This is the city that has always attracted foreigners by its unique fretwork.

According to the legend the foundation of Kozmodemyansk is connected with Tsar Ivan the Terrible. In 1552 having conquered Kazan the Tsar was on his way to Moscow. In a quiet September evening when his ship was sailing along the Volga, he saw majestic slopes covered with forests. A studden idea came to his mind that a fortress in this place could safely defend Russian borders from the tatars' encroachments. The Tsar said: "A town shall be in this place". It was on the eve of the holiday of saints Kozma and Domian, so the town was called Kozmodemyansk. It was so tiny that it wasn't considered a town, and only in 1583 Kozmodemyansk came into the history of Russian State.

People here still live as they used to live centuries ago - in wooden beautifully decorated houses, rejecting doubtful achievements of civilization. Who knows, maybe they are right?

After you have enjoyed the views and taken enough pictures, you may visit three museums - the museum in the open air, where an ancient village is represented, and an ensemble of folk instruments is playing; the picture gallery and the museum of old Russian and Mari furniture.

The gallery contains masterpieces painted by Russian and foreign painters. There are pictures painted by such Russian masters as A.E.Arkhipov, I.K.Aivazovski, K.P.Bryullov, I.I.Levitan, V.I.Surikov, N.I.Pheshin.

If the group wishes, you might have a day stay in the camp nearby - or return to Yoshkar-Ola the same day.