A small white church stands alone in a meadow where two rivers meet, and on still days it is mirrored in the water. The Church of the Intercession on the Nerl was built in 1165 by Prince Andrei Bogolyubsky of Vladimir-Suzdal, and it has become something close to a national symbol in Russia: a perfect, slender building of white limestone, with a single dome and carved reliefs of King David, lions and griffins on its walls. It is part of the White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal, listed by UNESCO in 1992.
The church was built on an artificial mound at the confluence of the Nerl and the Klyazma, designed to withstand the spring floods that turn the meadows into a lake. Even now, in spring, the church can sometimes be reached only by boat. The rest of the year, it is a walk of a little over a kilometre from the village of Bogolyubovo along a path through the meadows, and the approach, with the church slowly growing larger on the horizon, is part of the experience.
Bogolyubovo itself was Andrei's residence, and parts of his palace survive within the walls of a later monastery. Andrei was a powerful and ruthless prince who sacked Kiev and moved the centre of power north-east; he was murdered by his own boyars in 1174 in this very palace. A few kilometres away, Vladimir, his capital, preserves the Golden Gate and the cathedrals of the Assumption and of Saint Demetrius, the latter covered in extraordinary stone carvings.
For riders, the main approach is along the M7 highway from Moscow, a busy road with heavy truck traffic, so it is better to use smaller roads where possible. The countryside of the Vladimir region is gentle and rolling, with birch forests, fields and small villages of wooden houses, and the quieter roads toward Suzdal, a small town full of churches and monasteries, are a pleasure to ride. Note that at present, travel to Russia is restricted for many nationalities, and anyone considering a trip should check current official advice first.
Vladimir, around twelve kilometres away, has fuel, shops and restaurants of every kind. In Suzdal, look out for medovukha, a traditional honey drink, and for pickled cucumbers, a local speciality celebrated with a festival in summer. The best times to visit are early summer, when the meadows are green, and autumn, when the birches turn gold.