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Shot of the Year 2002 |
The Golden Gate (Zolotye Vorota) of Vladimir, constructed in 1164, is the only preserved ancient Russian city gate. The Golden Gates existed in the holiest cities of Eastern Orthodoxy: Jerusalem, Constantinople and Kiev. On making Vladimir his capital, Andrew the Pious aspired to emulate these structures, commissioning a lofty tower over the city's main gate to be erected in limestone and lined with golden plaques. |