Photos

The town of Galich was first chronicled in 1234 as Grad Mersky. It gradually developed into one of the greatest salt-mining centres of Eastern Europe, eclipsing the Southern town of Halych (Ukraine), from which it takes its name. In the 13th century, the town was ruled by a younger brother of Alexander Nevsky. The 15th and 16th centuries are justly considered the golden age of Galich. At that time the town controlled most of the Russian trade in salt and furs. The early medieval earthen ramparts were further fortified in the early 15th and 16th centuries and have since been known as Shemyakiny Hills. The Poles burnt it to the ground in 1612, Peter the Great had a wooden kremlin demolished, and the town further declined with the transfer of Russian foreign trade from Arkhangelsk to St. Petersburg. Historic monuments of Galich include various buildings from the imperial period of Russian history. Hope you enjoy the panorama.