Picture the imposing walls of Donskoy Monastery. This isn’t just any monastery. It’s a fortress a testament to Moscow’s resilience. Donskoy District boasts this magnificent historical landmark. Its story unfolds like a gripping saga spanning centuries.
Founded between 1591 and 1593 by Tsar Feodor I it stands on the very ground where a crucial battle was fought. Khan Gazi II Giray of Crimea launched an invasion. The Russian forces repelled the attack. The victory was attributed to the Our Lady of the Don Icon. This miraculous icon became the monastery’s most revered relic.
The Times of Troubles brought chaos. Polish interventionists ransacked the monastery. Yet it rose again under Tsars Michael and Alexis. From 1686 to 1711 fortified walls with twelve towers were constructed. Imagine the masons the architects the sheer labor involved.
The Napoleonic War struck again. French troops pillaged the monastery. But the most precious relics had been safely moved to Vologda. They were spared the devastation.
The Revolution brought change. The monastery closed becoming an Antireligious Museum. It later transformed into an architectural museum a branch of the Schusev Architectural Museum. Relics from other closed churches and monasteries found a new home here. In 1991 the monastery reopened its doors to worshippers.
Explore the Ss Zechariah and Elisabeth’s Gate-Church. This grand entrance built into the western wall dates back to 1730-1755. It features a bell tower in the characteristic octagon-on-cube style.
The Our Lady of the Don Large Cathedral stands as the monastery’s magnificent centerpiece. Built in Naryshkin Baroque style it features five domes atop tall tholobates surrounded by a two-story gallery. Its iconostasis is remarkably preserved. It includes a revered copy of the Our Lady of the Don Icon. The original is at the State Tretyakov Gallery. The relics of Patriarch Tikhon rest within these hallowed walls.
Nearby the Our Lady of the Don Small Cathedral or Old Cathedral stands. Constructed between 1591 and 1593 it’s possibly the work of the renowned architect Fyodor Kon. It’s simpler design features a single dome adorned with kokoshniks. A small bell tower is attached.
Archangel Michael’s Church sits in the southwest corner. Dating from 1714 it underwent renovations in 1806 gaining a classical façade. It serves as the burial place for the Golitsyn family.
St John Chrysostom’s Church stands to the north. Built between 1888 and 1891 in the Neo-Byzantine style its upper level is dedicated to St John Chrysostom. The lower floor honors St Catherine. The Pervushin family are buried here.
Our Lady of Tikhvin Gate-Church is located in the center of the northern wall. Similar in style to Ss Zechariah and Elisabeth’s Gate-Church it’s older having been built between 1713 and 1714.
Donskoy Monastery’s necropolis is a final resting place for notable figures. Painter Vasili Perov historians Mikhail Scherbatov and Vasili Klyuchevsky and White Army General Anton Denikin are among those buried here. The architect Osip Bove and Daria Saltykova a notorious noblewoman are also interred here. Members of prominent families like the Vyazemsky Golitsyn and Dolgoruky are buried here. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn found his final resting place here. Even fragments of the original Christ the Saviour Cathedral are here. Donskoy District is rich in history. Donskoy Monastery is a site you will not forget.