Yaroslavl was founded at this spot in 1010 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise of the Rostov Principality. He came to this place in order to secure the borders of his principality, to baptize the pagans who lived in a settlement there and to stop these pagans attacking the merchant ships travelling between the Volga cities. The pagans sent a female bear – their tribe’s sacred animal – against the prince, but Yaroslav the Wise killed the bear with his pole axe. That’s why you can now see a bear with a pole-axe on the coat of arms of Yaroslavl.