One of the oldest monasteries of the Golden Ring in Russia is located in Uglich. The Orthodox monastery on the Volga was established by the monk Adrian, with the permission of the Moscow prince Dmitry Donskoy. Today the prayer site near the Stone Creek is an active nunnery that receives pilgrims and tourists.
The history of the monastery
According to historians, long before the emergence of the monastery on Mount Ognev, there was a pre-Slavic sanctuary or Keremet. The men's monastery was created in 1371 with the benefit of the Metropolitan of Kiev and All Russia Alexy.
Alekseevsky Monastery in Uglich from a bird's eye view
At first, the monastery was dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin. He received the name of one of its founders later - in 1439. For a long time, all the monastery buildings were made of wood. From the side of the road leading to Yaroslavl, the monastery was surrounded by a defensive wall of logs, which was supposed to protect the townspeople from the enemy.
In 1534, a stone Alekseevsky temple appeared here. In the 19th century, the temple building was redesigned, so only the main volume and apses have survived from the ancient church.
View of the fence and the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Alekseevsky Monastery from Sharkov Street
At the beginning of the 17th century, the Alekseevskaya monastery, like other monasteries in Uglich, defended local residents from Polish invaders. The forces were unequal. Enemy soldiers commanded by Jan Sapega broke into the city and burned it to the ground. All the monks were killed, and the shrine was destroyed.
After the expulsion of the Polish-Lithuanian troops, the restoration of Russian cities began. In 1628, a stone church of the Assumption was built in the Alekseevsk monastery, which was nicknamed "Wonderful" for its beautiful proportions and decor.
From left to right: Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, chapel, holy gate
After the church reform of Catherine II, the position of the Uglich monastery changed. The monastery lost its former status and became a third-rate monastery. Stone construction continued, but the monastic community no longer received large donations as before.
In Soviet times, the monastery was closed, and the buildings began to be used as apartments for the townspeople. Then the authorities wanted to make a museum in the former monastery, so a lot of restoration work was carried out. An art gallery was opened in the converted Alekseevskaya church, where one could see paintings by the Uglich artist Pyotr Dmitrievich Buchkin.
View of the holy gates of the Alekseevsky monastery
Changes in the fate of the monastery took place when on February 17, 1997, the Alekseevsky temple was handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church. Since the 1990s, the restoration of the ancient shrine, like a nunnery, began. Gradually, all the temples and surviving buildings went to the monastery.
Architectural monuments and shrines
View of the chapel from the territory of the monastery
Today three churches can be seen in the monastery. Uspenskaya "Divnaya" is an outstanding monument of Russian temple architecture of the 17th century. The church building is distinguished by beautiful lines and an original construction scheme. The graceful temple is crowned with three tents that resemble a trident crown.
A two-storey refectory adjoins the main volume. The decoration of the facades of the "Marvelous" Church is discreet, but every detail of the decor emphasizes the slender proportions. In the church you can see a revered icon - "The Inextinguishable Candle" or "The Uglich Goalkeeper", on which the Mother of God holds a candle, a rod and a rosary in her hands.
Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist in the Alekseevsky Monastery
The Alekseevsky temple has been in the monastery since the 16th century. It is not known exactly who was the author of the project. Art critics suggest that the building was erected by an architect from Rostov Grigory Borisov or Italian masters invited from Moscow... The church underwent two major reconstructions - in the 1829s and the 1930s.
The Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist was built in the tradition of the Upper Volga architecture in 1681. The church is famous for the best glazed tiles and old wall paintings in Uglich.
Useful information for tourists
The old monastery is open to everyone from morning to evening. Tourists are admitted free of charge to churches, the Metropolitan Nikodim Museum, the House-Museum of the Secret Nun Alexia and the People's Art Gallery. The nuns of the monastery conduct interesting excursions for guests.
Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist of the Alekseevsky Monastery (left), Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Dormition Divnaya Church (right)
Church services are held daily at 8:00 and 17:00. A crisis center "Pokrov" and a family shelter for girls-orphans have been opened at the monastery. The abode provides charitable assistance to Uglich families raising children with developmental problems.
How to get there
View of the northern cell building
The monastery is located in the historical center of Uglich, on Sharkov street, 27, within walking distance from the city bus station. If you come to the city by train, from the railway station take any bus that goes to the city center, and from Rostov Street walk to the monastery on foot.
Information sources:
- Wikipedia, Alekseevsky Monastery (Uglich)
- Alekseevsky nunnery
- Kultura.rf, Alekseevsky Uglich women's monastery in Uglich, Yaroslavl region
- Sobors.ru, Uglich. Alekseevsky women's monastery.
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