Vysoko-Petrovsky stauropegic monastery. Russian Orthodox Church financial and economic management Vysokopetrovsky Monastery address

  • Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery located in the center of Moscow. Its history begins in the 14th century.
  • The monastery was founded by Metropolitan Peter, who laid the foundation of the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin, and transferred the metropolitan see from Vladimir to Moscow.
  • The monastery gave names to many streets around: this is Petrovka, and Petrovskie lines, and Petrovsky Boulevard.
  • Architect of the monastery became the famous Italian Aleviz Novy, the creator of the Archangel Cathedral in the Kremlin.
  • Cathedral of the Bogolyubsk Icon of the Mother of God, became the family tomb of the Naryshkin family.
  • Nowadays Services are held in the monastery and excursions are conducted. In the refectory you can taste monastery food. All information Only in Russian.

Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery- one of the first monasteries in Moscow. Its history begins in the 14th century., when the first wooden temple was built on this site. The monastery received its greatest development at the end of the 17th century, when it was patronized by the boyar family of the Naryshkins and Tsar Peter I himself, whose mother belonged to this noble family. The architecture of the monastery is very characteristic, in which the traditions of medieval Russian church construction are combined with elegant Baroque elements. The activities of the monastery, interrupted during Soviet times, were restored in the 1990s. Today, this functioning stauropegic monastery, located in the center of Moscow, attracts both tourists and pilgrims. Among the relics of the monastery is an ark with a particle of the relics of Metropolitan Peter, particles of the relics of the apostles Peter and Paul, Seraphim of Sarov, the Kiev-Pechersk fathers and others.

Founding of the monastery

According to one of the legends, the monastery was founded by Metropolitan Peter in 1315-1326. According to another version, the founder was the Moscow prince Ivan Kalita. There is also a legend that the monastery was founded by Dmitry Donskoy - the prince, returning from the Battle of Kulikovo in 1380, restored the existing monastery. One way or another, at the beginning of the 14th century, at this place, near the road from Moscow to the north, a wooden cathedral was built in honor of the apostles Peter and Paul, around which a monastery was later formed.

Metropolitan Peter- a very significant figure for the history of the Moscow Principality. It was he who laid the foundation of the first in the Kremlin in 1326, and also moved the metropolitan see from Vladimir to Moscow, turning it into the religious center of the growing principality. After his death, Metropolitan Peter was canonized, and the monastery’s cathedral was reconsecrated into Petrovsky, in honor of the revered saint. Located on a hill, the monastery has since become known as Vysoko-Petrovsky. It is interesting that over the years the monastery gave names to many streets around: Petrovka, Petrovskie Lines, and Petrovsky Boulevard.

The generosity of the Naryshkin boyars

Under Prince Vasily III Peter's Cathedral was rebuilt in stone. The architect was the famous one, the creator in the Kremlin. Represent the Church of Peter the Metropolitan in plan t is an octafoil - unique for the 1510s. form. At the end of the 17th century, it was developed in Rus' as the “Naryshkin baroque”.

With the royal family of the Naryshkins The monastery flourished again at the turn of the 17th - 18th centuries. In 1671, Kirill Naryshkin, uncle of Peter I, gave his son-in-law Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich an estate adjacent to the monastery. The king, in turn, donates the estate to the monastery. Thanks to this, the territory of the monastery almost doubled. A little later, several cathedrals were built with assistance.

First of them, Cathedral of the Bogolyubsk Icon of the Mother of God(1684 - 1685), became the family tomb of the Naryshkin family. The cathedral was built on the site of the graves of those killed during the Streltsy riot of 1782 Ivan and Afanasy Naryshkin. In total, more than 20 representatives of the famous family were buried in the church.

Also built at the turn of the century Church of Sergius of Radonezh with an adjoining refectory and a building of fraternal cells. The church divided the territory of the monastery into two courtyards: the front courtyard with the Church of St. Peter the Metropolitan and the utility courtyard. Like the Bogolyubsky Cathedral, this church demonstrates the traditional forms of temple architecture of its time. However, the combination of red brick walls with white decor suggests the gradual formation of the Moscow Baroque style.

To the monastery ensemble includes many other interesting monuments. Among them are the Holy Gates with a gate church and a bell tower, as well as churches of the 18th century. (Tolga Icon of the Mother of God and the Church of St. Pachomius). In the Church of the Tolga Icon of the Mother of God, the painted iconostasis is quite remarkable.

Defeat and restoration

A tragic page in the chronicle of the monastery it became 1812 Napoleonic troops, who captured Moscow, did not spare the Russian shrine - they settled in the monastery, plundering and destroying everything they could get their hands on - including the tombstones of the Naryshkins. The Bogolyubsky Cathedral was desecrated - the invaders drove hooks into the iconostasis and hung meat carcasses on them. At the walls of the monastery, enemies, on the orders of Marshal Mortier, shot Muscovites accused of setting the city on fire. They were buried right there, in the monastery grounds, near the bell tower.

To restore the monastery it took more than one year - but gradually he again began to play one of the main roles in the spiritual life of Moscow. The activities of Peter the Great's abbots were traditionally associated with education. education and education, therefore the transfer of the main Moscow theological school to the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery (1822) was quite natural. The collection of the Moscow Diocesan Library was also kept here. Since 1863, with the blessing of Archbishop Philaret, meetings of the “Society of Lovers of Spiritual Enlightenment” began to be held here.

A difficult period in the life of the monastery began with the Bolsheviks coming to power. In 1918 the monastery was closed. Despite this, one of the largest underground monastic communities arose here, which existed until 1929, when the Bogolyubsky Church was the last to be closed. Many monks and parishioners were shot. Now they are canonized as martyrs. During Soviet times, the monastery buildings were used as communal apartments, an agricultural machinery repair plant, a library, a gym, a foundry, and a kindergarten. The stone tombstones of the Naryshkin boyars were destroyed.

In 1959, the monastery received the status of an architectural monument, and this saved it from complete destruction - according to some sources, the urban planning plan of the capital envisaged the demolition of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery to widen the road. Factories and communal apartments were removed from the monastery. In their place they placed a rehearsal site (Sergius Temple), a branch of the State Literary Museum (fraternal building), the Society for the Protection of Monuments, Rosizopropaganda, and theater workshops.
In 1992, the complex of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and after a lengthy restoration in 2009, the monastery became active again.

Shrines of the monastery

By the beginning of the 20th century The Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery kept three 17th-century Gospels, stones from the Holy Sepulcher, silver crosses with particles of the Holy Cross and other spiritual treasures. After the revolution, everything was destroyed They beat us, and these days new shrines have appeared at the monastery. Chief among them is the ark with part of the relics of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Kyiv, Moscow and All Rus'. In February 2010, they were given to the monastery by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Rus'.

Address: Russia Moscow
Date of foundation: XIV century
Main attractions: Cathedral of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow, Cathedral of the Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God, Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, Church of the Tolga Icon of the Mother of God, Church of Peter and Paul (Pakhomovskaya Church)
Shrines: The miraculous Kazan icon of the Mother of God, the icon of St. Peter with a particle of relics, the relics of Mitrofan of Voronezh, the cross with a particle of the Life-Giving Tree of the Lord, the ark with particles of the relics of the Kiev-Pechersk saints, the Diveyevo ark
Coordinates: 55°46"02.5"N 37°36"55.0"E
Russian cultural heritage site

Content:

Few Russian cities can boast of 700-year-old monasteries. In the historical center of Moscow, within the Boulevard Ring, a 14th-century men's monastery has been preserved. According to one version, its founder was Metropolitan Peter of All Rus'. The ancient monastery is interesting not only for its history, but also for its beautiful architectural monuments built in the 17th-18th centuries.

Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery from a bird's eye view

How the monastery appeared

Several legends have been preserved about the founding of the monastery. According to one version, it was founded by the first of the Russian church hierarchs who settled in Moscow - Metropolitan Peter. At the beginning of the 14th century, he became close to Prince John I, nicknamed Kalita, and erected the wooden Church of Peter and Paul.

According to another legend, the monastery was founded by John I Kalita himself. In 1326, shortly before the death of the metropolitan, the prince was hunting in the place where the monastery later appeared, and he saw a high snowy mountain. Before the prince’s eyes, the snow quickly melted, and the mountain disappeared. Saint Peter explained to the prince that the mountain symbolizes the prince himself, and the snow symbolizes the metropolitan, so most likely the prince will outlive him. Hearing this, John I Kalita ordered the construction of a wooden church of Peter and Paul, and monks then settled around it.

According to the third version, the monastery was founded by Dmitry Donskoy. The Moscow prince founded it on the site of an old church built by John I Kalita, and dedicated it to the memory of Russian soldiers who died during the Battle of Kulikovo. There is also an assumption that under Dmitry Donskoy the monastery already existed. But in 1382, the troops of Khan Tokhtamysh destroyed it, and the prince put a lot of effort into rebuilding the temples and cells for the monks.

In the foreground is the Cathedral of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Moscow

History of the monastery in the XV-XIX centuries

In the Middle Ages, all Moscow monasteries suffered from enemy raids and severe fires. The ancient Peter and Paul Monastery was built of wood, and therefore burned to the ground. In 1493, a fire in Moscow was so devastating that half the city burned down. The fire killed about 200 people, including several inhabitants of the monastery.

Stone construction in the monastery began thanks to Grand Duke Vasily III. By his decree, the Italian architect Aleviz Fryazin built a stone cathedral dedicated to Metropolitan Peter. From that time on, the monastery began to be called Vysoko-Petrovskaya, although until the 18th century the old name “Petropavlovskaya” was still found in historical documents.

After the Polish-Lithuanian troops were expelled from Russia, the monastery territory was fenced with a stone wall. In those days, the monastery was led by an archimandrite, and it consisted of four priests, two deacons, a sexton, a sexton and six elders.

Under Peter I, the territory of the monastery doubled. The Naryshkin family tomb was erected - the stone Bogolyubsky Church, the refectory church of Sergei of Radonezh, the fraternal building and the gateway Church of the Intercession. By 1735, more than 70 inhabitants lived in the monastery, and it owned six thousand peasants.

Cathedral of the Bogolyubsk Icon of the Mother of God

The war with the French brought a lot of troubles and ruin to the monastery. When Napoleonic troops entered Moscow, French cavalrymen were stationed in the monastery. They desecrated the monastery churches and destroyed the tombs of the Naryshkins. Muscovites were especially outraged by the fact that Napoleonic soldiers drove hooks into the iconostasis of the Bogolyubsky Church and hung the carcasses of slaughtered animals on them.

After the war, the monastery was restored, and it began to play a significant role in the spiritual life of Muscovites. A theological school was opened here, and books from the extensive diocesan library were kept.

The fate of the monastery in the 20th century

By the beginning of the last century, 15 inhabitants lived in the monastery. After the arrival of Soviet power, the monastery was liquidated, and the buildings were converted into housing. Church services in the temples were held until 1929. After the last Bogolyubskaya Church was closed, the burial place of the Naryshkins was destroyed, and an enterprise for repairing agricultural equipment was created in the temple.

In the former church of Sergei of Radonezh, a library was placed, and then a gym. In the ancient Cathedral of St. Peter there was a foundry, and all other churches and buildings were converted into communal housing. By the middle of the last century, the once majestic monastery ensemble was practically lost. Moreover, new urban plans provided for the expansion of the highway and the demolition of the ancient monastery.

Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh with a refectory

Fortunately, this did not happen. In 1959, the monastery received the status of an architectural monument, and gradually businesses were removed from here and communal housing was resettled. The churches housed theater workshops, a rehearsal hall, a literary museum and several organizations subordinate to the Ministry of Culture. Until 1987, restoration work was carried out in the ancient buildings, and in 1994 they were transferred to the church. Then a monastery was revived here.

Old churches and monastery buildings

In the center of the monastery stands the oldest monastery church - the small Cathedral of St. Peter, built in 1517. It looks like an octagonal tower and is topped with a helmet-shaped dome. The monastery cathedral is considered a unique architectural monument, because it is one of the first pillar-shaped churches that appeared in Rus'.

The entrances to the church are on the north, south and west sides; the remaining “petals” of the lower tier have windows. The iconostasis and wall paintings that can be seen in the cathedral are new - they appeared in the 1990s.

Church of Peter and Paul

The beautiful Bogolyubsky Cathedral was built in the 80s of the 17th century. Until 1771, the Naryshkin boyars were buried here. The basis of the temple is a square two-light quadrangle, the top of which is decorated with graceful keel-shaped zakomaras. Five onion-shaped heads rise on high drums. Inside the temple, paintings from the 18th-19th centuries and fragments of ancient stucco work have been preserved.

To the south of St. Peter's Cathedral stands the Church of Sergius of Radonezh. The refectory church was erected at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries in the traditions of the magnificent “Naryshkin” baroque. Initially it had one chapter, but then it became five-chapter. The exterior design of the St. Sergius Church uses white stone decor, popular in Moscow architecture. The portals, platbands and drum bases are made of limestone.

Since the mid-18th century, the monastery has been decorated with the neat one-domed Church of the Tolga Icon of the Mother of God. The rectangular temple rises next to Petrovka Street. It is built on a basement and has one pentagonal apse. It is believed that the design of the church building was carried out by the Russian Baroque master Ivan Fedorovich Michurin or one of his students. Today, inside this church there is a beautiful ceramic iconostasis.

Church of the Tolga Icon of the Mother of God

On the north side you can see the high monastery bell tower with the gate church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The red and white elegant temple was erected in the 90s of the 17th century by decree of Peter I. It has a massive square base, which ends with two octagonal bell towers. For a long time, the church was used as a home church for the abbot of the monastery. The temple stands above the gate, which was created to enter the monastery in 1680. Since the beginning of the last century, in the southern span of the gate there has been a small chapel of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. After the revolution, the revered image disappeared, and the chapel itself was closed. However, today it has been completely restored and is open to believers.

In the southern part of the monastery there is a Baroque temple of St. Pachomius, built in the mid-18th century. Today it has not yet been fully restored. In addition, on the territory of the monastery you can see the abbot’s and cell buildings, the one-story tomb of the Naryshkins and a small belfry.

What's the first thing we visit in new cities? Of course, temples. Even if we are far from religion, we will still - out of curiosity or interest in architecture - go into the majestic cathedral of Rome or a small, squat church somewhere in the Russian North. At least that's what I always do when traveling. The grandeur of San Pietro or the silence of the Solovetsky Monastery inspires and gives food for thought. There are about a thousand churches in Moscow, and the most important of them are well known to everyone. But few people know the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery, even though it is located in the very heart of our ancient city. Why did this happen? What is hidden behind the thick red brick monastery walls? In my opinion, the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is one of the places of power in modern Moscow. Even when hundreds of cars are stuck in a traffic jam on Tverskaya, and another concert is taking place on Red Square, here, on the ancient Petrovka Street, it is quiet and sparsely crowded. Let's try to figure out why.

History of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery in Moscow

It is not completely known who founded the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery. Perhaps it was Metropolitan Peter of Kiev and All Rus'. Or perhaps Ivan Danilovich Kalita, who is now canonized. It was he who strengthened and united the Moscow Principality.

According to legend, the prince had a vision, after which he built a temple and named it in honor of Metropolitan Peter - Petropavlovsky. There is also a third version of its origin: supposedly Dmitry Donskoy, having returned from the Battle of Kulikovo, founded a temple at the intersection of Petrovka Street and Petrovsky Boulevard as a sign of the victory of the Russian army.

One way or another, the temple was erected in 1315. Buildings appeared around it, and gradually the place became not just a temple, but a monastic monastery.

The Peter and Paul Church had a difficult fate. However, in those days when it was made of wood, many city buildings were in danger. So, at the end of the 15th century, after another enemy raid, half of the city burned down, including the temple. In the summer of 1517, the church was restored in stone. It was then that the temple was first called by the name with which it has survived to this day: Vysoko-Petrovsky. A century later, when the Polish interventionists were expelled from Moscow (they also attacked the monastery), the buildings were surrounded by a stone wall. In this frame she is clearly visible, this is the view from Petrovka Street. By the way, Petrovka and the surrounding streets (Petrovskie Lines, Petrovsky Boulevard) got their names precisely thanks to the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery.


The monastery received the status of stauropegial; this was at all times considered very important and honorable for the monastery. For example, today there are only 33 stauropegial monasteries in Russia. Let's figure out what this means.

The status of stauropegial is assigned only to Orthodox monasteries, cathedrals, laurels and even theological schools. It makes them independent of local diocesan authorities. Such religious institutions report directly to the patriarch. Translated from Greek, “stauropygial” literally means “raising the cross” - it means that the cross on the top of the cathedral is installed personally by the patriarch. At least that's how it used to be. Perhaps the most famous stauropegial cathedral is the Holy Trinity Cathedral. It is located in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra.


But let's return to the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery. At the end of the 17th century, he began to feel even better thanks to Kirill Naryshkin, the grandfather of the Great. In fact, Kirill Poluektovich was very lucky in life. He was born near Tarusa, was married to a landowner, and he himself had the rank of captain, took part in wars and rose to the rank of head of the Streltsy regiment.

The further fate of their family was decided by the successful marriage of his daughter Natalya Kirillovna with - no more, no less - Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich (for him this was already his second marriage). Shortly before the birth of his grandson (the future Emperor Peter the Great), Kirill Poluektovich was promoted to nobles, and soon to boyars. And here is a portrait of Natalya Kirillovna, mother.


So what role did the Naryshkins play in the life of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery?

The fact is that the Naryshkin estate was located very close to the walls of the monastery. And the whole family was so happy about the birth of the heir, little Petenka, that the grandfather gave his son-in-law the estate. But since the tsar was the son-in-law, and apparently he had no need for another estate, he donated it to the monastery. And the territory of the monastery immediately doubled. It is curious that ten years later, almost all members of the Naryshkin family were buried within the walls of the monastery. Peter the Great (when he had already become the ruler of the Russian Empire) completed the construction of the Bogolyubsky Church on the territory of the monastery and made it the family tomb of his maternal ancestors.


Also, thanks to Peter, the holy gates and the Church of the Intercession were built above them - it turned out to be a very elegant and majestic entrance to the monastery.


Over the next fifteen years, the monastery lived its quiet, measured life, until 1812 came. When Napoleon's troops took Moscow, French cavalrymen lived in the monastery's churches. They plundered and destroyed even the tombstones of burials (including the Naryshkins), and public executions were carried out near the monastery walls. However, the monks managed to take some of the church relics to the Yaroslavl province. After the French invasion, two churches (Pokrovskaya and Pakhomievskaya) were closed. Fortunately, the monastery and its inhabitants recovered from the blow, and in the first half of the 19th century a theological school and the Moscow diocesan library were opened here.


By the beginning of the 20th century, which was difficult for the church, the Vysoko-Petrovskaya monastery numbered 15 monks (this is the name given to the monks who live in the monastery permanently). This is only three times the number of temples on the territory of the monastery. By the way, now there are five churches and cathedrals on the territory of the monastery: the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, the Church of Peter and Paul, the Cathedral of St. Metropolitan, the Cathedral of the Bogolyubskaya Mother of God and the Church of the Tolga Mother of God. In the frame is the main cathedral of the monastery and one of the most unusual in its architecture - the Cathedral of Peter the Metropolitan. It became the first multi-petal temple in Rus'.


There is also a chapel of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God and the gate church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary. What impresses me most are the red brick walls and the façade of the monastery. Even if I’m just in a hurry somewhere along Petrovka, I always admire them.


Let's go back to 1917. After the revolution, turbulent times came for the monastery. The churches miraculously remained operational right up to 1929, but the Bolsheviks liquidated the living quarters. The last to be closed was the Bogolyubsky Church. The tombstones on the graves of the Naryshkin boyars were again destroyed, the crosses were removed from the domes.


And so that the square would not be empty, a repair plant was organized in the church. Other temples housed gyms, foundries, libraries, and even communal apartments! In the Soviet Union, premises were not wasted; everything went into use. By the way, the Bogolyubsky Church has not been restored to this day (although services are held here), it needs restoration. The interior of the cathedral looks like this.


In the 50s, they wanted to completely raze the monastery to the ground: it was necessary to expand roads, and not to pray to God and preserve the ancient architecture. Fortunately, the monastery survived, and by the early 60s it was recognized as an architectural monument. A Literary Museum and theater workshops were opened within the church walls.


Full restoration of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery began only in 2009. A year later, a new bell, “St. Peter,” was consecrated here. The life of the monks and parishioners gradually began to return to its usual calm course.

What to see in the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery

Now there are several temples and churches on the territory of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery, I have already listed them above. They regularly hold services and celebrate religious holidays.

Despite the destruction that the monastery suffered during the Soviet years, valuable shrines have been preserved in the temples of the monastery. Among the most interesting, I would note the main shrine of the monastery - the relics of St. Peter (remember that according to one version, it was he who was the founder of the monastery?). The relics are kept in the ark (it stands in the Church of Sergius of Radonezh), which was given to the monastery by Patriarch Kirill. Every Saturday the ark is taken out so that those who wish can worship it. The Patriarch also gave the monastery a cross with a piece of the Holy Cross. According to Christian doctrine, Christ was crucified on this cross.

Also in the Church of Sergius of Radonezh are the relics of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, as well as the most important and revered icon of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery, the life-size icon of St. Peter.


In the 2000s, a benefactor presented the monastery with a gift: particles of the relics of Seraphim of Sarov in a casket, a piece of the elder’s mantle and a piece of boulder. As the legend says, the saint prayed on this stone for exactly a thousand days and nights. And the box traveled a lot, fell into the hands of different people and finally ended up with antique dealers, who gave it to the monastery. It is very symbolic that the monastery received such a gift in the year of the centenary of the glorification of St. Seraphim.

Even people who are not churchgoers know the story of how Saint Seraphim of Sarov fed a wild bear from the hands. The beast came to the monk from the forest, and he treated him to bread. No one could believe that a wild animal would not touch a saint. This plot is reflected in many works of art.


There is also a fragment of the relics of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the monastery. Believers can always come to the monastery and pray in any church. To make it easier for parishioners to learn everything about the events taking place in the monastery, the monks try to keep up with the times. The monastery has its own website, page at Instagram and other social networks. There, the monastery's press service tells subscribers about events, shares retro photographs and even sometimes posts videos. On the website you will find information about the priests, abbots and archimandrites of the monastery, watch the presentation, and read the detailed schedule of services. You can also check the service schedule by calling: +7 495 623 7580.


The monastery is open to visitors daily from 7 am to 7 pm. My favorite time to be here is at sunset. At this time of day, the shadows of ancient trees fall beautifully on the churches, and the red walls seem even brighter.

Where is the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery located?

The monastery is located in the very center of Moscow, at the intersection of Petrovka Street and Krapivensky Lane.

The exact address is st. Petrovka, 28/2.

The easiest way to get to the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is on foot (parking on Petrovka is usually difficult). The nearest metro stations: Chekhovskaya, Trubnaya, Tverskaya, Pushkinskaya, Kuznetsky Most. Each of these paths is good and interesting. If you go from Tverskaya, you will walk along Strastnoy Boulevard, and then, at the intersection with Petrovka, you will see this building and the bell tower of the monastery.


It is curious that this three-story house, built in 1901, also belonged to a monastery. There were almshouses here, and the building itself was wooden. After the revolution, it was taken away from the monastery, and now there are restaurants and residential apartments. Relatively recently, in the 90s, another floor was added on top.

It will also be interesting to take a walk from Kuznetsky Most - first down Kuznetsky Most Street, then to the right along Petrovka.

I love this street: it is quiet and somehow European. Take a look at Petrovsky Passage (until 1917 - Firsanovsky, named after its founders) - this beautiful pre-revolutionary building has the status of an architectural monument of federal significance.


During the Soviet years, linen for the army was sewn here, airships were designed and films were shown. Now there are stores of famous brands here.

In general, the Tverskoy district of Moscow, in which the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is located, is perhaps my favorite. It is remarkable from a historical and architectural point of view; the main city artery, Tverskaya Street, runs here, there is the hipster Hermitage garden, and also Tverskoe-Yamskie streets strewn with constructivist buildings. I am sure that after visiting the magnificent Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery, everyone will come up with a route to their liking.

Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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Pilgrims are attracted by the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery, which is located in Moscow. But even tourists indifferent to Orthodoxy will find a lot of interesting things here. The Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery houses architecturally magnificent cathedral churches, the main part of which was built in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The monastery has a long history: mentions of it can be found in writings dating back to 1337. But the second life for the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery began only in the 1990s, when it was opened after a long period of oblivion: the Orthodox activities of the monastery were stopped by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Restoration of the buildings began in the 50s of the last century. The monks were able to move back into their cells only in 2009.

What to see

There are seven churches on the territory of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery. Almost an entire block on Petrovka, but for some reason few people know about the existence of this attraction. That is why the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is often called invisible.

From the inside, the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is much larger than it might seem to those outside its walls.

Another feature of the monastery: from the inside it is much larger than it might seem to those outside its walls.

The Cathedral of the Bogolyubskaya Icon of the Mother of God greets pilgrims and ordinary tourists; its construction dates back to 1684. Near the cathedral, in the open air, as well as inside the temple, tourists will see many rich tombstones made of white stone. Some of them are decorated with coats of arms, others with skulls. For a modern person, the picture is, if not frightening, then certainly a little gloomy. Although the reason for this decoration is quite simple: until 1774, the Naryshkins’ family tomb was located here.

The most ancient building of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is located in the center of its square. Peter the Metropolitan Cathedral was built in 1514-1517.

What surprises the temple is not its size: it is unlike any other in Moscow, an absolutely unique architectural phenomenon. And people were able to see it only after restoration in the 20th century.

The fact is that Peter I was so carried away by his transformations of the churches of the Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery that the Cathedral of Peter the Metropolitan was almost completely redone in the Baroque style. But modern architects have restored historical justice.

The center of monastic life is the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Attentive tourists will notice next to it a gazebo that does not quite fit into the architectural ensemble. And it is no coincidence, because it appeared here only in 2000 on the site of one destroyed during Soviet times. At the same time, the church lost the chapels of Alexy of Moscow and Mitrofan of Voronezh, unfortunately, irrevocably.

Important for pilgrims, first of all, will be the shrines located in the monastery. The Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery houses the Kazan and Tolga miraculous icons of the Mother of God.

Part of the relics of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Kyiv, Moscow and All Rus', the Wonderworker, is the main shrine of the monastery.

Part of the relics of St. Peter, Metropolitan of Kyiv, Moscow and All Rus', the Wonderworker - the main shrine of the monastery - is located in the Church of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Here you will also find particles of the relics of other Orthodox saints, including, of course, St. Sergius of Radonezh.

How to get there

The Vysoko-Petrovsky Monastery is located in the very center of the capital of Russia, between Petrovka, Petrovsky Boulevard and Krapivensky Lane. The attraction is just a 10-minute walk from the metro stations.

You need to get your bearings at the Chekhovskaya, Pushkinskaya, Trubnaya or Tverskaya stations.