to the throne.

Celebrations were marked in June during “Jubilee Days” which coincided with The Queen’s Offical Birthday. The anniversary of the date itself, 6 February 1977 was commemorated in church services. In March of that year, preparations were underway for large parties in every major United Kingdom city as well as smaller ones aas countless individual street parties were planned throughout the country.

To mark the Jubilee, The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh visited a total of 36 counties. No monarch before had visited more of the United Kingdom in such a short time span (three months.) The trip brought record crowds and later in the summer, the tour continued to different realms of the Commonwealth.

On 6 June 1977, The Queen lit a bonfire at Windsor Castle, the first of a series of beacons which spread across the night and throughout the whole country. The next day, on 7 June, crowds lined the route of the procession to St Paul’s Cathedral where the royal family attended a Service of Thanksgiving alongside many world leaders. Some of those at the service included US President Jimmy Carter, Prime Minister James Callaghan as well as the other living former British prime ministers.

A reception hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of London, Peter Vanneck, followed the service. Then, it was a procession down The Mall to Buckingham Palace where an estimated one million people lined the streets to see the family. A further 500 million people around the Commonwealth watched the events unfold on television. In London alone, there were over 400 organised parties to mark the Jubilee.

On 9 June, The Queen made a Royal Progress trip by boat up the River Thames from Greenwich to Lambeth. It was a re-enactment of the famous progresses taken by Queen Elizabeth I. The trip would be used to officially open the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the South Bank Jubilee Gardens. In the evening, there was a fireworks display followed by a procession of lighted carriages to Buckingham Palace.

Though it did not open until 1979, the under-construction “Fleet line” of the London Underground was renamed the Jubilee line and given a silver line colour. Other places named after the occasion were the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the Jubilee Gardens in South Bank, London.

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The Queen’s Jubilees: Everything that happened at the Queen’s Silver, Golden and Diamond celebrations

The Queen is marking her 70 th year on the throne on Sunday 5 June, making her the first British monarch to reach such a milestone.

Over her decades-long reign, Queen Elizabeth II has celebrated her Silver, Gold and Diamond Jubilees in spectacular fashion, with plenty of events, pageants and tours to celebrate.

Ahead of the Platinum Jubilee, which will be celebrated over a special four-day bank holiday weekend, we’ve taken a look at how Her Majesty has marked her previous jubilees.

Silver Jubilee, 1977

The Queen’s 25 th anniversary on the throne was celebrated on her Silver Jubilee in 1977 with large-scale parties and parades throughout the UK and the Commonwealth.

On 6 February 1977, the anniversary was commemorated with church services throughout that month and the monarch spent the weekend at Windsor with her family.

Later in the year, during the summer months, Her Majesty embarked on a big tour of the UK and Northern Ireland. According to the Royal Family website, she had decided that she “wishes to mark her jubilee by meeting as many of her people as possible”.

The tour began in Glasgow on 17 May, continuing throughout England and Wales before finishing with a visit to Northern Ireland.

She also made official overseas visits to Western Samoa, Australia, New Zealand, Tonga Fiji, Tasmania, Papua New Guinea, Canada and the West Indies. It is estimated that the Queen and Philip travelled 56,000 miles that year.

A whole week of national celebrations followed the Queen’s tours, beginning on Monday 6 June, when Her Majesty lit a bonfire beacon at Windsor that started a chain of beacons across the country.

The next day, she drove in the Gold State Coach to St Paul’s Cathedral for a Service of Thanksgiving that was attended by heads of state from around the world and former British prime ministers.

Afterwards, the Queen and members of the royal family attended a lunch at the Guildhall. The procession returned to Buckingham Palace through the Mall, a televised event that was watched by an estimated 500 million people.

There were street parties held throughout the country, with around 4,000 reportedly taking place in London alone.

On Thursday 9 June, the final event saw a procession of boats floating down the Thames from Greenwich to Lambeth. The Queen opened the Silver Jubilee Walkway and the South Bank Jubilee Gardens, which culminated in a firework display before she returned to Buckingham Palace by carriage.

Ruby Jubilee, 1992

The Ruby Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II marked her 40 th anniversary on the throne. However, this jubilee was much more low-profile.

A few events did take place to commemorate the occasion, including a luncheon at the Guildhall on 24 November that was organised by the City of London Corporation and attended by 500 people.

It was at this luncheon that the Queen famously described the year 1992 as her annus horriblis (Latin for “horrible year”), following a series of unfortunate events including the separation of Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales, and a scandal involving Sarah, Duchess of York, the then-wife of Prince Andrew.

That same year, a fire broke out in Windsor Castle that caused extensive damage. Repairs cost £36. 5million and took several years.

In July, a tribute was held at the Fountain Court of Hampton Court Palace, including performances by children from all over the world and the Youth Ballet. There was also a banquet held later that month, hosted at Spencer House by former prime minister John Major and attended by the Queen, Philip, Charles and Diana, and former prime ministers.

Later, in October, a grand gala titled “The Great Event” was held by the Royal Anniversary Trust. The televised event was attended by more than 1,700 people and included performances by music artists such as Dame Vera Lynn and Cliff Richard, as well as by members of the Royal Ballet.

Golden Jubilee, 2002

A decade after the Queen’s “annus horriblis”, public celebrations were once again on the agenda for her Golden Jubilee, which marked 50 years on the throne.

Once again, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh went on extensive tours of the Commonwealth and the UK, visiting Jamaica, New Zealand, Australia and Canada, as well as every region of the UK, from Falmouth in Cornwall to the Isle of Skye.

A big Jubilee weekend was held in June, starting with a classical music concert at Buckingham Palace’s gardens, and a Jubilee Church Service at St George’s Chapel in Windsor and a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral.

A major concert was also held at Buckingham Palace to mark the significant milestone, and included performances by Paul McCartney, Bryan Adams, Elton John and Shirley Bassey.

A big firework display finished off the evening and the Queen lit the National Beacon, the last in a string of 2,006 beacons which has been lit in a chain across the Commonwealth.

On 4 June, during the now-traditional lunch at Guildhall, Her Majesty thanked the nation for their support throughout her reign in a speech.

She said: “I would like to give my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you - here in Guildhall, those of you waiting in the Mall and the streets of London, and all those up and down this country and throughout the Commonwealth, who may be watching this on television.

“Thank you all for your enthusiasm to mark and celebrate these past fifty years.”

Diamond Jubilee, 2012

The 60 th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’ II’s ascension to the throne was another momentous occasion. She is only the second monarch to have celebrated such a milestone, with the first being Queen Victoria in 1897.

The Queen and Philip set out on their tour across the UK and Northern Ireland, but this time, other members of the Royal Family were despatched to the Commonwealth Realms.

These visits included Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visiting Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, while the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge went to countries such as Tuvalu and Malaysia.

Britons were given an extra bank holiday to mark the occasion on 5 June, and the Spring Bank Holiday was moved to 4 June to create a four-day bank holiday weekend. A similar move was made to celebrate this year’s Platinum Jubilee.

During the four-day weekend, the River Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant was held, featuring a maritime parade of 1,000 boats from around the Commonwealth. This was the largest flotilla seen on the river in 350 years.

However, heavy rain during the event meant that the commemorative airforce flyover that was planned had to be cancelled.

The Diamond Jubilee Concert and accompanying afternoon picnic was held the following day in front of Buckingham Palace, attended by 10,000 ticket holders. Performers including Will.i.am, Stevie Wonder, Grace Jones and Kylie Minogue entertained the crowds.

Street parties took place throughout the country and people were encouraged to have “Big Jubilee Lunches” to share food with neighbours and friends as part of the celebrations.

Her Majesty also unveiled a Diamond Jubilee monument in Windsor, which was designed by Caroline Basra, a 15-year-old student at Windsor Girl’s School after she won a competition.

Finally, on the last day of the Diamond Jubilee weekend, a service at St Paul’s Cathedral was held, followed by two receptions, a lunch at Westminster Hall, a carriage procession to Buckingham Palace, and finally, a balcony appearance, Flypast and Feu de Joie.

This year, Platinum Jubilee celebrations are expected to be spectacular, involving numerous events and parties throughout the country to honour the Queen’s service.

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Written by: Samuel Wilson Thu 2 June 2022

In Pictures: The Queen in Edinburgh, 1977

We take a royal trip into the archives and look back on the Queen’s Silver Jubilee visit to Edinburgh in May 1977.

Processions along the Royal Mile, an extravaganza at Meadowbank Stadium and a visit to a Craigmillar Leisure centre were on the itinerary when the Queen came to Edinburgh as part of her Silver Jubilee Tour in 1977.

We’ve delved into our Scran archives for photographs of the celebrations 45 years ago…

The Queen and Prince Philip lead the procession up the Royal Mile during their May 1977 Silver Jubilee visit to Edinburgh (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

The Royals reach Edinburgh

The first half of 1977, the Queen’s 25th year on the throne, was packed with events and Royal Visits across the UK and the Commonwealth.

The Scottish leg of the tour began in Glasgow on 17 May, where the Queen attended a service in the Cathedral , took in a charity football match at Hampden Park and mingled with celebrities including the Jacksons and Dolly Parton at the King’s Theatre.

After stops in Cumbernauld, Stirling, Aberdeen, Dundee and Perth, the Royal party arrived in Edinburgh on May 22.

The Queen and Prince Philip travel up the Royal Mile in the Scottish State Coach  (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran ).

Household Cavalry parade to St Giles (© The Scotsman Publications. Licensed via Scran )

The following day, the Queen took part in the Ceremony of the Keys, at the Palace of Holyroodhouse , and the Order of the Thistle Service, at St Giles Cathedral .

At the former, the Lord Provost symbolically offers the keys to the city of Edinburgh to the Queen or King. The monarch returns them, declaring they are “perfectly convinced that they cannot be placed in better hands”.

The Queen and Queen Mother take part in the Order of the Thistle ceremony (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

An unguarded moment during the Order of the Thistle ceremony (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

A stroll through Craigmillar

On Tuesday 24, after the opening of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, the Queen took a “walkabout” in Craigmillar, a few miles south-east of the city centre.

Craigmillar residents give the Queen and Prince Philip a warm welcome during their May 1977 Silver Jubilee visit to Edinburgh (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd.   Licensed via Scran )

Historically, this community was used to a royal visit or two, thanks to its medieval castle . Mary, Queen of Scots stayed twice in the 1560s, and her son, James VI, was a guest in 1589. Much later, when the castle was a romantic ruin, Queen Victoria was among the tourists paying a visit.

By the 20th century, the area would have been unrecognisable to them. The Niddrie Mains housing scheme, created in 1924, followed by the Craigmillar Estate, built in the shadow of the castle in the 1930s, made the once-rural royal retreat suburban.

Greeting by crowds of residents, the Royal Party were shown around the recently-opened Jack Kane Centre.

Children climb up Craigmillar lampposts to get a good view of the Queen (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

Craigmillar residents chatting to the Queen (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

The Queen and Prince Philip at the Jack Kane Centre (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

Pageantry, performances and prizes

There were more cheering crowds the following day, this time at a Pageant of Scottish Youth, held at Meadowbank Stadium .

The Queen of the Duke of Edinburgh looked on from the stands, originally built for 1970 Commonwealth Games, as young people from all over Scotland showcased their talents. Later, the Queen presented prizes and chatted with some of the youngsters. That evening, she attended a performance in King’s Theatre .

The Scottish Youth Pageant gets underway at Meadowbank (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

The Queen presents various awards to school children (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

Edinburgh school pupils meeting the Queen

A new terminal at Turnhouse

Thursday 26 May saw what has become one of the most renowned events in the Queen’s Scottish schedule – the party in the gardens of Holyroodhouse .

Before heading south on Friday 27, there was one more ceremony for the Queen to attend: the official opening of a new terminal at Edinburgh Airport. Work on the new building had started two years earlier. The first passengers were welcomed through the doors two days after the Queen cut the ribbon.

There was time for a few final photos as the Queen (and her corgis) boarded the Royal flight and waved farewell to Auld Reekie.

An equery carries one of the Queen’s corgis onto the Royal flight at Edinburgh airport (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

The Queen waves goodbye from Edinburgh Airport (© The Scotsman Publications. Licensed via Scran )

Discover more on Scran

The amazing archive photos used in this blog are from Scran, our online learning service . It contains over 400,000 images and media from museums, galleries and archives from across Scotland and beyond.

There’s LOADS to explore – just enter your search on the Scran website.

You can also follow Scran on  Facebook  and  Twitter to get regular photos and videos of Scotland’s past straight to your timeline and newsfeed.

A street party to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee on Glenlee Gardens, Edinburgh (© The Scotsman Publications Ltd. Licensed via Scran )

Our feature image is © The Scotsman Publications Ltd and licensed via Scran .

About Author

Samuel Wilson

Samuel works as a Digital Content Officer within Historic Environment Scotland's Communications and Media team, helping to tell stories about the organisation's work and share incredible tales from Scotland's past. View all posts by Samuel Wilson

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Queen driven through Liverpool city centre in 1977 visit as thousands turned out to greet her

25 years after she ascended the throne, crowds packed the streets as Queen Elizabeth II came to the city on her Silver Jubilee tour

• 10:53, 4 JUN 2022

This year's Platinum Jubilee year marks the queen's 70 years as a monarch.

During her time as head of the Royal Family , the Queen has made numerous visits to Merseyside .

One such visit was in 1977's Silver Jubilee year , when the Queen made a series of national and international goodwill visits to mark 25-years since the start of her reign.

READ MORE: Snapshot of Liverpool life in 1963 captured in unearthed photos

One such visit saw Her Majesty, accompanied by her husband the Duke of Edinburgh stop off in Liverpool on her tour of the North West.

Thousands of people lined the streets as the Queen arrived on the River Mersey to take in the magnificent three graces accompanied by the famous Royal Iris ferry.

For beautiful, historic images from the past have a look at memorylane.co.uk/ and see what you can discover

Flags were waved and the bells at St Nicholas church rung as the royal party drove through the city centre streets, taking in the parades.

To celebrate the Queen's 70-year reign , the Liverpool ECHO has dug into the archives to find some of the best photos of her visit to the city, 45 years ago.

Join our Liverpool memories and history Facebook group here.

For more nostalgia stories, sign up to our Liverpool Echo newsletter here.

Queen Elizabeth II in Liverpool during her Silver Jubilee Tour. The Royal Iris moves long the River Mersey. 21st June 1977

Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh acknowledge the crowds at the Pier Head with the Liver Building in full view. October 1977

Crowds waiting to greet The Queen on her arrival in Liverpool - Silver Jubilee Tour, June 21 1977

The Silver Jubilee of Elizabeth II marked the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne. Showing the flag and toasting the Queen at The Nook street party, are three children who made the most of their Jubilee day. Left to right, Sarah Beatty (7), Louise McAlinden (5) and Ian Davies (5). Liverpool, Merseyside, 8th June 1977

Queen Elizabeth II in Liverpool during her Silver Jubilee Tour. With the Lord Mayor, Councillor Paul Orr, and the Lady Mayoress sitting behind them, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh watch one of the pageants. 21st June 1977

The bells at Our Lady and St Nicholas church Liverpool ready to honour the Queen's Silver Jubilee in October 1977 with a peal of over 5,000 changes

Queen Elizabeth II in Liverpool during her Silver Jubilee Tour. An embarrassing moment as the Queen's detective moves an eager onlooker away from the Royal party. 21st June 1977

Children from Stockbridge Lane Infant School, Huyton, about to line the route on Liverpool Road, Huyton, for the Queen's visit during the Silver Jubilee Tour. 21st June 1977

Queen Elizabeth II in Liverpool during her Silver Jubilee Tour. 21st June 1977

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visit the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral. Liverpool, 21st June 1977

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Ivanovo city, Russia

The capital city of Ivanovo oblast .

Ivanovo - Overview

Ivanovo is a city located in the central part of European Russia, about 300 km northeast of Moscow, the administrative center of Ivanovo Oblast. It is also known under such names as the “city of brides”, the textile capital of Russia, as well as the “Russian and Red Manchester”.

The population of Ivanovo is about 400,000 (2022), the area - 105 sq. km.

The phone code - +7 4932, the postal codes - 153000-153052.

Ivanovo city flag

Ivanovo city coat of arms.

Ivanovo city map, Russia

Ivanovo city latest news and posts from our blog:.

19 March, 2023 / Architecture of the historical town of Kineshma .

29 June, 2016 / Early in the morning in the historic village of Vvedenye .

17 December, 2009 / Streets sculptures made by Russian military men .

History of Ivanovo

Foundation of ivanovo.

According to archaeological finds, the first people already lived on the territory of present Ivanovo more than 10 thousand years ago. In the 2nd half of the 1st and the beginning of the 2nd millenniums AD, the Finno-Ugric tribe of Merya lived in the northern, central, and western parts of Ivanovo Oblast. In the 9th-10th centuries, the mass migration of Slavs to these lands began, who eventually completely assimilated Merya.

Over time, these lands became part of the Vladimir-Suzdal Principality (1125-1389) - the core of the Russian state. Ivanovo arose as a settlement near the road from Rostov to Gorodets. Based on the results of archaeological excavations, it can be concluded that Ivanovo already existed in the 15th century. However, there is no exact date for the foundation of the settlement. The first documented written mention of Ivanov dates back to 1608, during the Time of Troubles in Russia.

According to the census of the early 1630s, the population of Ivanovo was 88 people. By 1667, the population grew by almost 10 times and amounted to 818 people. The natural and geographical reasons determined the commercial specialization of the region. Its severe climate and bad soil made farming risky, but there were convenient river routes and cheap technical raw materials (hemp, linen, wool, leather, etc.).

In the 17th century, when the southern and eastern regions of the country began to supply bread, the disadvantage of husbandry began to be felt even more sharply. The location of Ivanovo near important roads and waterways was especially favorable. At this time textile craft and trade reached a special development here.

More historical facts…

Ivanovo in the 18th-19th centuries

In the first half of the 18th century, Ivanovo had trade relations with Astrakhan, through which transactions were made with the East. At that time, Ivanovo was already a large settlement. It is proved by information about fires. So, in 1723, about 200 peasant houses burned down; in 1775 - 400 houses; in 1781 - 260 houses; in 1783 - 500 houses.

Trade in textiles brought great income to enterprising peasants. In the middle of the 18th century, they began to invest capital acquired in trade operations in industrial production. In 1742, Grigory Butrimov founded the first weaving factory in Ivanovo. In 1791, the first literacy school was opened in Ivanovo, where people learned to read in the Church Slavonic language and count. In 1795, 4,388 people lived here.

At the turn of the 18th-19th centuries, almost the entire population of Ivanovo was engaged in textiles. The French invasion of Russia (the Patriotic War of 1812) played a huge role in the industrial development of the village. The fire destroyed most of the large enterprises in Moscow, as a result of which demand and prices for textiles increased, and local factories, not meeting the competition, began to increase their textile production even faster. Central Asia and Persia were also one of the most important markets.

In 1845, a post office was opened in Ivanovo. Since the middle of the 19th century, the local textile industry began to develop in the conditions of constant supply risks. Raw materials, fuel, dyes were being brought from remote areas of the Russian Empire and from abroad (cotton - from the USA, Egypt, and Turkestan, fuel - from Baku and Donbass, most of the artificial dyes - from Germany).

Large enterprises preferred American cotton, which was of high quality. In the first half of the 1860s, as a result of the crisis caused by the US Civil War, the supply of American cotton to Europe fell sharply. Soon, local industry began to use mainly Turkestan cotton. In the second half of the 19th century, there were several dozen enterprises in Ivanovo, but about 15 of the largest and most developed cotton mills determined its industrial potential.

In 1871, the neighboring villages of Ivanovo and Voznesensky Posad were transformed into the town of Ivanovo-Voznesensk. This year is considered the year of foundation of Ivanovo. From the middle of the 19th century, Ivanovo was also known under such unofficial names as “chintz kingdom” and “Russian Manchester” (Manchester in England was known worldwide for its textile industry). In 1897, the population of the town was about 54,200 people.

Ivanovo in the first decades of the 20th century

In the late 19th - early 20th centuries, the entire Russian Empire was the market for cheap Ivanovo-Voznesensk chintz. By 1914, the population of Ivanovo increased to 146 thousand. Ivanovo-Voznesensk became the leading textile center of the Russian Empire. About 50 textile enterprises and factories operated in the city.

In 1914, with the outbreak of World War I, production in Ivanovo-Voznesensk fell sharply. The decline in production amounted to 12%, in 1916 - 23%. A more significant recession was avoided thanks to military orders.

During the Russian Civil War, Ivanovo-Voznesensk was in the deep rear of Soviet Russia. Factories worked intermittently or even stopped. The outflow of the population to the villages began. The number of inhabitants decreased also due to conscription. The nationalization of enterprises, austerity of resources, and other measures of the authorities, suspended this process. Enterprises began to resume their work in the early 1920s. In 1923, the population of Ivanovo was only about 71,800 people, half as much as a decade ago.

In 1918, the first higher educational institutions of the city were founded: Ivanovo-Voznesensky Polytechnic Institute, then Ivanovo-Voznesensky Pedagogical Institute. In 1930, the Polytechnic Institute was divided into four universities: energy, agricultural, chemical-technological, and textile.

In the 1920s, Ivanovo-Voznesensk played the role of a kind of proving ground where a Soviet social experiment was conducted to build a new socialist society. The city was the center of creativity of avant-garde architects (especially Constructivists), who embodied the ideals of this society.

In 1922-1925, a city water supply system was built. In 1926, public bus transport started operating. In 1934, tram traffic was opened. In the 1930s, a civilian airport and a new military airfield were built, a new building of the railway station was constructed in the constructivist style. In 1925-1926, production volumes reached the pre-war level, after which the construction of new enterprises began.

In 1929, the consolidation of regions and their transformation into oblasts took place in the USSR. Vladimir, Ivanovo-Voznesensk, Kostroma and Yaroslavl governortates were merged into Ivanovo Industrial Oblast, which lasted until 1936. Ivanovo-Voznesensk became its center and in the propaganda of that time was called the “Red Manchester” and the “third proletarian capital of the USSR.” During this period, a significant part of the cultural heritage of the city was lost. In the 1920s and 1930s, most of the churches were demolished.

December 27, 1932, Ivanovo-Voznesensk was renamed Ivanovo. In 1939, the population of the city was 285,182 people.

Ivanovo during the Second World War and beyond

At the end of 1942, during World War II, the battle history of the French Normandie-Niemen fighter squadron, which consisted of pilots sent to the USSR by Free France, began in Ivanovo. Ivanovo played an important role in supplying the Red Army with textiles, as a lot of the country’s textile enterprises ended up in the occupied territory, and in addition, the factories in Leningrad stopped operating. In total, during the war years, about 70 thousand residents of Ivanovo were drafted into the army, 27 thousand of them were killed or gone missing.

In 1951, the first general plan of Ivanovo was approved. In 1955, the process of gasification of the city began. In 1962, a trolleybus network was created. In the 1950s and 1960s, the textile industry of the city developed dynamically. In 1967, the population was about 407,000 people.

In the post-war period, the issue of the ratio of male and female population arose sharply: the latter was much larger even before the war, since then women were mainly employed at textile enterprises, and after the war this imbalance only intensified. This imbalance was also the reason why Ivanovo became known in the USSR as the “city of brides”. Ivanovo was included in the Golden Ring of Russia tourist route. In 1989, the population of Ivanovo was 478,370 people.

During the transition of Russia to a market economy, the industry of the city entered a period of crisis. Problems began during perestroika, but after the collapse of the USSR, the situation became even more difficult. Economic ties with the cotton-supplying Central Asian republics were cut off. Enterprises switched to the production of the cheapest fabrics.

The campaign for the return of historical names that began after the collapse of the USSR practically didn’t affect Ivanovo. But since the beginning of the 1990s, the question has periodically been raised about returning the name Ivanovo-Voznesensk to the city. Surveys show that the majority of Ivanovans oppose this.

In 1996, a new coat of arms of Ivanovo was adopted. The figure of a woman engaged in spinning symbolizes the emergence of textile production in Ivanovo. At the beginning of the 21st century, some industries, for example, the clothing industry, wholesale and retail trade in textiles, began to develop again.

Pictures of Ivanovo

Lenin Square in Ivanovo

Author: Sasha Petelina

Fountain in Ivanovo

Ivanovo - Features

The city of Ivanovo is located in the center of Ivanovo Oblast on the banks of the Uvod River, about 100 km from Yaroslavl, Vladimir, and Kostroma. Unlike these neighboring cities, Ivanovo developed primarily as an industrial center with a significant number of industrial enterprises. The City Day is celebrated at the end of May.

The climate is temperate continental. Summer is warm, but not hot; winter is moderately frosty with permanent snow cover. The coldest month of winter is January with an average monthly temperature of minus 12 degrees Celsius, the warmest month of summer is July, which average monthly temperature is plus 18.8 degrees Celsius.

Public transport in Ivanovo is represented mainly by mini-buses. In addition, the city has a network of trolleybus routes. There are 7 universities in the city: polytechnic, chemical-technological, energy, Ivanovo State University, medical, agricultural, and fire rescue academies.

In the northern part of the city there is the Ivanovo Northern Railway Station, which is a large railway junction. The first railway station was built in 1894. In 1934, a new, more spacious train station was built next to it, which to this day is the largest architectural monument of modernism in Russia. There are regular daily trains to Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Ivanovo is traditionally considered the center of the textile industry in Russia. At the moment, the number of textile enterprises has slightly decreased compared to the times of the USSR, but there are a lot of sewing enterprises. Today, food industry enterprises are developing, as well as trade and services. Also there are several chemical enterprises in the city.

Ivanovo, the center of light industry, received an unofficial name the “city of brides”, since a large number of women worked at its fabric manufacturing and processing enterprises. Andrei Mironov’s song “Well, why are we not a couple”, sounded in the Soviet movie “Honest, Intelligent, Unmarried” (1981), also played a certain role in the popularization of this expression. In each of its three verses there are such lines:

I tell you about my love again and again, But when I will be tired of it, You should know that I’ll go to Ivanovo, And Ivanovo is a city of brides.

Ivanovo is one of the historical and cultural centers of the country located in the center of the famous tourist route known as the Golden Ring of Russia. The city has a number of different museums, 8 pilgrimage tourism sites, and about 400 historical and architectural monuments.

In the 1920s-1930s, the city experienced its heyday, due to its reputation as a revolutionary and proletarian city. In the number of architectural monuments of those years it is second only to Moscow in the Central Federal District. The architecture of the avant-garde is widely represented here (including constructivism), which includes about 50 buildings. Also, there are several almost completely preserved pre-revolutionary textile factories, which may be of interest to those interested in industrial design.

Main Attractions of Ivanovo

Museum of Industry and Art . The three-story building of the museum was constructed in the neoclassical style of the “Italian palazzo” in 1914. The natural-scientific exposition of the museum is dedicated to the flora and fauna of Ivanovo Oblast. You can also see an exposition of cold steel and firearms of the 14th-20th centuries, numismatic and faleristic collections, church utensils, and personal belongings of the Emir of Bukhara Alim Khan. Baturina Street, 6/40.

Museum of Ivanovo Chintz - one of the most visited museums of the city. A unique collection of textiles totals more than 500 thousand exhibits. The main exhibition “Ivanovo Textiles. History and Present” is dedicated to the development of the textile industry in the city. Ivanovo chintz is exhibited as one of the types of decorative art. There are expositions with equipment for the production of fabric, textile examples including fabric propaganda posters of the Soviet period. Baturina Street, 11/42.

Ivanovo Regional Art Museum . This museum has graphic works and paintings, sculptures, photographs, etc. The expositions are devoted to the art of the Ancient World (Egypt, Greece, Rome), decorative and applied art of the East (India, China, Persia, Iran), the Russian art of the 18th-20th centuries. There is also an exhibition of icons of the 15th-20th centuries. Lenina Avenue, 33.

Museum of the Soviet Automobile Industry . Here you can see a unique collection dedicated to the automotive industry of the USSR. The exhibition has cars of all major Soviet auto brands: “Volga”, “Chaika”, “ZIL”, “GAZ”. There are not only mass produced models, but also rather rare cars produced in very limited quantities. You can also buy thematic souvenirs here: collectible models of Soviet cars, books, mugs, posters, calendars, t-shirts, etc. Parizhskoy Kommuny Street, 16.

Shchudrovskaya Tent - the oldest of the surviving brick buildings in Ivanovo, a monument of architecture of federal significance. One of the symbols of the city, it is considered a unique example of civil stone architecture of the 17th century, which has no analogues in neighboring regions. 10 Avgusta Street, 36?.

Dyuringer’s Manor (1914) - one of the few surviving pre-revolutionary estates in Ivanovo built in the Art Nouveau style. Marii Ryabininoy Street, 33.

The House-Ship (1930) - a monument of constructivism of federal significance and one of the most unusual residential buildings in Ivanovo. This building resembles a sea ship. Lenina Avenue, 49.

Transfiguration Cathedral (1893) - one of the most beautiful churches in Ivanovo built in the style of old Russian architecture of the 17th century. Kolotilova Street, 44.

The Holy Vvedensky Convent - one of the Orthodox shrines of Ivanovo located in the heart of the city. The church in honor of the Introduction of the Virgin, the main part of the convent, is an architectural monument of the early 20th century. Bazisnaya Street, 23.

Ivanovo also has a drama theater, a philharmonic society, a circus, a zoo, several parks, a promenade, and a large number of monuments and memorials.

Ivanovo city of Russia photos

On the streets of ivanovo.

Ivanovo Central Post Office

Author: Aleksey Backlushin

In the center of Ivanovo

Ivanovo cityscape

Author: Leonid Zaitsev

Place of interest in Ivanovo

Ivanovo Drama Theater

Ivanovo State Medical Academy

Author: Boris Kuzmin

The Holy Vvedensky Convent in Ivanovo

Author: Andrey Trofimov

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Plyos, Russia

Tours, Attractions and Things To Do in Plyos

On the banks of the Volga’s upper reaches is one of Russia’s most picturesque locales, a small town bearing closer resemblance to a 1900s postcard town than to a 21st century vacation spot. Welcome to the city of Plyos of Russia’s Golden Ring, a popular tourist route linking a chain of historical towns lying northeast of Moscow.

Located 71 kilometers from the city of Ivanovo in Russia’s Ivanovo Region, Plyos makes for a pleasant stopover during a guided tour or self-drive on the Golden Ring of Russia. It stretches for three kilometers along the Volga, which at this point in its course reaches a width of 650-700 meters and plunges more than 15 meters deep. The Russian word plyos is used to refer to a deep stretch of riverbed, and hence it’s easy to see how the city derived its name.

Situated in a hilly region on the Volga’s right bank, Plyos lays claim to two well-known peaks: Sobornaya Mountain standing at 54.5 meters above the Volga and Petropavlovskaya Mountain (Levitan Mountain) reaching 50 meters above the river. In summer the landscape is blanketed in the soft green hues of the forests, while winter is so cold that the Volga is covered in a layer of ice one meter thick, making it possible to drive across the river in a car or truck.

Plyos has a population of just over two thousand people, with another two thousand residing on surrounding farms and settlements. Nearly everyone in Plyos works in the field of tourism, the town’s primary source of income, with a handful of individuals also engaged in handicrafts. Plyos may be small in size, but this simply adds to its charm as a pearl of the Golden Ring in Russia. By train it’s about 305 kilometers from Moscow, while by car Plyos is over 360 kilometers- and a world away – from Moscow. For many years, Plyos has been accepted as a part of the Golden Ring in Russia. Mapping its history, however, truly brings this tiny town to life.

While Plyos was officially established in 1410 with the construction of a fortress on the site of today’s town, evidence indicates that a settlement has existed here since the 12th century. For centuries Plyos served as one of Russia’s military trade posts on the Volga River. As Russia’s borders expanded, the outpost became a shipping port for the transportation of goods between northern and southern Russia. With the launching of the railway in 1871, however, the regional town of Ivanovo was connected with Kineshma, another port town on the Volga, and Plyos lost its significance as a commercial port. People began to leave the town in search of work elsewhere, and life in Plyos all but froze in time.

Interestingly, facts about the Golden Ring in Russia indicate that this exodus was the catalyst for a peaceful and picturesque environ in Plyos. By the end of the 19th century Plyos was even nicknamed “Russian Switzerland” as the town grew in popularity with Muscovites looking for a long summer vacation away from the crowded capital. Even today, Plyos retains its unique image as a cozy provincial town.

The picturesque landscape of Plyos is enhanced by its many churches, which are surprisingly numerous for such a small city. All of them date from the 17th-20th centuries. Museums, parks, recreation centers, health resorts and hotels likewise dot the town and help to fuel Plyos’ tourist industry. Today, this town of 2000 people receives up to 100 thousand tourists a year. These same visitors also contribute heavily to the maritime industry, as numerous Golden Ring Russia tours bring cruise ships of eager travelers along Russia’s Golden Ring and the Volga boat routes.

Additionally, in recent years Plyos of Russia’s Golden Ring has become a popular venue for festivals, specifically the fashion festival “Plyos on the Volga. Linen Palette”, the Andrei Tarkovsky Film Festival “Mirror” and the Isaac Levitan Music Festival.

Continuing restoration work in historical Plyos helps to preserve its classic look. When visiting Plyos, prepare to be immersed in a calm, welcoming atmosphere of late 19th-century Russia.

Attractions

Miscellaneous.