The city was founded by Grand Duke Yuri Dolgoruky on the banks of the Koloksha River in 1152. Here, in a small area, there are 79 architectural and urban planning monuments. These are merchant houses, temples of the pre-Mongol and later periods, and active monasteries. And here they breed horses which would be good for any epic hero (Vladimir Heavy Drafts), gather honey, and grow flax.

When the city was founded, by an order of Yuri Dolgoruky, an almost circular Detinets was built here, which was surrounded by earthen ramparts with wooden walls up to 7 m high that have survived to this day. St. George's Cathedral was built inside the fortress in 1234.

Since 1212, Yuriev-Polsky was the centre of an appanage principality, headed by Svyatoslav, a son of Vsevolod the Big Nest. During his reign, the princely St. Michael the Archangel Monastery was founded in the Detinets.

In 1781, Yuriev was granted a coat of arms: in the upper part there is a lion like in the Vladimir provincial coat of arms, and in the lower part two baskets filled with cherries abounded in this area. The historical coat of arms of Yuriev-Polsky has survived to this day.

INTRIGUING FACTS
1. The city is home to the ancient St. George Cathedral (XIII century) known to many thanks to the image of an elephant on one of the walls of the cathedral. The cathedral is called the 'swan song' of white stone architecture, since it is the last pre-Mongol temple of North-Eastern Rus.
2. In 1812, General Pyotr Ivanovich Bagration died at the Golitsyns' estate in the village of Sima, Yuriev-Polsky district. Now, you can visit an exhibition dedicated to him in the Yuriev-Polsky Historical and Architectural Museum
3. The city was named in honour of its founder Yuri Dolgoruky. The second part of the name was formed from the word 'pole' because the city stands on the Suzdal Opolye (high plains).
4. The Golden Calf (1968), the Seventh Day (2006), and St. George's Day (2008) movies were shot in Yuriev-Polsky.