# Kostroma Fire Tower > The Kostroma Fire Tower is the city’s emblem: a yellow Neoclassical lookout fronted by six white columns on Susanin Square, built in 1824–1827. Seeing it from outside is free and takes 15–20 minutes; allow about 40 with a look inside. **You can’t climb to the top.** The ground floor houses the museum-reserve’s tour office, open daily 9:00–18:00. Web page: https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-fire-tower - City: [Kostroma](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma), Russia - YesGo score: 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 40 min - Entry: Free to see outside; no climb - Opening hours: Outside: any time; tour office inside: daily 9:00–18:00, no lunch break or days off; no access to the viewing gallery - With kids: Fine with kids - Outside: Free, any time - Tour office: Daily 9:00–18:00, no breaks or days off - Climbing the tower: Not allowed — the viewing gallery is closed to visitors - Archaeological Portal (age 6+): Guided only, by appointment, 90 min: groups of 5–15, 700 ₽ per person, minimum 3,500 ₽ per group - Address: 1/2 Simanovskogo Street, Susanin Square (Susaninskaya Ploshchad) - Phone: +7 4942 31-68-37, +7 4942 47-07-40 (Russian only, as a rule) - Coordinates: 57.76878, 40.92593 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **1824–1827** — years the tower was built on Kostroma’s main square (source: Kostroma Museum-Reserve official website; Russian Wikipedia, “Fire Tower (Kostroma)”) - **Pyotr Fursov** — provincial architect who designed it — and the Guardhouse across the street (source: Kostroma Museum-Reserve official website; Russian Wikipedia) - **About 35 m** — tall — the highest building in town until 1917 (source: Tonkosti Turizma travel guide; Kupibilet travel guide) - **6 columns** — with Ionic capitals carry the pediment: the building copies an ancient temple (source: Russian Wikipedia, “Fire Tower (Kostroma)”) - **1834** — Emperor Nicholas I visited and said: “I don’t have one like this in Petersburg!” (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti Turizma) - **Karl Baumgarten** — the governor who pushed for the tower to be built (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti Turizma) - **2005** — the fire service moved out and the building passed to the Kostroma Museum-Reserve (source: Kostroma Museum-Reserve official website; Russian Wikipedia) - **Federal** — level cultural heritage site of Russia (source: Russian Wikipedia; Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage No. 461410016710006) - **8 sides** — to the tower shaft, ringed by four small porticoes and topped by a lantern with a walkway (source: Russian Wikipedia, “Fire Tower (Kostroma)”) - **December 2024** — the restored part of the building reopened with the tour office and the Archaeological Portal (source: Runews24, 26.12.2024; Kostroma Museum-Reserve official website) > **No, you can’t climb the fire tower** The Kostroma Museum-Reserve states plainly on its page for the tower that there is no access to the viewing gallery. Some older guides and tour listings still promise a view from the top — ignore them. For a panorama of the Volga, head to the riverside by the [Snow Maiden’s Terem](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/snow-maiden-terem) instead. ## What is the Kostroma Fire Tower? It’s a **fire lookout dressed up as a Greek temple**. A two-storey building with a portico of six columns supports an eight-sided tower, crowned by a lantern with a walkway where a watchman once scanned the wooden city for smoke. Today it’s the picture on every Kostroma postcard and the first thing you see on Susanin Square. The provincial architect **Pyotr Fursov** designed it, and it went up in **1824–1827** at the urging of governor Karl Baumgarten. Kostroma had been rebuilt to a regular plan after the great fire of 1773, so a proper fire station on the main square was a matter of survival, not decoration. Side wings for the fire depot were added later in the 19th century. The building did its original job for almost two hundred years — the regional fire service was based here until it handed the tower to the Kostroma Museum-Reserve in 2005. ## Is there a museum inside? **Not a fire-fighting museum, at least for now.** Many guides still mention one, but the museum-reserve’s own page for the tower doesn’t list it. After restoration, in late 2024, the tower reopened with two things inside: the museum-reserve’s tour office and an interactive exhibition called the Archaeological Portal. The **tour office** is open daily from 9:00 to 18:00 with no days off, and walking in is free. Staff can tell you what’s open across the city’s museums and book guided tours of Kostroma and the region — but expect to speak Russian or use a translation app. The **Archaeological Portal** (age 6+) covers local history from the Stone Age. You can’t just drop in: it runs only as a 90-minute guided session booked in advance, for groups of 5–15, at 700 ₽ per person and at least 3,500 ₽ per group. Payment is in roubles, and foreign Visa and Mastercard cards haven’t worked in Russia since March 2022, so bring cash or a Russian card. For most independent travellers it isn’t worth the hassle. ## Why Kostroma is so proud of it Because an emperor envied it. **In 1834 Nicholas I** visited Kostroma, admired the tower and said, “I don’t have one like this in Petersburg!” Ever since, it’s been called the finest fire tower in provincial Russia. At about **35 metres**, it was the tallest building in town until the 1917 revolution, high enough for a watchman to see the whole city, which had burned down more than once. The lantern on top was simplified in the 1880s and restored to its original look in the 1950s. The tower is now protected as a federal-level cultural heritage site. Restoration has been done in stages: the first part reopened in December 2024, and work on the rest is still planned. ## What to look for (and photograph) - **The six-column Ionic portico** and tall pediment — stand on the lawn opposite to get the whole tower in frame. - **The double-headed eagle** in the middle of the pediment, best seen up close. - **Round rose windows** behind the columns — a detail most people walk past. - **The octagonal shaft** with fine rustication and four little porticoes; it looks best from a corner of the square. - **The lantern and walkway** at the very top, where the watchman stood. - **The later side wings** of the fire depot, showing how the station grew. - **The Guardhouse across the street** — same architect, same era; both fit into one shot. - **Early evening** — the square empties and the tower’s silhouette is at its sharpest against the sky. ## How to get to the Kostroma Fire Tower 1. The tower stands right on **Susanin Square (Susaninskaya Ploshchad)**, the centre of Kostroma. The [Trading Rows](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-trading-rows), the [Guardhouse](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-guardhouse) and the Volga embankment are 2–10 minutes away on foot. 2. **From Kostroma railway station** (Shirokova Square) it’s about 4 km. Take trolleybus No. 2, or a bus or minibus (marshrutka) to the **Susaninskaya Ploshchad** stop — about 15 minutes. 3. **From the bus station**, take a bus or minibus to the same stop, also around 15 minutes. 4. Stops around the square were moved during the 2024 renovation, so check the exact stop and route number in Yandex Maps or Yandex Go before you set off — they work far better in Russia than Google Maps. 5. **A taxi** from the station takes about 10 minutes; ask for Susaninskaya Ploshchad. 6. The official address is **1/2 Simanovskogo Street**; the tour office door faces the square. ## Is it worth it? **Yes — as a stop, not as an attraction in itself.** The tower is the best-looking building in Kostroma and sits exactly where any walk around the centre begins, so you’ll see it anyway. Give it 15–20 minutes for photos and a closer look at the portico. Don’t come expecting a climb or a museum: there’s neither right now. If you have only one day in Kostroma, the [Ipatiev Monastery](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/ipatiev-monastery) deserves the bulk of your time, and the tower slots in on the way. ## Before you go Tick off what’s ready — your ticks are saved in this browser. - [ ] I know the tower can’t be climbed — I’ll get my Volga view from the embankment - [ ] I’ll reach the tour office before 18:00 if I want to book a tour - [ ] Archaeological Portal booked in advance, with a group of five or more - [ ] Cash or a Russian card for anything paid — foreign cards don’t work - [ ] Translation app ready for the tour office ## Fire Tower, Guardhouse or Ipatiev Monastery? | | Fire Tower | Guardhouse | Ipatiev Monastery | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | City emblem and Neoclassical landmark; tour office inside | Building of the same era opposite, now a military history museum | Kostroma’s main monastery, cradle of the Romanov dynasty | | Where | Susanin Square | Across the street | Across the Kostroma River, edge of the centre | | Time needed | 15–40 min | About 1 hour | 2–3 hours | | Best for | Everyone on a day trip | Military history fans | Anyone with a full day | Treat the tower as the starting point of a walk around the centre, not as a destination. If time is short, put the monastery first. ## Historic sights in Kostroma compared Every historic place in Kostroma rated by YesGo. - [Epiphany-Anastasia Convent](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/epiphany-anastasia-convent) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free, cathedral only - [Susanin Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/susanin-square) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Kostroma Trading Rows](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-trading-rows) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Church of the Resurrection on the Debre](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/resurrection-church-on-debre) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free - [Kostroma Guardhouse](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-guardhouse) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 400 ₽, concessions 300 ₽ - [Kostroma Fire Tower](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-fire-tower) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free to see outside; no climb - [Ipatiev Monastery](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/ipatiev-monastery) — YesGo score 36/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · ≈ 350–400 ₽, services free - [Kostromskaya Sloboda Open-Air Museum](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostromskaya-sloboda) — YesGo score 35/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 450 ₽, concessions 350 ₽ - [Sumarokovo Moose Farm](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/sumarokovo-moose-farm) — YesGo score 22/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · 300 ₽, children from 4: 200 ₽ ## The fire tower and central Kostroma in half a day Start at the tower, cross to the Guardhouse, walk through Susanin Square to the Trading Rows and finish by the Volga at the Epiphany-Anastasia Convent. Add it to your route and YesGo will set the timings and walks. 1. [Kostroma Fire Tower](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-fire-tower) — YesGo score 39/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free to see outside; no climb 2. [Kostroma Guardhouse](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-guardhouse) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 400 ₽, concessions 300 ₽ 3. [Susanin Square](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/susanin-square) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free 4. [Kostroma Trading Rows](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/kostroma-trading-rows) — YesGo score 47/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free 5. [Epiphany-Anastasia Convent](https://yesgo.io/russia/kostroma/epiphany-anastasia-convent) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free, cathedral only ## Bobka the fire dog Locals tell of Bobka, a dog that lived with the firemen here and is said to have pulled people out of burning houses. A bronze dog on Susanin Square is often called his monument, but local historians say it is actually a basset hound by sculptor Alexander Yeryomin, and Bobka himself never got a statue. Other Russian cities, including Vologda and Yaroslavl, have fire towers too — this page is only about Kostroma’s. ## Tips - The best angle is from the lawn facing the portico: the tower and the Guardhouse fit into one frame. - Arrived without a plan? Step into the tour office in the tower to see what’s open today. - Don’t come for a view from the top — there’s no access; the Volga embankment is the place for panoramas. - Visit early evening, when the square quietens down and the tower stands out against the sky. - Combine it with the Guardhouse, the Trading Rows and the walk down to the river — all within ten minutes. - Carry roubles in cash: foreign cards won’t work for paid tours or museum tickets. ## Questions ### Can you climb the Kostroma Fire Tower? No. The Kostroma Museum-Reserve says there is no access to the viewing gallery. Older guides that promise a view from the top are out of date. ### What are the Kostroma Fire Tower’s opening hours? You can see it from outside at any time. The tour office inside is open every day from 9:00 to 18:00. ### Is there a museum in the Kostroma Fire Tower? Inside are the museum-reserve’s tour office and the Archaeological Portal, an interactive exhibition by appointment only. The museum’s own page doesn’t list a fire-fighting museum. ### How much does it cost? Looking at it and walking into the tour office is free. The Archaeological Portal is a 90-minute guided session for groups of 5–15: 700 ₽ per person, at least 3,500 ₽ per group. ### Where is the Kostroma Fire Tower? On Susanin Square in the city centre; the official address is 1/2 Simanovskogo Street. ### How do I get there from the railway station? Trolleybus No. 2 or a bus or minibus to Susaninskaya Ploshchad, about 15 minutes, or a 10-minute taxi ride. ### How tall is the Kostroma Fire Tower? About 35 metres. Until 1917 it was the tallest building in Kostroma. ### Who built it? Provincial architect Pyotr Fursov, in 1824–1827, on the initiative of governor Karl Baumgarten. ### Is the Kostroma Fire Tower worth visiting? As a 15–20-minute stop, yes: it’s the city’s finest building and on every walking route. It isn’t worth a special trip, since you can’t go up. ## How we checked Tour office hours, the ban on climbing, the address, phone numbers, what’s inside and the 2005 handover come from the tower’s page on the official Kostroma Museum-Reserve website; the Archaeological Portal price and terms come from its official price list. Building dates, the architect and Nicholas I’s remark match across Wikipedia and travel guides; facade details are from Wikipedia. The 35 m height isn’t on the official site but matches in two independent guides. The museum dates the side wings to the 1860s and Wikipedia to the 1870s, so we say “later in the 19th century”. Some listings mention a fire-fighting museum and a climb to the top; the official page lists neither and explicitly rules out the climb, so we follow it. Some English listings give 11:00–16:00 hours from a single commercial source; we use the official 9:00–18:00 for the tour office. Bus routes and stops around the square changed after the 2024 works, so we only name trolleybus No. 2 (two sources). Travel times are our estimates. ## Sources - Kostroma Museum-Reserve official website: “Fire Tower” venue page, venues list and price list, 30.10.2026 - Russian Wikipedia: “Fire Tower (Kostroma)”; Wikidata Q2081938; Unified State Register of Cultural Heritage No. 461410016710006 - Tonkosti Turizma: “Kostroma Fire Tower”; Kupibilet travel guide - Runews24, 26.12.2024, on the tower reopening after restoration - AB News, 26.09.2024, on bus stops around Susanin Square; Tutu.ru, transport from Kostroma railway station - Cyclopedia: “Bobka the Fire Dog” - Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022 --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.