Vladimir is one of Russia's oldest cities, long the capital of the Russian state. It was built in 1108 as a fortress on the banks of the river Klyaz'ma by Vladimir Monomah, and given his name. Vladimir is known as 'the father of Russian cities'. Monomah's descendant, prince Yury Dolgorukiy, started building new fortresses in the lands of Suzdal'. He founded Moscow, Pereslavl'-Zalesskiy, Dmitrov, Yuryev-Pol'skiy and Zvenigorod. In Vladimir, the prince built a new royal court with a church named after his heavenly patron, St. George (1157). Thus, in the 12th century the city becomes the capital of the new Vladimir principality. At that time, Moscow was no more than a small settlement on the border between two principalities, Kiev and Vladimir-Suzdal'. The son of Yuriy Dolgorukiy, Andrei Bogolyubskiy, transferred the capital from Kiev to Vladimir.
In the years 1158-1165, there is construction in the new capital on a grand scale. The defensive ring around the city is widened, new fortress ramparts gird the city, on their tops appear wooden walls with ride-through gates. Yet the boyars of Suzdal' and Kiev, disliking the grand prince's politics and the strengthening of his power, conspire against him. In 1174, the prince is killed in his favourite palace at Bogolyubov. Prince Andrei's brother, Vsevolod III Bol'shoye Gnezdo (Big Nest), so called for his large progeny, continues in prince Andrei's path. In 1238, the city is sacked and burned by the Tartars, and Vladimir never reaches its sometime status again. In the 14th century, it becomes part o! the Grand Principality of Moscow. The former capital becomes just a city in the Moscow state, a city of memories and holy places.
Almost all of Vladimir's famous landmarks can be seen on Bol'shaya Moskovskaya street.