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St John the Baptist Church, Yaroslavl

Red-brick Church of St John the Baptist at Tolchkovo with fifteen green tiled domes and ornate brickwork under a stormy sky
Photo: David Gilchrist, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Ticket in season
≈ 150 RUB adult, under-7s free — from travel guides, not the museum site
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Hours
Currently closed for restoration, interior not open; exterior any time. In a normal season the museum opened it May–September, Wed–Sun
Time on site
A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.
40 min
With kids
Fine with kids
Right now
Closed for restoration and repair work; no reopening date announced
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Outside
Free to see any time; parts of the fence and bell tower are under scaffolding
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Run by
Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve; not a working parish church
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Normal season
May–September, Wed–Sun; interior shut in wet weather to protect the frescoes
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Address
2-ya Zakotoroslnaya Naberezhnaya 69, Yaroslavl
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Coordinates
57.61082, 39.85702YesGo MapGoogleAppleYandex
Museum phone
+7 910 973-77-95
officialConfirmed by an official source: the venue, a ministry or the operator.
Nearest bus stop
Ulitsa Karabulina, ≈ 700 m on foot
verifyingFrom reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.

Key facts

15 domesfive over the main church and five over each of its two side chapels — the only fifteen-domed church in Russia
2 sourcesRussian Wikipedia, “Church of St John the Baptist at Tolchkovo”Yaroslavl city tourism portal
1671–1687built and consecrated, paid for by the parishioners of the Tolchkovo quarter
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia, “St. John the Baptist Church, Yaroslavl”
1000 roublesthe church is on the back of the Bank of Russia’s 1000-rouble note, 1997 series
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaLonely Planet guide
45 mheight of the free-standing late-17th-century bell tower
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia
1694–1695frescoes painted by 16 Yaroslavl masters led by Dmitry Grigoriev (Plekhanov) and Fyodor Ignatyev
3 sourcesRussian WikipediaEnglish WikipediaYaroslavl city tourism portal
1,500+scenes in the wall paintings
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaKomsomolskaya Pravda Yaroslavl guide
1701the carved iconostasis was completed
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaYaroslavl city tourism portal (1698–1701)
Glazed tilesmulticoloured ceramic tiles on the walls and dome drums
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaEnglish Wikipedia
1930sclosed and later absorbed into a factory site, then handed to the museum-reserve
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaYaroslavl city tourism portal
Federal heritage siteprotected as a cultural heritage monument of federal importance
2 sourcesRussian WikipediaWikidata Q2084804

Tickets and price

There are no tickets on sale while the restoration lasts. Looking at the church from the outside — the domes, the tiles, the bell tower and the riverside — costs nothing and has no opening hours.

Before the closure, travel guides quoted about 150 RUB for an adult and free entry for children under seven; the museum website currently lists no price. When it reopens, expect to pay at the door. Bring roubles or a Russian card: Visa and Mastercard cards issued abroad have not worked in Russia since March 2022.

What is the Church of St John the Baptist at Tolchkovo?

It is the largest 17th-century church in Yaroslavl and the only one in Russia with fifteen domes: five over the main building and five over each of the two side chapels, which would normally carry a single dome or a tent roof. Its full name is the Church of the Beheading of St John the Baptist. It was built in 1671–1687 in Tolchkovo, then the richest craftsmen’s quarter of the city, south of the Kotorosl River.

Tolchkovo’s parishioners paid for the church themselves — donating land, silver and pearls. You can see the money in the brickwork: patterned red brick, bands of glazed tiles and green domes visible from far away.

Inside, sixteen masters led by Dmitry Grigoriev (Plekhanov) and Fyodor Ignatyev painted over 1,500 scenes in 1694–1695 — the high point of the Yaroslavl school. And it is the church Russians carry in their wallets: the back of the 1000-rouble note.

How to get there from the city centre

Step-by-step directions are below; the map shows where you arrive.

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Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

More tips

  1. From Sovetskaya Square and the Church of Elijah the Prophet, the easiest way is a taxi (Yandex Go works in Yaroslavl): about 10–15 minutes over the Kotorosl via the Tolbukhinsky Bridge. Ask for 2-ya Zakotoroslnaya Naberezhnaya 69.
  2. By bus: guides list routes 7, 19 and 19k to the Ulitsa Karabulina stop, then about 700 m, 7–10 minutes on foot. Route numbers differ between sources, so check in Yandex Maps or 2GIS before you go. Pay on board in cash or with a Russian card.
  3. On foot it’s about 40–45 minutes from Sovetskaya Square: south along Prospekt Tolbukhina to the Tolbukhinsky Bridge; the church stands at the south end of the bridge. The last stretch runs past an old industrial area — not a scenic walk.
  4. Back to the centre: the same bus stop or a taxi. Combine it with the Yaroslavl Kremlin, about 2 km away, also on the Kotorosl.

What to see while it’s closed

  • The fifteen domes — walk all the way round; the three groups of five line up differently from every side.
  • The glazed tiles around windows, cornices and dome drums — restorers are cleaning them and recreating the lost ones.
  • The 45-metre bell tower — free-standing, late 17th century. It leaned badly in Soviet times; the tilt was later reduced.
  • The Holy Gate and fence — patterned brick and tiles on the gate too; the iron railings have already been restored.
  • The view from the Tolbukhinsky Bridge — the whole ensemble with the river, the angle closest to the banknote.
  • The banknote shot — bring a 1000-rouble note and hold it up against the real thing.

What’s being restored

This is the biggest restoration of the church in decades. According to the regional governor in autumn 2025, a Moscow restoration workshop won the main contract, with most of the money coming from the federal budget.

The work covers emergency repairs, roofs, windows and facades, the central and side iconostases, the tile decoration and new gilding on the crosses. In summer 2026 scaffolding stood inside the main church, the bell tower facade was being cleaned and its vaults repaired. No completion date has been given.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you like architecture or have two days in Yaroslavl: the fifteen domes and the tilework are unlike anything else in Russia, and a taxi gets you there in a quarter of an hour. Half an hour on site is plenty.

Skip it on a single day if you’re after interiors: you can’t go in, and the neighbourhood is industrial. For frescoes of the same Yaroslavl school, go to the Church of Elijah the Prophet in the centre instead. The YesGo score takes both the closure and the detour into account.

Before you go

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Tolchkovo vs the Church of Elijah vs the Kremlin

St John at Tolchkovoyou are hereFifteen-domed church, museum branchAcross the Kotorosl, ≈ 3 km outClosed for restoration, outside only30–40 min + travelArchitecture, tiles, the banknote view
Church of Elijah the ProphetChurch museum with frescoesSovetskaya Square, centreMuseum rules≈ 30–40 min17th-century murals
Yaroslavl KremlinFormer Transfiguration Monastery, now a museumCentre, on the KotoroslMuseum rules1–2 hCity history, the belfry view

All three fit into one day: taxi to Tolchkovo first, then the Kremlin and Elijah on foot. Frescoes at Elijah for now, architecture at Tolchkovo.

Churches of Yaroslavl compared

Every place of faith in Yaroslavl rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.

Assumption Cathedral5130 minFree3.0 km
Church of Elijah the Prophet4745 min≈ 200–250 ₽, May to October2.9 km
Metropolitan's Chambers451 h200 ₽, concessions 100 ₽3.0 km
Church of St John the Baptist at Tolchkovoyou are here4140 minFree—
Tolga Convent401 hFree9.8 km
Yaroslavl Kremlin (Transfiguration Monastery)352 hGrounds 100 ₽, combined ticket 800 ₽39 min walk

Tolchkovo first, then the centre

Morning taxi to Tolchkovo, then the Kremlin, the Church of Elijah, the Volga Embankment and the Strelka. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

  1. Church of St John the Baptist at Tolchkovoyou are here40 min · Outside free, interior closed
  2. 39 min walk from the previous stopYaroslavl Kremlin (Transfiguration Monastery)2 h · Grounds 100 ₽, combined ticket 800 ₽
  3. 12 min walk from the previous stopChurch of Elijah the Prophet45 min · ≈ 200–250 ₽, May to October
  4. 10 min walk from the previous stopVolga Embankment1 h · Free, open 24/7
  5. 21 min walk from the previous stopStrelka Park40 min · Free

5 places · about 6 h 27 min with walks · 82 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Tereshkova Planetarium

Yaroslavl, Russia

1 h 30 min · show 300–400 ₽, museum 150 ₽ · 24 min walk

How to do it right

  • The best photo is from the Tolbukhinsky Bridge or the Kotorosl embankment — the whole church with its bell tower.
  • Make it the first stop of your day, then walk the centre.
  • Taxis are cheap in Yaroslavl and much simpler than working out the bus routes on this side of the river.
  • When it reopens, pick a dry day — the interior is closed in the rain to protect the frescoes.

Questions

Is the Church of St John the Baptist in Yaroslavl open?

Not inside. The Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve lists it as closed for restoration, with no reopening date. You can see the outside any time for free.

How much are tickets?

None are sold during the restoration. Before it closed, guides quoted about 150 RUB for adults, with children under seven free.

What are the opening hours?

There are none while it’s closed. In normal years the museum opened it seasonally, May to September, Wednesday to Sunday, and not in wet weather.

How do I get to the church from the centre?

A taxi takes 10–15 minutes over the Tolbukhinsky Bridge. Buses run to the Ulitsa Karabulina stop, 7–10 minutes’ walk away. Walking from Sovetskaya Square takes about 40–45 minutes.

Is it the church on the 1000-rouble note?

Yes — the church and its bell tower are on the back of the 1000-rouble note, 1997 series.

Why does it have fifteen domes?

Five over the main church and five over each of the two side chapels. Chapels usually had one dome or a tent roof, which makes this the only fifteen-domed church in Russia.

Is it a working church?

No. It’s a museum site of the Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve; prayer services are held only occasionally.

Is it worth the trip?

For architecture lovers, yes — even from outside. If you only have one day and want frescoes, see the Church of Elijah the Prophet in the centre instead.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

  • Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve, official website: Church of St John the Baptist page — status, address, phone, 30.10.2026
  • Russian Wikipedia: Church of St John the Baptist at Tolchkovo; Wikidata Q2084804
  • English Wikipedia: St. John the Baptist Church, Yaroslavl
  • Yaroslavl city tourism portal: Church of St John the Baptist at Tolchkovo
  • Yarreg news, contractor for the restoration, 07.10.2025; YarNews and Vesti Yaroslavl on the restoration, 22.07.2026
  • Komsomolskaya Pravda Yaroslavl guide: Church of St John the Baptist — transport, season, prices
  • Lonely Planet: John the Baptist Church at Tolchkovo
  • Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022
YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·
How we checkedThe closure, address and phone come from the Yaroslavl Museum-Reserve website, which currently shows no hours or prices. The usual season (May–September, Wed–Sun) and the price of about 150 RUB come from a Komsomolskaya Pravda guide, so those rows are marked “verifying”; Wikipedia and the city portal say May to October, another listing says closed from 1 October to 1 May. Bus routes to Ulitsa Karabulina differ between guides. Sources disagree on the bell tower’s date (mid-1690s or around 1700) and number of tiers (6 or 7). Distances and walking and taxi times are our estimates from the map.

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Volga Embankment

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Governor's House

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Church of Elijah the Prophet

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Strelka Park

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Metropolitan's Chambers

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