Pereslavl-Zalesski

Pereslavl-Zalesski

(pĕrēəslä`vəl-zəlyĕs`kē), city, central European Russia. It is the birthplace of Alexander NevskyAlexander Nevsky
[Rus.,=of the Neva], 1220–1263, Russian hero, grand duke of Vladimir-Suzdal. As prince of Novgorod (1236–52) he earned his surname by his victory (1240) over the Swedes on the Neva River.
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, and it relies on tourism. The city was founded in 1152, was included in the Suzdal principality, and from 1175 to 1302 was the capital of an independent principality; it passed to Moscow in 1302. The city is on Lake Pleshcheyevo (19 sq mi/49 sq km), where Peter I built the first ships of the Russian navy. Remains of the flotilla are in a nearby museum. Architectural remains include the earthen rampart of a fortress (founded 1152), the white stone Spaso-Preobrazhenski Cathedral (1152–57), the largest preserved monument of the 12th cent. in the area, and the Nikitski Cathedral (1561–64). The city was formerly called Pereyaslavl-Zalesski, and the lake was known as Lake Pereyaslavl.