High Monastery of St Peter, Moscow, Russia

The most significant and well — known monument to Peter the Great in the capital is the High Peter monastery, which chroniclers mentioned in their writings as early as 1317. At first, it was named Peter and Paul. Saint Peter, Metropolitan of Kiev, founded the monastery. This was, according to various sources, either in 1315 or 1316. The Metropolitan left Kiev and stayed in Moscow, settling in the monastery. Under Sergius of Radonezh, the monastery became the first male monastery of the capital, where the monks lived on the principle of a hostel, and not in separate remote skits. At that time, made the heroic deeds of Prince Dmitri, called Donskoy.

At first, it was a quiet desert area. And only then did the monastery enter the territory of a very young Moscow. The monastery lived a peaceful life, but managed to see bloody battles. In 1611, Prokopiy Lyapunov tried to attack the Kremlin with artillery, placing it over neglinna.

In the XVII century, the monastery began to be built and expanded, money for construction was allocated by the autocrat Peter I and the boyar Naryshkin. The famous historical figure, the founder of Moscow, Ivan Kalita, revered this monastery as much as Dmitry Donskoy and Alexey Romanov.

The Naryshkin family name is historically associated with the monastery. Kirill Naryshkin, after learning that his grandson (Peter) was born, gave the monastery a manor house for joy. Peter’s mother was also raised here, in the Western style, giving birth to the “Naryshkin Baroque”. Until 1977, the monastery was the ancestral tomb of this Russian noble family.

The wall of the Naryshkin chambers faces Petrovka, and without knowing what is behind it, it is not so easy to guess that there are ancient historical buildings nearby. However, the gate Church of the Intercession of the blessed virgin Mary can be viewed from both the carriage row and Petrovka (named after the monastery).

The monastery is home to the miraculous icon of the mother of God of Bogolyubsky. It came here from the hands of Naryshkin in 1684. One of the first decrees of the young Peter the Great was a decree on the construction of a stone temple that overshadowed the graves of murdered relatives. The invasion of Napoleon was tragic for the monastery. Muscovites accused of setting fire to the city were shot. They were buried right there, at the wall of the monastery. The monastery itself housed cavalrymen. The monastery was destroyed, but could not be destroyed.

In 1950, the monastery was restored. In 1990, it was restored again in honor of receiving the status of the Patriarch’s farmstead. The monastery is so quiet, as if it is located somewhere in the suburbs, far from the noise of the big city. Anyone who wants to walk freely on its territory is not allowed to take photos or make videos.

Author: Nadezda Pushkina