Zvenigorod is a typical Russian provincial town. Loghouses with carved platbands are surrounded with gardens and vegetable gardens; there are several old stone buildings, churches, museums and a monastery in the suburbs. Anton Chekhov used to work in the hospital of Zvenigorod. But there is a legend, which attracts foreigners and especially Frenchmen there. During the war of 1812 prince Eugene Bogarnet, Napoleon's stepson, stopped to spend a night in Sawino-Storozhevsky monastery in Zvenigorod. In his dream an old monk appeared before him and told him not to profane Russian sanctuaries, then he would return home safe and his descendants would live in Russia. Everything happened just this way: Bogarnet's son married a Russian tsar's daughter and settled in Russia.
