Top 25 Sergiev Posad Attractions, Russia

If all the towns of Central Russia looked like Sergiev Posad, our country might not know the end of tourists. This city is not only one of the most picturesque and interesting on the Golden Ring route, but also the center of Orthodoxy and the spiritual life of the entire region.

Undoubtedly, the main attraction is the incomparable Trinity-Sergius Lavra, sparkling with golden domes in the rays of the bright sun. There are so many churches in this complex that one day is not enough to see them. And what kind of pies and fish cakes are baked there! Many tourists come from Moscow just to enjoy fresh monastery pastries. The local kvass, which has no equal anywhere else, has gained no less fame.

Museums, squares and streets should not be ignored - in Sergiev Posad it is picturesque and good wherever the road leads.

What to see and where to go in Sergiev Posad?

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

Trinity Sergius Lavra

Today, the Trinity-Sergius Lavra is not only the largest and most famous monastery of the Russian Orthodox Church, but also an important spiritual, cultural, educational and pilgrimage center for all Orthodox Christians in Russia. The monastery was founded in 1337 by Sergius of Radonezh, his relics are preserved in the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Lavra. During the period of feudal fragmentation, the monastery played one of the key roles in the politics of the principalities of North-Eastern Rus', being the backbone of power and people. The architectural ensemble of the monastery was formed in the XIV-XIX centuries: it includes more than 50 buildings and 10 temples. Today the complex is under the protection of UNESCO.

Assumption Cathedral

The temple was erected by order of Ivan the Terrible in 1559. Its construction lasted 26 years, as a result, the king did not wait for its completion. Separate work on decoration and painting continued until the 18th century. The building was designed in the image and likeness of the temple of the same name in the Moscow Kremlin, the difference from the latter is only in the details. The interior space is decorated with frescoes on biblical scenes, painted by Yaroslavl masters. An unforgettable impression is made by the luxurious five-tiered iconostasis.

Trinity Cathedral

The main temple of the Lavra and the oldest building preserved on its territory. It was erected in the 15th century by the will of Patriarch Nikon in honor of the founder of the monastery, Sergius of Radonezh, on the site of a wooden church. In architectural terms, the building is a four-pillar cross-domed church of relatively small size and belongs to the monuments of early Moscow architecture. It is here that the relics of the venerable founder of the Lavra are kept.

Spiritual Church

Construction of 1476, erected by craftsmen from Pskov by order of Vasily III. The architects were sent to the Lavra after they refused to restore the Assumption Cathedral in Moscow. The spirit temple is small and resembles a watchtower in shape - it was really used as a point for observing the surroundings. The church bell tower is a unique architectural structure for Central Russia.

Church of the Nativity of John the Baptist

The gate temple of the Lavra, under which the arch of the main entrance is located. This building is the first to meet visitors who decide to go inside the monastery. The building was built in 1699 and consecrated in the name of the patron saint of Tsar John Alekseevich Romanov (Ivan V). The last restoration was carried out in 2008-2010, as a result of which the church acquired its modern picturesque appearance.

Church of St. Sergius with the Refectory

The refectory temple occupies a special place in the architectural complex of the Lavra. It is the largest and, undoubtedly, one of the most picturesque buildings of the monastery. Skillful painting of the outer walls and fine stone carving of the columns make it look like a luxurious royal palace. The church was erected in 1692 to mark the 300th anniversary of the death of Sergius of Radonezh. The entrance staircase leading to the entrance hall covered with a hipped roof appeared in 1734.

Smolensk church

The consecration of the Smolensk church took place in 1753 in the presence of Empress Elizabeth. The building was built according to the project of D. V. Ukhtomsky in the manner of the Elizabethan Baroque. Its external appearance somewhat contrasts with the rest of the architectural buildings of the Lavra, which are characterized by a more traditional, Russian style. The temple is a small cylindrical building topped with a dome with a cross.

Bell tower of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra

The new bell tower was built in the 18th century to replace the old one, which by that time no longer fit into the architectural ensemble of the monastery. The size of the tower reaches 88 meters, which makes it one of the tallest in Russia. The dominant style of the building is baroque, but elements of classicism can also be observed in its appearance. Some belfry bells were cast in the 15th century and are still in use today.

Vvedensky and Pyatnitsky churches

Pyatnitskaya and Vvedenskaya churches are located nearby - they are located behind the fence of the Lavra near the walls. Both buildings date back to the middle of the 16th century. Until 1610, the churches were parish, then as a result of the Polish-Lithuanian invasion, they were significantly ruined. After the repair, the buildings were taken over by the women's monastery. At the end of the 19th century, they were added to the farmstead of the Lavra.

Elias Church

Ilyinsky temple is located on one of the city streets, towering over the shore of the Kelar pond. The building was built in the second half of the 18th century in the Pereslavl baroque style at the expense of the townspeople. Previously, in its place were wooden churches, dilapidated over time and dismantled. The temple was not closed or ravaged in Soviet times - it was the only active parish in the vicinity.

Sergiev Posad Museum-Reserve

The museum complex was established in 1920 to streamline the architectural and historical heritage of Sergiev Posad. It includes the main and local lore buildings, sacristy and horse yard. The main building houses collections of Russian painting and arts and crafts. The local history building is a building of the former kindergarten built in 1937, built in the style of constructivism. Here you can see the archaeological and historical expositions.

Museum complex "Horse Yard"

"Horse Yard" is located near the walls of the Lavra on the banks of the White Pond. It was erected in 1790 on the site of the wooden monastery stables, where at that time more than 700 horses were kept. Today, within the walls of the complex are museum expositions dedicated to folk crafts and creativity, the rich history of the region, various branches of decorative and applied arts.

"Shopping Rows" on Krasnogorskaya Square

The complex of buildings is located in the center of the city and stands out with its unusually bright appearance among other buildings. The building is made of red brick and decorated with decorative turrets, weathercocks and other elements. It was erected near the walls of the Lavra at the very beginning of the 20th century according to the project of A. A. Latkov in the neo-Russian style. Previously, wooden merchants' shops were located at this place.

Palace of Culture. Yu.A. Gagarin

The concert hall, designed for almost 900 spectators, is the main stage of Sergiev Posad. Modern equipment allows holding a variety of events within the walls of the building. It houses a theatre, folk choir and dance studios. The structure is a building in the classical style, decorated with monumental columns and statues. In front of the Palace of Culture, fountain jets beat on the square.

Toy Museum

The exposition was started by the local collector N. M. Bartram in 1910. The institution itself opened in 1918 in a city mansion that belonged to the widow of a local industrialist before the Revolution of 1917. The museum presents exhibitions of Russian folk toys, products of masters of Western Europe and Asia, children's portraits, New Year's and Christmas decorations, and much more.

Museum of Peasant Life "Zhili-Bili"

Thematic exposition organized by local artist V. Bagrov on the territory of a traditional Russian house with carved architraves (his workshop is located nearby). The founder of the collection is a big fan of antiquity. The exhibition consists of the usual household items of a peasant family: dishes, clothes, tools, jewelry, handicrafts, toys.

Exhibition Hall "Bells of Rus'"

Museum of 2015 dedicated to the history of bells. This is the only exposition of this kind in the world, which includes these signal (or musical - as you like) instruments. That is, here you can not only see, but also listen to different shades of sound. As part of the tour, visitors are given a full-fledged concert, in which a variety of bells are used.

Church and archaeological office

Museum exhibition at the Moscow Orthodox Theological Academy, which contains collections of icons, church antiquities, paintings, graphics, coins, as well as old books - both printed and handwritten. The founding date of the museum is considered to be 1814, when the Academy received portraits of Elizabeth and Catherine II. The history of the collection began with these paintings.

Spaso-Bethana Monastery

The former male monastery, which since 2002 has become the courtyard of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. The architectural complex of the monastery took shape in the 18th-19th centuries. At the beginning of the 20th century, the monks owned vast lands, a brick factory and were engaged in the construction of tenement houses. In the 1920s, the monastery was abolished, later many buildings were destroyed and rebuilt. Monastic life resumed in the 2000s.

Chernihiv Skete

The Gethsemane Chernigov Skete is located a few kilometers from Sergiev Posad. It was created in the middle of the XIX century. The architectural complex consists of the Chernigov Church and a cave church with a refectory located under it. At one time, the skete was visited by as many pilgrims as the Lavra. People came to draw water from the holy underground spring and ask for blessings from the monks.

Hermitage of the Holy Paraclete

Pustyn is located near Sergiev Posad in the village of Smena and is a skete of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. It was founded in 1958 by the monks of the Chernihiv Skete, who yearned for even more solitude for communion with God. The main buildings of the community were built in the late XIX - early XX centuries. The gate belfry, a brick residential building and several wooden cells have survived to this day.

Spring of St. Savva Storozhevsky

Savva Storozhevoy is one of the disciples and associates of Sergius of Radonezh. He spent almost his entire life in the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, devoting himself entirely to service. According to legend, it was thanks to him that a holy spring gushed from the bowels of the earth in the vicinity of the monastery. In the 1990s, a wooden chapel was built on the bank of the stream and a bathing font was equipped, which today is visited by many tourists.

Gremyachiy key

Source and waterfall in the Sergiev Posad region, the most famous in the Moscow region. Jets of water descend from a height of 20 meters along the cliff of the Vodinga River, forming several springs (hence the name). The water here is quite cold - only 6 ° C, but it is considered curative due to the high content of radon. The surrounding territory has been landscaped: footpaths have been laid, a temple, a chapel and a font have been built.

Museum-Reserve "Abramtsevo"

The former landowner's estate, once owned by the writer S. T. Aksakov, where N. V. Gogol, I. S. Turgenev, I. E. Repin, I. I. Levitan and other famous personalities visited. After nationalization in 1917, it was turned into a museum. The complex consists of buildings of the 18th-19th centuries, a park and several expositions containing more than 25 thousand items that belonged to residents and guests of Abramtsevo.

Observation deck "Pancake Mountain"

The observation deck offers the best view of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, so it is the most popular in the city. There are always a lot of tourists here on weekends. The name comes from the name of the hill where pancakes were baked in tsarist times and where residents and pilgrims of all classes gathered. The observation deck was equipped in Soviet times in preparation for the 1980 Olympics.