History of Suzdal. XIX century.

    At the end of XVIII century a regular plan of Suzdal was confirmed and stone construction continued. There were mostly citizens’ buildings in comparison with previous centuries. In 1806-1811 Trading Rows (Guest Yard, Gostiny Dvor) were built in the centre of the town. In 1834 Public offices were opened too (now a registry office is placed there). In 1820s a local pawnshop and Custom Department were installed. After a defeat of Napoleon 72-metres bell tower was raised at the Convent of the Deposition of the Robe of the Mother of God.
    In the mid of the XIX century, in Suzdal, several god-like enterprises appeared - Vikhreevsky female resort (now it is a kindergarden №3), Shishkinsky resort for boys-orphans, Blokhinskaya hospice that was opened by a famous merchant Blokhin who financed it by his funds (In Soviet period it was an art school).
    The main street of the town became a place where native merchants constructed their buildings, having a remarkable difference in an architectural style, depending on what owners preferred. Those houses have been preserved almost in an original view.
    By that time Suzdal had been aggrandized and had evolved into a merchant city. In the XIX century there were about 180 trading places in Gostiny Dvor owned by Suzdalian and foreign merchants.
    A big annual fair was held in the town and merchants from all over Russia arrived there every year on 23 September. No wonder - this place was located on the trading route from the southern provinces (gubernias) to the north, towards Arkhangelsk and St.Petersburg.
    Citizens of Suzdal and surroundings farmed mostly and had vegetables and fruit gardens. Also a number of crafts: embossing, gold embroidery art, weaving, bells founding were developing. The goods of Suzdalian manufactures and leather were distributed in all southern regions of Russia.
    After building of Nicholas Railway (Moscow-Nizhniy Novgorod railway) Suzdal lost its position as a trading centre dramatically. Manufacture of neighbouring Ivanovo was increased and only some small manufactures and private craftsmen stayed in Suzdal. They got orders from Ivanovo and Orekhovo factories.
 

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