Novodevichy Monastery - one of the most beautiful monasteries of Moscow, today belongs to the Historical Museum. But the services in the temples are also held. As is often found in the capital - in one place harmoniously coexist historical legacy of the museum and of the spiritual component. In addition to all this, it is very pleasant to be on the territory of the monastery, to stroll and contemplate.

Novodevichy Convent

History

This monastery was built in 1524 by Grand Duke Vasily III on a vow in honor of the return of ancient Smolensk to the Moscow principality . And consecrated the monastery in the name of the miraculous Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God . About why the monastery is named Novodevichy, unified no opinion . According to one of the versions, on the site of the monastery there used to be a field where the most beautiful Moscow girls were chosen and sent as a tribute to the Golden Horde . On the other - the first abbess of the monastery was nicknamed Devochkina . And the third the most probable version is that the monastery was meant for girls, and the prefix "new" appeared to distinguish it from another convent located in the Kremlin itself .

In due course it was the richest and most privileged monastery in Russia . It was received by noble women who donated jewelry - pearls, gold, silver . In the 17th . a magnificent ensemble of the monastery in the style of the Moscow baroque was formed . The towers adorned the openwork crown, the bell tower was erected (the second in Moscow in height after Ivan the Great), the refectory and the Assumption Church appeared . In the course of the history there appeared in the Novodevichy Convent and the guests who were not willing to cross the threshold of the monastery . At different times they were kept under page Boyerinu Morozov, Pyotr I imprisoned Princess Sophia, who did not want to yield to her brother's throne, and Evdokia Fedorovna Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter the Great, was transferred here shortly before her death. .

During the Patriotic War of 1812, the monastery narrowly escaped death. According to the legend, the nuns at the last moment managed to extinguish the wicks leading to the powder kegs, lit by the retreating army of Napoleon, and extinguished the fire that had begun in the monastery

Modernity

The monastery was shut down and arranged in 1922 . here the Museum of the Emancipation of a Woman, later transformed into a historical and everyday museum and the Novodevichy Monastery Museum . The museum collection includes ancient Russian painting, icons, fabrics of the 16th-20th centuries ., precious metal and stone products, documentary collection, consisting of s documents of the monastery archive, a library of manuscripts and early printed books, as well as the richest sacristy of the monastery (input icons, worship items and vestments) . In the main, Smolensky cathedral, there is a valuable mural fresco painting of the XVI in . and a magnificent carved iconostasis with icons famous imperial masters of the time .

Novodevichy cemetery -. special attraction of the monastery. It is divided into "old" (on the territory of the monastery itself) and "new" - fenced off from the monastery by a wall. The latter appeared in 1898-1904. and expanded during the Soviet era, becoming the second place in the capital according to the degree of honor after burials near the Kremlin wall. Here are buried Chekhov, Gogol, Aksakov, I. Levitan, the actress Lyubov Orlova, Khrushchev, Boris Yeltsin. Equally known authors tombstones - Wrobel, Muhina, Vucetic, Anikushin, Unknown

Information Address and Tel .: Novodevichi proezd, 1, m "Sports", the authors.... 64, 132, trolls. 5, 15; +7 (499) 246-85-26

Hours: daily except Tuesday from 10.00 to 17.30, 16.45 to the ticket office

Entrance 150 rubles, schoolchildren, students, pensioners 60 rubles

Prices for September.. 2011

Novodevichy Convent

Icons in Novodevichy Convent

Reviews of Novodevichy Convent (1)

Evaluation 9

Feeling of Joy and from his stay in Novodevichye. March 13, 2014

Vlad128

was here in August 2013

It is absolutely not necessary to get from the metro to Novodevichy Convent in transport. It is better to walk on foot, moving to the north-west: first along Savelyeva Street, then cross the square, then Educational Lane itself will lead to the monastery. So it will be faster and more pleasant.
I do not know why, but visiting this place always causes some bright feelings of joy and peace of mind. This happens, despite and despite the fact that numerous groups of tourists constantly go around the whole territory, and small ones ... Read the whole review