Moscow Churches, Monasteries, Cathedrals

Kremlin Cathedrals
Sobornaya ploshchad (Cathedral Square)is the historic heart of the Kremlin, surrounded by a superb array of buildings that give the square its name.

St Basil's Cathedral
Confusion still exists over who actually built the catherdral. The legend goes, that Ivan the Terrible, who commissioned the construction to celebrate the victory over the Golden Horde, was so overcome with its beauty that he put out the eyes of its architects so that they could never create something to rival it's beauty. The twisting cupolas and clashing colors of the onion domes that make it the best known landmark in Moscow, is also said to exemplify the enigmatic spirit of the Russian people.

The Church of Christ the Saviour
Is the main church in Moscow. Opened in 1883, in a memory of Russian victory over Napoleon in 1812, this building was the biggest cathedral in Russia. But communists didn't like it and planned to build a Palace of the Soviets on it's place. So the Cathedral was destroyed. Meanwhile, communists couldn't manage to build the Palace so they place an open swimming pool there.

Trinity - St.Sergius Monastery
The Trinity - St.Sergius Monastery, founded in the 14th century is one of the most honorary active Monasteries of Russia. It is an active residence of Patriarch power located 70 km away from Moscow.

Novodevichy Monastery
Established in 1524 to commemorate the recapture of Smolensk by Russian forces, Novodevichy (New Convent of the Maidens) is one of the most beautiful in the city. While the monastery is beautiful, Novodevichy Cemetary is one of the most fasinating spots in Moscow. Pre-revolutionary artistic luminaries, Communist generals and politicians who didn't quite make it ibto the Kremlin wall, as well as Soviet scholars and scientists. Many twentieth century giants are found here, such as, Mikhail Bulgakov, Vladimir Myakovsky, Sergei Eisenstein, Shostavich and Nikita Khrusckev.

Spaso-Andronikov Monastery
The Monastery is situated on a picturesque bank of the Yauza river in the outskirts of Moscow, and was found in the 14th century. Among the memorials of the Monastery, one can find the oldest Moscow building - Savior's Cathedral, painted by famous Andrew Rublev, and the Central museum of ancient Russian culture and art, hosting a huge collection of icons, manuscripts, books and fresco.

Donskokoi Monastery
Founded in 1591 by Tsar Fyodor Iannovich to house the Donskaya Icon of the Mother of God as a mark of gratitude for victories over Crimean warlords, the Donskoi Monastery has been plundered three times over the Time of Troubles, Napolean and the Revolution- after which it became a museum to atheism. Russian tours by one of the monks are extremely rewarding, the charge being a contribution towards upkeep. Visitors should recognize that it is a working monastery and exercise respectful behaviour and modest dress while there.

Danilov Monastery
Built in the 13th century by Prince Daniil Moskovsky, the youngest Son of Alexander Nevsky, and thought to be the oldest monastery in Moscow.

Church of the Intercession at Fili
Spectacular Baroque church commissioned by Prince Lev Naryshkin in the late 17th century next to the riverside village of Fili, which was given to him by his nephew Emperor Peter the Great.

Ivanovsky Convent
16th century convent used as a depository for unwanted wives and daughters and a prison for Moscow's noblewomen and featuring dauntingly high walls, crenellated bell towers and brick cupolas.

The Metropolitan's Residence at Krutitsky
Originally established at the end of the 13th century as the seat of the Metropolitan of the Christian minority among the Tatar Golden Horde and later a prison for the 17th century Bishop Avvakum, leader of the Old Believers sect which branched away from the main Russian Orthodox Church in a schism precipitated by Patriarch Nikon's desire to reform the church.

Novospassky Monastery
Thought to have been founded in the 12th century during the reign of Prince Yury Dolgoruky, the founder of Moscow, and initially established on the site of the present-day Danilov Monastery before being transferred to the Kremlin complex in 1300 by Ivan the Terrible and then relocated back to its present site in 1490 by Ivan III.

Simonov Monastery
Founded in 1371 by the monk Fyodor, the nephew of Sergei of Radonezh, the 14th century Russian monastic reformer and later patron saint of the Moscow principality, and one of the city's mightiest defensive outposts during the 15th century.

The Trinity Church in Nikitniki
Built between 1631 and 1634 by the merchant Grigory Nikitnikov on his own estate and considered the finest example of 17th century Russian ornamental architecture in the city.

Vagankov Cemetery
Since 1771, when an outbreak of plague compelled the authorities to dig up all the graveyards in central Moscow and establish new ones beyond the city limits, and the resting place of many of the city's notable public figures, including the maverick actor and poet of the Brezhnev era, Vladimir Vysotsky, and the volatile young poet, Sergei Yesenin.

Zaikonospassky Monastery
The 15th century remains of the Kitai Gorod monastery, which saw the birth of Russia's first higher educational institution, the Slavonic, Greek and Latin Academy. Notable students included the great philosopher Mikhail Lomonosov, who came to Moscow to study at the age of 19 and 25 years later was responsible for the founding of the country's first university.

Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles
Cathedral of the Twelve Apostles is painted flesh-pink and demonstrates adventures of the Twelve Apostles.