Top 20 attractions of Zvenigorod, Russia

Zvenigorod is a small pretty town in the west of the Moscow region. It is one of the oldest settlements in the region, presumably founded by Yuri Dolgoruky in 1152. The main tourist attraction is the architectural complex of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, on the territory of which ancient temples with priceless frescoes and decorations have been preserved.

There are several interesting estates in Zvenigorod and its environs, which until 1917 belonged to Russian aristocratic families, and are now used as sanatoriums. Some of them have interesting museum exhibits. It will also be interesting to just walk along the well-groomed streets of the city, feast on jam and marshmallow at the Museum of Russian Dessert or sit on a bench near the monument to A.P. Chekhov.

What to see and where to go in Zvenigorod?

The most interesting and beautiful places for walking. Photos and a short description.

Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery

The monastery was founded by the monk Savva, a disciple and associate of Sergius of Radonezh in the 14th century. The very first built a wooden church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The monastery was under the care of the Galician prince Yuri Dmitrievich, thanks to him the monks received vast lands in their possession. In subsequent centuries, Russian tsars often came here on pilgrimage. The architectural complex consists of several temples of the 15th-17th centuries, royal chambers, a refectory and residential buildings.

Skete of St. Savva

The founder of the monastery, Reverend Savva Storozhevsky, preferred to pray and spend most of his time in a cave, which he dug for himself in a ravine not far from the monastery. In the 19th century, a church was erected over the grotto; a little later, a whole ensemble of buildings was built. Over time, an independent monastic community arose on the territory of the Skete with its own churches, courtyards and residential buildings.

Holy spring-bath

The bathhouse is located on the territory of the Skete of St. Savva. A wooden chapel was built above it, a small square with flower beds and green lawns was laid out around it. The source is available all year round. For men and women, separate fonts with changing rooms are equipped. People come here to plunge into the cool waters and gain life-giving moisture, as it is considered healing.

Earth ramparts of the Zvenigorod town

The earth ramparts are the remains of defensive fortifications of the 12th century that protected the city from the enemy. They were located outside the walls of the Zvenigorod Kremlin. The shafts have been preserved almost along their entire length, although over time they became overgrown with forest and now they rather resemble natural natural hills. Between them, you can walk along dirt paths and enjoy the beauty of nature - the landscape is especially picturesque in summer and early autumn.

Assumption Cathedral on Gorodok

Church of the XIV-XV centuries, built in the style of early Moscow architecture. Frescoes, which were allegedly created by Daniil Cherny and Andrei Rublev, have been preserved inside the building. The building has a cross-domed structure with one central dome crowned with a cross. The church bell tower was erected much later - in the 19th century. The cathedral did not work in the period of 1930-1946, in the 1990s it became the courtyard of the Savvino-Storozhevskaya monastery.

Church of the Nativity

The church was built at the beginning of the 19th century for the needs of the inhabitants of Verkhny Posad, who, during the spring floods of the Moskva River, could not get to services in the temples of Zvenigorod. The fact is that the only wooden bridge was dismantled in the fall and assembled only after the snow melted completely. During the years of Soviet power, the church did not work, there was a toy factory on its territory. The appearance of the building was significantly changed and adapted to the needs of the factory. Since 1991, the temple has again belonged to the Orthodox community.

Ascension Cathedral

The Ascension Cathedral is a new church built in 2007 in honor of the 600th anniversary of the death of St. Savva Storozhevsky. The first service was held here by Patriarch Alexy II, who also consecrated the cathedral. The building is located on a hill where religious institutions have been built for centuries. In the 17th century, the first Ascension Cathedral was erected here, which was rebuilt from stone at the end of the 18th century (this building was destroyed in 1941 by decision of the authorities).

Alexander Nevsky Church

Brick church, built in the eclectic style in 1898 in memory of Emperor Alexander III. Construction work was carried out on voluntary donations, most of the money was made by Zvenigorod merchants. Services were held until 1938, after which the authorities decided to close the institution. A women's gymnasium was placed on its territory, which was replaced by the city radio communications center. In the 1990s, the temple was returned to believers.

Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum

The exposition of the museum is located on the territory of the Savvino-Storozhevskaya monastery, or rather, in the Tsaritsyn chambers of the 17th century, built for the wife of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. Several halls house a permanent historical exhibition. The building itself, with a decorative porch decorated with complex patterned elements, looks very picturesque. It is built of brick and painted white and red.

Museum of Russian Dessert

The museum exposition is dedicated to the traditional sweet dishes of the Russian table. Here you can taste the famous Tula gingerbread, Belevsky marshmallow and bagels. The excursion program includes participation in the process of preparing delicacies and tasting. The guide will tell the history of forgotten recipes, reveal culinary secrets, and share interesting stories with guests. In the buffet of the museum you can buy any sweet you like.

Cultural Center named after Lyubov Orlova

The great actress Lyubov Orlova was born in Zvenigorod. In 2007, a cultural center was opened in her honor, which is a concert hall and a creative space for meetings, evenings, exhibitions, and musical performances. Famous actors and musicians perform here, and a theater school operates here in the summer, where young artists hone their skills.

Memorial of Glory

The monument is located in the central city square. It is a figure of a soldier of the Great Patriotic War. The memorial is dedicated to the soldiers of Zvenigorod, as well as the soldiers of the 5th Army of the Western Front, who stopped the advance of the German army at the cost of their lives. In front of the sculpture, the Eternal Flame burns on a pedestal, to the right of which there are memorial plates with the names of the dead.

Monument to Savva Storozhevsky and Yuri Zvenigorodsky

The sculptural composition was created and installed in 2005. It consists of the figures of Prince Yuri and the Monk Savva. The ruler is depicted in battle armor with a helmet in his hands - he personifies strength and power, while the monk sits in a humble pose with a book on his knees and symbolizes wisdom and tranquility. Both historical figures played a big role in the history of Zvenigorod.

Monument to A.P. Chekhov

The statue in honor of the writer was installed in 2010 (or rather, they put it on a bench). At one time, Anton Pavlovich worked as a doctor in Zvenigorod, so the descendants decided to honor his memory in this way. The figure of A.P. Chekhov turned out to be very expressive - the writer sits in a noble pose, dressed in a long overcoat and with a cane in his right hand. With his left he hugs a charming dog.

House-Museum of M. M. Prishvin in Dunino

The estate is located about 5 km from Zvenigorod in the village of Dunino on the banks of the Moskva River. The house was built in the 19th - early 20th century, M. M. Prishvin bought it in 1946 and came here every summer. Inside there is a memorial exposition dedicated to the writer: an office, a library, a veranda and a dining room are furnished with antique furniture, decorated with interior items that were in use in the first half of the 20th century.

Manor "Vvedenskoye"

Before the Revolution of 1917, the estate belonged to Count A. V. Gudovich. The stone manor house was built in 1912 to replace the wooden one. After the owner was shot, an art school-colony was placed in the mansion, in 1920 - the Museum. Trotsky, in 1933 - a sanatorium. Today, the estate also belongs to the Zvenigorod sanatorium, so it will not be possible to freely enter its territory.

Vvedenskaya Church

The manor temple, first mentioned at the end of the 17th century and rebuilt after 1812 with donations from Princess E. N. Lopukhina. The church was rebuilt in 1876 in the classical style. It is a single-domed building connected by a passage to the bell tower. In the 1930s, the temple was closed, and it gradually fell into disrepair. The building was returned to believers and restored in the 1990s.

Ershovo Manor

Family mansion of Counts Olsufievs. The surviving buildings were erected in the 19th century in the manner of the Moscow Empire style. A small brick house with a classic portico stands in the middle of a park with linden alleys, a fountain and a pond, on which several islands connected by bridges are scattered. Since 1928 Ershovo has been used as a sanatorium. Today on its territory there is a rest house of the same name.

Manor Zakharovo

The estate is part of the State Historical and Literary Museum-Reserve of A. S. Pushkin. Since 1804, the estate belonged to the grandmother of the poet M. A. Gannibal. The manor's house is a copy of the historical one, since the original building was lost. It was recreated in 1999 for the 200th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Sergeevich. The old park has been preserved in almost its original form - it still remembers the childhood games of the future literary genius.

Manor Bolshie Vyazyomy

An architectural ensemble that took shape over the course of the 16th–19th centuries. In the 17th century, these lands belonged to Boris Godunov, who started a large-scale construction here. The stone mansion was built in the 18th century. At different times, Pavel I, M. I. Kutuzov, Napoleon, L. N. Tolstoy, N. V. Gogol and other famous personalities stayed in the estate. Today the complex is part of the structure of the State Historical and Literary Museum-Reserve of A. S. Pushkin.