Maps of Movies

Andrei Rublev (1966)

Where Andrei Rublev says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

A fifteenth-century icon painter's story filmed in Vladimir, Suzdal and Pskov, with Moscow as the story's centre but no known filming site.

Scenes and places

The balloon over the river church

Yefim hangs in a harness from a balloon tied to a church spire. A mob arrives from the river, the rope is cut, and he soars over the land, thrilled, before the crash comes.

Set in Church beside a river (village not named) — A village church beside a river; the plot does not name the place.

A small white church standing beside the Nerl River in Vladimir Oblast.

Filmed at Church of the Intercession on the Nerl (Nerl River, Vladimir Oblast, Russia) — The balloon-flight scene was filmed at this church on the Nerl River. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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The monastery where the painters are split

A messenger from Theophanes the Greek asks for Andrei, not Kirill. Daniil bitterly refuses to go along, and Kirill, passed over, storms out of the monastery for the secular world.

Set in Andronikov Monastery, Moscow — The Moscow monastery where Andrei, Daniil and Kirill have lived for many years. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A real Moscow monastery; no filming location for these scenes is given in the sources.

The unfinished church in Vladimir

Andrei and Daniil sit in a church in Vladimir with the work stalled for two months. Andrei confides that he cannot paint the Last Judgment, because he does not want to terrify people into submission.

Set in A church in Vladimir — The stalled church decoration in Vladimir; the sources do not say which church the story means, so the position is the cathedral where filming took place. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A medieval cathedral in the city of Vladimir, east of Moscow.

Filmed at Assumption Cathedral, Vladimir (Assumption Cathedral, Vladimir, Russia) — A scene of a burning church was filmed here, and a real fire broke out during the shoot. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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The raid on Vladimir

While the Grand Prince is away, his brother allies with Tatars and raids Vladimir. The city burns, and Andrei is inside the church as the attackers force their way in.

Set in Vladimir — The city of Vladimir, raided and burned in the autumn of 1408. Google Maps · Apple Maps

The same city as the unfinished church, now under attack.

Filmed at Vladimir (city) (Assumption Cathedral, Vladimir, Russia) — Filming took place in the historical places of Vladimir; the sources do not name the exact spot for this scene, so the cathedral coordinates stand for the city. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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Back at the monastery, in silence

Famine and war grip the country. Andrei no longer paints and never speaks, and Kirill, long absent, begs to be taken back.

Set in Andronikov Monastery, Moscow — The monastery where Andrei lives in winter 1412 without painting or speaking. Google Maps · Apple Maps

The same Moscow monastery as the earlier scene; no filming location is given.

The bell at Suzdal

Boriska, whose bellmaker father has died of plague, wins a commission for a bell from the Grand Prince. He claims to know his father's secrets of the craft.

Set in Suzdal — Spring 1423 to spring 1424: the town where the bell is made, described in the Russian article as ruined Suzdal. Google Maps · Apple Maps

A historic town northeast of Vladimir.

Filmed at Saviour Monastery of St. Euthymius, Suzdal (Euthymius Monastery area, Suzdal, Russia) — Filming took place in Suzdal, near this monastery; the sources do not say where the bell scenes were shot. Google Maps · Apple Maps

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Filmed at Pskov (Pskov, Russia) — Scene not known Google Maps · Apple Maps

Filmed at Izborsk and Pechory (Izborsk, Russia) — Scene not known Google Maps · Apple Maps

Characters

• Yefim — The man who rides the balloon in the prologue.
• Andrei Rublev — A monk and icon painter who wants his art to inspire, not frighten.
• Kirill — A monk painter who lacks talent, strives for prominence and is jealous.
• Durochka — A young woman, a holy fool, who shelters in the church.
• Boriska — The young son of a bellmaker who dies in a plague.