Nearly all the Kremlin buildings date from the 1670s and 1680s, Metropolitan Iona’s time. The Kremlin consists of three parts. The middle part the largest part of the ensemble is the Kremlin courtyard, surrounded by high walls with over-gate churches and also dwelling houses and other buildings grouped along the walls. This is the Kremlin itself. The cathedral square with cathedral of the Assumption and belfry is located to the north. To the south there is the Metropolitan's garden surrounded by a low wall with a small bath-house built in the middle of the wall.

The Rostov Kremlin’s ensemble involves: Cathedral of the Assumption, the Belfry, over-gate churches of the Resurrection of Christ, of St. John the Divine, Spas-na-Senyakh, of the Virgin Hodegetria; the White and Red Chambers, the Otdatochnaya Hall, the Metropolitan’s Chambers, the Prices Chambers, the Watch Tower, the Iona Chamber, the Russian Bath-house, round and square towers (Sadovaya among them), huge walls. The Kremlin is built of bricks (8 kg. weight). About 20 million bricks were used in building. All the churches of this unique ensemble are famous for their 17th century frescoes and remarkable decoration. Moreover, the Metropolitans’ house and the White Chamber both have museums. The one in the Metropolitan’s house has icons, paintings and a collection of Rostov’s own speciality, the painted enamelware called finift. The one in the White Chamber displays Rostov-area glass, ceramics and furniture.

The place where the Rostov Kremlin situated is the core of Rostov, not only because of the famous sight, but also because it was this place, where long time ago the Finn-Ugor 'Merya' tribes founded their first settlements, which preceded the old town of Rostov. In the 19th-20th century there were archeological researches on the territory of the Kremlin, and many items and things found, exhibited now in the Archeology museum of the Kremlin. Among the findings are the old drakkar's parts, ancient tools and items that were used by pre-historic people, by the Meryas and the Slavs. The archeology museum is on the right of the west gates of the Kremlin.

The Rostov Assumption Cathedral is one of the most renowned Christian temples of Russia. It was the very first church in the North-East Russia. The Cathedral was founded in 991, when Russia was baptized. The Cathedral was four times rebuilt. Its nowadays building is almost 500 years old. Many Russian saints have prayed in the Cathedral. In 1913 His Majesty Emperor Nicolas II and His Eminence Archbishop Tikhon of Yaroslavl and Rostov: the future Royal Passion-Bearers and the future Patriarch of all Russia has been praying in the Cathedral at the tercentennial anniversary of the House of Romanov.

The Rostov Assumption Cathedral is famous for its bell tower possessing a unique set of bells. There are 15 of them. Most bells have been cast in 1680-s. The biggest one called Sysoy weighs 32000 kgs. The Rostov Bells are the only Russian chimes regarded as the classical ones.