Fodor's Expert Review Cathedral of St. Dmitri

Andrei Bogolyubsky was succeeded by Vsevolod III, also known as "the Great Nest" because of the great number of his progeny. Although he focused much of his energy in the neighboring regions of Ryazan and Murom, he was instrumental in rebuilding Vladimir's town center in 1185 after a fire caused much damage. He also built the remarkable Cathedral of St. Dmitri (completed in 1197). The cathedral stands adjacent to Vladimir's much larger Cathedral of the Assumption, where Andrei is buried, and is covered in ornate carvings with both secular and religious images. The lower images are quite precise and detailed; the upper ones have fewer details but deeper grooves for better visibility.