The oldest cathedral in Vladimir was built in 1158–1160 by Prince Andrey Bogolyubsky. The Cathedral of the Assumption was the most important temple all over Russia for a long time. The princes of Moscow and Vladimir up to Ivan III (including A. Nevsky, D. Donskoy, I. Kalita) were crowned in this cathedral. The most important Russian relic was kept under the vaults of the cathedral – the Vladimir icon of the Mother of God! In the 15th century, it served as a model for the construction of the Cathedral of the Assumption in the Moscow Kremlin by the Italian architect A. Fioravanti. The cathedral is home to the oldest Russian necropolis, which has been preserved for us to admire. It contains more than 40 tombs of the Grand Ducal family of Vladimir and bishops of Vladimir. Andrey Bogolyubsky, Vsevolod the Great and his son George Vsevolodovich are all laid to rest here. In the cathedral, you'll find a truly special tomb with a part of the relics of Alexander Nevsky. In 1408 the walls of the cathedral were painted by Andrey Rublev.