The town of Pereslavl-Zalesskiy arose in 1152 as a Slavic fortification in the Principality of Rostov-Suzdal. Its founder, Yuriy Dolgorukiy, named the town Pereslavl Novyy in honor of Pereslavl Yuzhniy, his home on the Dnepr River. Only later was it renamed Pereslavl-Zalesskiy. The town quickly became the capital of a large principality. At the beginning of the 14th Century the Pereslavl Principality was combined with the Moscow Principality, thereby linking the town's fate to that of Moscow. At various times Pereslavl has also been part of the Moscow and Vladimir provinces.
        Today Pereslavl-Zalesskiy is a regional center in Yaroslavl region. At the end of the 17th Century Peter I (Peter the Great) was enchanted by the blue expanses of Lake Pleshcheevo and he built for his own amusement a fleet of ships to sail on the lake. That “Toy fleet” laid the foundation for today's Russian navy.
        Pereslavl-Zalesskiy (also simply called Pereslavl) was and remains one of Russia's oldest cities. Famous Russians have long praised its natural beauty. The town was a frequent favorite of princes, Emperor Vasiliy III, Emperor Ivan the Terrible, as well as the well known artists Konstantin Korovin, Valentin Serov, Fedor Shalyapin (the "Golden Voice of Russia"), Mikhail Prishvin (the "Minstrel of Russia's Natural Beauty"), and many others.
        To a surprising degree Pereslavl has managed to combine elements of both Christian and pagan religions. The legendary "Blue Stone" lies on the northeast shore of Lake Pleshcheevo. It was an object of worship for the ancient Meri people (a Finno-Ugric group). The historic center of Pereslavl can be called by right the museum in the open air.
        The pride of Perseslavl is the white-stone Spaso-Preobrazhenskiy Cathederal (1152-1157). It is one of the best architectural of historic Russia. The cathedral's walls recall the days of the great warrior, Prince Alexander Nevsky, Tsar Ivan the Terrible, and the young Peter the Great. While generations of men pass swiftly and one age blends into another, this great cathedral continues to rise above the hubbub of daily life and, like an ancient Russian knight, it guards the serenity of Pereslavl.  The nearby earthen ramparts have surrounded the ancient part of the town for almost nine centuries. They are a unique reminder of the defensive-military architecture from the 12th Century.
        Pereslavl has four active monasteries. The St. Nikita's Monastery is as old as the town, It is famous for Saint Nikita Pereslavsky, who lived in the 12th Century. The monastery's magnificent architectural ensemble was formed in the 16th and 17th centuries.Three kilometers out of town on the road to Moscow stands the Cross Chapel. According to legend, the son of Ivan the Terrible, Tsarevich Fedor, was born nearby.
        Pereslavl owes much of its beauty to its churches from the 18th Century. They were built in the 1740's and illustrate the provincial baroque style. They include the Cathedral of Our Lady icon of Vladimir and the Church of Alexander Nevskiy, both of which were once part of the Convent of Meeting of Our Lady. The Church of St. Simeon is one of the most ornate examples of baroque style from the second half of the 18th Century. The Church of the Forty Martyrs probably occupies the most picturesque place of the old town, at the mouth of the river Trubezh, over mall wooden houses belonged to the most ancient village of our land – Rybatskaya sloboda (“Fishermen's village”). It was built in 1775 and originally served as reference point for fishermen who went to the lake for fishing.
        The Pereslavl-Zalessky Historical, Architectural and Art Museum – Preserve undoubtedly can be called one of the town's cultural life centers. It is situated in the territory of the former Assumption Monastery founded in 14th century in honor of the Blessed Virgin Assumption. From its location, “that on a hill”, it occupied the high hill top, the monastery received its second name: Goritsky. Nowadays in Pereslavl-Zalessky museum – preserve one can get acquainted with the Old Russian painting, arts and crafts of the 16th -19th centuries, the pictures of famous Russian artists of last and this century, can visit such exhibition as “The arts of Russian Village”, “Pereslavl a century ago”, “Wreath of country estates”, “The sides of war” and many others. “The cradle of Russian fleet” – that is how Pleshcheyevo Lake is also called. Four kilometers out of town on the southern shore of Pleshcheyevo Lake the memorial estate "Boat of Peter I" is situated. It houses the boat "Fortuna", which legend says was made by Tsar Peter the Great himself. The museum has many authentic exhibits from the era of Peter the Great.
        Today Pereslavl has a population of 42,000 people. It is the third largest city in Yaroslavl region. The town has a number of important enterprises whose products are known throughout Russia and beyond. They include the "LIT" Information Technology Enterprise, the "Slavich" Company, the Kodak production facility, embroidery factory “Novij Mir”, and several others. The Program Systems Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences has been in Pereslavl more than twenty years, serving as the basis for the city's university. In addition, several branches of Moscow universities have opened in Pereslavl during the last ten years. Each year Pereslavl-Zalesskiy is visited by more than 250,000 tourists from all parts of the nation and abroad.

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