hworks, the architecturally-rich 'nucleus' of the old city is to be found; an area criss- crossed by many narrow, small streets, in the middle of which one of Yaroslavl's most well-recognized architectural monuments is to be found. This is the Church of Elijah the Prophet, which, in the same way as the Epiphany Church, is a very prominent example of the way in which the city developed in the 17th century. Before the completion of the church which currently stands in 1650, a number of other predecessor-churches stood on this spot. From these, the oldest dated back to the foundation of Yaroslavl and the reign of Yaroslav the Wise. The church, with its five onion domes, is a cross and dome style church, the architecture of which is typical of Muscovite designs, is particularly well known for its interior fresco paintings, which, despite a history which has seen great fires and disasters, have been kept in good condition. The frescos on the walls and ceilings were painted by around fifteen experienced artists from Yaroslavl and Kostroma around the year 1680. It is now clear to see that this complex collection of beautiful fresco-work is festooned with many references to the Old Testament. The square, upon which the church, with its clock tower and neighboring chapel are situated, was in the early 19th century, according to the city's urban plan, to be the central square of Yaroslavl and the place upon which markets and national holidays would take place. Nowadays it is an area largely reserved for official events, with the other buildings surrounding the square all belonging to the municipal administration.
In general the streets of the city center are characterized by the noticeable mix of classical and sacral architecture. There are a number of major public and commercial buildings of architectural merit in the center of the city, amongst which are the 1785 'Governmental offices' building' (?????? ?????????????? ????) and the Vakromeyev House, which today
