The Russian army's battles in and around Vyazma were some of the most important in Russian war history, both in the battle against Napoleon, and in WWII in 1941. Despite the two bloody wars, Vyazma was preserved as a beautiful city with remarkable 17th through 19th century architecture.

After you get off the train from Moscow, take a taxi to the Lenin statue. From there you will see the Big Kremlin Hill with the Trinity Cathedral, which was built in the 17th century. The cathedral has a peculiar architecture, reminiscent of churches from the Boris Godunov epoch. As you enter the cathedral, take special notice of the silver-framed 18th century icons featuring unusual round and triangular shapes.

Trinity Cathedral and its pyramid belfry solemnly dominate the city. The view from Big Kremlin Hill, once surrounded by the huge gigantic Spasskaya Tower, offers a splendid panorama of the whole city with its churches and other sights. Behind the Spasskaya Tower, there is an elegant memorial built to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Russia's war against Napoleon.

As you head towards the Vvedensky Cathedral you will pass by a 18th century church with a picturesque wrought iron forged grating and beautiful crosses, both the work of local masters. This is the Savior-Transfiguration Church and is regrettably closed.

Vvedensky Cathedral is a functional church and also the city's art gallery. It boasts a remarkable collection of icons from the 18th and 19th century made by unknown artists. Be sure to pay attention to "Alexey, the God's Man" the first icon on the right, Tikhon Kaluzhsky on the right wall and the huge Odigitria on the left wall. To the right of the main icon set there is a massive silver frame, which is an amazing piece of artwork in itself. The Vyazma diocese that exchanged items with other dioceses in Russia has obtained many of these valuable relics, while some were gifts from local residents.

Take a taxi to the famous Ivanov convent. The convent is located at the city's outskirts and is not easy to find because its belfry is visible only during sunny weather. At the convent we were fortunate enough to meet a local babushka, who told us about the vision of Odigitria, which she had seen the previous night. The Odigitria is the image of the Blessed Virgin with Jesus Christ, famous in the Russian and Byzantine iconography.

We were not permitted to take photographs inside the convent during the service. Instead we took pictures of the freshly restored Church of Odigitria, the convent's main church and a splendid example of Russia's 17th century architecture.

I dined at the Yamskoi restaurant in the central square that, in addition to the main hall, boasts cozy booths separated by folding screens. Like most restaurants in Russian small towns, the food is dirt-cheap. Starters go for up to 25 rubles; solyanka, a thick soup with assorted vegetables, bacon and sausage, for 25 rubles; pork steak with potatoes for 40 rubles; beers for 25 rubles and tea for 8 rubles.

From the restaurant, take a sightseeing stroll down the neighboring Kirov street. The mansions on this street were built between the 17th and 19th centuries and belonged to local businessmen. As you approach the Peter and Paul Church you can see a beautiful panorama of the convent across the river.

How to get there:

The most convenient way is to drive 220 km west of Moscow down the Minsk Highway. Otherwise, you can take the Moscow-Minsk train departing from the Belorussky Railway Station at 10:40 a.m. and arrive three hours later. To return, you can take any train that passes through the city on its way to Moscow. A round trip ticket costs around 250 rubles.