It is here that, according to the Russian Primary Chronicle, Rurik arrived in 862 to have a first look at his new fief.
Dated by historians as built in 1103, the Church of the Annunciation was the second stone cathedral after the St Sophia Cathedral to be built here.
Some evidence suggests that Pyotr, the architect who worked on the Yuriyev Monastery on the other bank, built the Church of the Annunciation. However, a century later the cathedral was torn down to make way in 1342 for a new one. Today, all that remains of the church are ruins. Thanks to a unique restoration effort, tourists can visit these remarkable vestiges.
