Date of Arrival in Yaroslavl: Oct. 30, 2000
This website is a first hand account of a Peace Corps experience in Yaroslavl, Russia. Yaroslavl is the capital of the Yaroslavl oblast (state) and is located about 4 hours, by train, north east of Moscow.
Yaroslavl is part of the historic Russian golden ring. The town is packed with Russian Orthodox chuches. I've been told there are 43 total but I don't know who took the time to count. With a population of approximatly 700,000 people, Yaroslavl is considered a large city.
The town was founded in 1010 when Yaroslavl The Wise settled here. The town was not happy with his arrival and unleashed a bear on him. He killed the bear with an axe and founded the town of Yaroslavl. Today, the crest is still a bear holding an axe. When you ask Russians why the bear is holding the axe, they don't understand the question.
