The novella “By the Golden Gates” tells of events in the ancient Russian city of Vladimir in the third quarter of the 12th century. It was an era when the cultural traditions of the Kievan state developed in a distinctive way on Vladimir land—becoming the foundation on which later, with lush bloom, culture and art in Moscow would flourish.
The story reflects the complex historical events of that time. The road to Moscow begins in Vladimir, at the Golden Gates. The hero of the tale, Alyoshka, upon arriving in the city, becomes a master—“a gold-crafter.” Along with other working people of the city, he takes part in building highly artistic architectural monuments.