Short answers, pulled from the story.
Soviet historian and essayist Yuri Bychkov created the term and concept of the Golden Ring of Russia in 1967. He published a series of essays under the heading "Golden Ring" in the newspaper Sovetskaya Kultura in November and December of that year. Bychkov was also one of the founders of VOOPIK, the All-Russian Society for the Protection of Monuments of History and Culture.
The eight principal cities of the Golden Ring are Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Ivanovo, Suzdal, Vladimir, Sergiev Posad, Pereslavl-Zalessky, and Rostov Veliky. There is no official government list beyond these eight. Additional cities in Ivanovo, Vladimir, and Yaroslavl oblasts also consider themselves part of the ring.
Rostov Veliky is among the oldest cities in Russia, first mentioned in chronicles in 862. Its name means Rostov the Great, distinguishing it from the newer Rostov-on-Don. Its most notable sight is a white-stone kremlin on Lake Nero, now a museum-reserve, and the city is also known for its tradition of painting on enamel.
Sergiev Posad is the only city in the Moscow Region included in the Golden Ring. It is home to the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, a UNESCO-protected monastery founded in the 14th century by St Sergius of Radonezh, one of the most revered native Russian saints. The Lavra remains one of the most important religious sites in Russia.
Pereslavl-Zalessky is the birthplace of Aleksandr Nevsky, celebrated as a Russian hero, prince, and saint. The city also has a connection to Peter the Great, who used Lake Plescheevo there for a toy flotilla. It contains a 12th-century cathedral and six monasteries, four of which remain active.
Ivanovo earned the nickname Russian Manchester because of its dominant textile industry. The city was formed in 1871 from the merger of two villages, Ivanovo and Voznesensk, and grew into the most industrialized city on the Golden Ring. It was also known as Bride City. Today it is recognized for its constructivist architecture and monuments to its revolutionary history.