Vologda's appeal is concentrated in its historic centre, on the north bank of the Vologda River: the Kremlin complex, the Cathedral of Saint Sophia, and the waterfront embankment lined with 18th and 19th-century mansions. The wooden house tradition — elaborately carved window frames and eave decorations — is visible throughout the older residential streets north of the centre. The Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery is a short drive or long walk from the centre.