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Kostroma Trading Rows

White arcaded galleries of the Kostroma Trading Rows curving around a square, with the bell tower of the Church of the Saviour behind
Photo: Alexxx1979, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry
Free — these are streets, shops and a market
Hours
Arcades always open; shops roughly 9:00–19:00 on weekdays and 9:00–18:00 at weekends, each with its own hours
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
40 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Shop hours
Roughly weekdays 9:00–19:00, weekends 9:00–18:00; each shop sets its own
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Closed
No common day off
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
Ulitsa Krasnye Ryady, just south of Susanin Square, Kostroma
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Coordinates
57.76614, 40.92652YesGo MapGoogleAppleYandex
Nearest stop
Susaninskaya Ploshchad — central buses and trolleybuses, including Nos. 2 and 3
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Payment
Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards do not work in Russia — bring roubles in cash
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Provincial Kostroma museum
In the Small Rows: 200 ₽, concessions 150 ₽, daily 11:00–18:00
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Time needed
40–60 minutes; about two hours with the museum and lunch

Key facts

1775stone building began, two years after the fire of 1773
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaEnglish WikipediaTonkosti
Freeto walk around — it is a working market and shopping quarter
2 sourcesTonkostiAdvantour
110 × 160 mthe Red Rows, the main block with an inner courtyard
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaTonkosti
122 × 163 mthe Big Flour Rows, home of today's central market
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaTonkosti
1766the stone Church of the Saviour, built into the Red Rows
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia
Karl von Klaerdrew the original model design
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaEnglish WikipediaTonkosti
Stepan Vorotilovlocal master builder of the Red Rows and the gate bell tower
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaTonkostiEnglish Wikipedia
10+rows: Red, Flour, Small Goods, Gingerbread, Bread, Fish, Kvass, Butter, Tobacco and more
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaAdvantourEnglish Wikipedia
Rounded cornersso horse carts could turn without scraping the walls
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaTonkostiAdvantour
Federalprotected cultural heritage site
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaWikidata Q4461032

What are the Kostroma Trading Rows?

They are Kostroma's old merchant quarter: a cluster of long Neoclassical blocks lined with arcades, each arch once a separate shop. The rows fill several blocks between Susanin Square and the Volga, on the site of the old Kostroma kremlin. Locals call them simply “the rows” or the Red Rows, and English sources often use the name Gostiny Dvor.

Unlike many restored arcades in Russia, this one never stopped trading. Downstairs you still buy cheese, linen and groceries; the upper floors and cellars were built as storerooms. It is one of the most complete surviving sets of provincial trading rows in Russia and a federally protected monument.

History of the Trading Rows

Wooden stalls stood here until the great fire of 1773 wiped them out. Kostroma was then replanned with streets fanning out from the square, and in 1775 stone rows began to go up to a standard design by provincial official Karl von Klaer. The unit was a merchant's shop one arch wide.

From 1789 the Red Rows were built by local master Stepan Vorotilov. He wrapped the arcade around the existing stone Church of the Saviour of 1766 and added a new Baroque bell tower over the gate on the Volga side. Klaer disliked the changes and took him to court, but Vorotilov died before the case was heard — the tower is still there.

“Red” meant fine goods: cloth, furs, haberdashery and books. The Flour Rows dealt in flour, fodder and flax. More rows followed over the next decades — gingerbread, fish, kvass, butter, tobacco — until the quarter reached the river.

What to buy and see

  • Kostroma cheese — the region calls itself Russia's cheese capital, and stalls in the rows sell local cheeses. Ask to taste first.
  • Linen — tablecloths, towels and clothes made from Kostroma flax in the shops of the Red Rows.
  • The central market in the Big Flour Rows — dairy, honey, mushrooms and berries in season, mostly local.
  • Church of the Saviour in the Rows — a five-domed church in the courtyard of the Red Rows, with its tall bell tower over the gate. It is a working church.
  • The Small Goods Rows in the courtyard — single-storey shops, including the small Provincial Kostroma museum with hundreds of troika bells.
  • Jewellery shops — the Kostroma region is known for the silver and gold craft of Krasnoye-on-Volga.
  • The lower rows by the river — Gingerbread, Fish and Kvass Rows, a few minutes from the Volga embankment.

Opening hours and prices

There is no ticket: the rows are public streets and shops. The only paid stop is the Provincial Kostroma museum in the Small Goods Rows — 200 ₽, 150 ₽ concessions, under-7s free, open daily 11:00–18:00 according to one travel guide.

There are no single opening hours either. As a guide, shops trade 9:00–19:00 on weekdays and 9:00–18:00 at weekends, with no common day off, but each sets its own hours and some close earlier in winter. The arcades themselves are open around the clock.

Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards have not worked in Russia since March 2022. Market stalls and small shops want roubles in cash or a Russian bank card, so bring cash.

How to get to the Trading Rows

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On foot

More tips

  1. Take any bus, trolleybus or minibus to the Susaninskaya Ploshchad (Susanin Square) stop — about 15 minutes from the railway station or the bus station.
  2. Find the Fire Tower, the landmark of the square, and face south towards the Volga.
  3. Cross the square: the arches straight ahead are the Red Rows, 2–3 minutes on foot.
  4. Walk through the gate into the courtyard for the Church of the Saviour and the Small Goods Rows.
  5. For the market, go round the Red Rows to the Big Flour Rows next door. Carry on downhill for the lower rows and the Volga embankment.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you are in central Kostroma anyway. It is free, two minutes from the square, and the curving white arcades are the defining picture of the city. Half an hour under the arches with a slice of local cheese is time well spent.

Don't come for serious shopping, though: most shops sell everyday goods and souvenirs, and the market is a local one. With a single day in town, put the Ipatiev Monastery first and walk through the rows on your way from the square to the river.

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Trading Rows vs Fire Tower vs Guardhouse

Trading Rowsyou are here18th–19th-century merchant arcades and marketFree40–60 minEveryone: a stroll, cheese, linen, photos
Fire Tower1820s fire watchtowerOwn ticket≈ 30 minViews from above
GuardhouseArmy guard post, military museum400 ₽, concessions 300 ₽40–45 minMilitary history fans

All three are within five minutes of each other. The rows are free and suit everyone; add a paid sight to match your interests.

From the square down to the Volga

Susanin Square, the Guardhouse, the Trading Rows and the Snow Maiden's house — a short half-day walk. Add it in one tap and YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

  1. Susanin Square30 min · Free
  2. 3 min walk from the previous stopKostroma Guardhouse45 min · 400 ₽, concessions 300 ₽
  3. 5 min walk from the previous stopKostroma Trading Rowsyou are here40 min · Free
  4. 33 min walk from the previous stopSnow Maiden's Terem1 h · from 490 RUB, full visit 890 RUB

4 places · about 3 h 36 min with walks · 41 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Susanin Square

Kostroma, Russia

30 min · Free · 4 min walk

Kostroma Fire Tower

Kostroma, Russia

40 min · Free to see outside; no climb · 5 min walk

Kostroma Guardhouse

Kostroma, Russia

45 min · 400 ₽, concessions 300 ₽ · 5 min walk

Epiphany-Anastasia Convent

Kostroma, Russia

40 min · Free, cathedral only · 12 min walk

How to do it right

  • Walk the full outer gallery of the Red Rows — about ten minutes — to see every façade and the rounded corners.
  • The best shot of the Saviour bell tower is from the courtyard, framed by the gate arch.
  • Ask cheese sellers to vacuum-pack your cheese if you are carrying it home.
  • Hungry? There are cafés and pie shops right in the galleries.
  • Finish by walking downhill to the Volga embankment, a few minutes away.

Questions

Is there an entrance fee for the Kostroma Trading Rows?

No. The rows are public streets, shops and a market. Only the small Provincial Kostroma museum inside charges for entry.

What are the opening hours?

The arcades are always open. Shops trade roughly 9:00–19:00 on weekdays and until 18:00 at weekends, each on its own schedule.

When were the Trading Rows built?

Stone construction began in 1775 after the fire of 1773, and new rows were added for several decades into the 19th century.

Who designed the Trading Rows?

Karl von Klaer drew the model design; local master Stepan Vorotilov built the Red Rows and the bell tower over the gate.

What can I buy there?

Local cheese, linen, honey and seasonal produce at the market in the Flour Rows, plus jewellery and souvenir shops in the Red Rows.

How long do I need?

40–60 minutes to stroll and shop; about two hours with the museum, the church and lunch.

How do I get to the Trading Rows?

Any bus or trolleybus to the Susaninskaya Ploshchad stop, then 2–3 minutes south on foot. From the railway or bus station it is about 15 minutes.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, as part of a walk around the centre — it is free and the arcades are Kostroma's signature view. It is not worth a separate trip for shopping.

Can I pay by card?

Foreign Visa and Mastercard cards do not work in Russia since March 2022. Bring roubles in cash for stalls and small shops.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Russian Wikipedia: Trading Rows (Kostroma); Wikidata Q4461032
  • English Wikipedia: Kostroma Gostiny Dvor
  • Tonkosti: Trading Rows in Kostroma; Red Rows and the Church of the Saviour; Provincial Kostroma museum
  • Advantour: Trading Rows, Kostroma
  • Kostroma Region Department of Economic Development: 2026 market plan (central market in the Big Flour Rows)
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedDates, designers, block sizes and heritage status are checked against at least two sources: Russian and English Wikipedia, Tonkosti, Advantour and Wikidata. The rows have no official website or common opening hours, so shop hours come from the Tonkosti guide and are marked as unverified, as are the museum prices and hours (one source). Sources give different trolleybus numbers, so the stop row is unverified too. The church appears under three names — Saviour in the Rows, All-Merciful Saviour, Saviour Not Made by Hands — all the same building. Sources disagree on how long building took (“almost five decades”, “over a century”), so we give no end date.

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Ipatiev Monastery

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Snow Maiden's Terem

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