YAROSLAVL: THE THOUSAND ROUBLE NOTE CITY

Yaroslavl was founded at the beginning of the 11th century by Russian prince Yaroslav I the Wise as a stronghold.

According to legend, Yaroslav stormed the sanctuary of a Finno-Ugric tribe that had the bear as its totem. He chopped the sacred animal with his axe, and both later appeared on the city's coat-of-arms.

A number of Yaroslavl's sights have had the honour of being featured on the one thousand rouble note.

Monument to Yaroslav I the Wise

The son of Kievan prince Vladimir I and Rogneda of Polotsk, Yaroslav started off his rule with military exploits: he successfully warded off enemies and secured the southern and western borders of Rus. He established dynastic connections with many European countries by marrying his daughters into royal families: Elizabeth to Harald III of Norway and Anastasia to the future Andrew I of Hungary. His youngest daughter Anna of Kiev became the wife of Henry I of France, and was the regent of France while their son was a minor. Yaroslav himself married Princess Ingegerd, daughter of the king of Sweden.