Geographical location

The Novodevichy Monastery, located on the banks of the Moskva River, was founded in 1524. Its strategically convenient location in the southwest of the capital is due not only to its proximity to important trade routes, but also to its protective function. The monastery served not only as a religious center, but also as a fortress protecting Moscow from external threats.

Design and construction

The architectural appearance of the Novodevichy Monastery was created by architects inspired by the Moscow Kremlin.

Construction began in 1524 and continued for several decades, resulting in the creation of a unique ensemble of buildings.
The walls and towers were created in the XVI-XVII centuries.

The Cathedral church of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God was designed by architect Nestor or Aleviz Novy.

The authorship of the bell tower project is attributed to the fortress architect Yakov Bukhvostov.

The contribution of Basil III

Vasily III, the Grand Duke of Moscow, played a key role in the creation of the monastery. He founded it in honor of the victory over the Lithuanians and the capture of Smolensk, and in memory of his mother, Sophia Palaiologos.
The monastery became not only a spiritual, but also a cultural center, where famous personalities of their time gathered.

Famous personalities

From the moment of its foundation until the beginning of the XVIII century, the Novodevichy Monastery became a place of residence for many famous personalities. Among them:

Ivan IV (the Terrible) — the king, who often visited the monastery and used it as a place for prayer.

Sofia Alekseevna is a princess who spent a lot of time in the monastery, especially during her reign.

Boris Godunov — during his reign, the Smolensk Cathedral was renovated in the monastery.

Evdokia Lopukhina, the disgraced tsarina. (She came to live there in 1727).

Novodevichy Monastery in the time of Boris Godunov

Boris Godunov, having become tsar, actively used the Novodevichy Monastery to strengthen his power.
He lived here before accepting the kingdom, and his sister Irina lived here.
Ambassadors came to the monastery twice to ask him to accept power, before Boris agreed.
He conducted important ceremonies here and used the monastery as a pillar for his political strategy.
At that time, the monastery became an important center where the interests of the church and the state intersected.

The heyday of Tsarevna Sofia

The heyday of the Novodevichy Monastery coincides with the seven-year reign of Tsarevna Sofia Alekseevna (1682-1689). During this period, the monastery became not only a religious, but also a cultural center.

During the reign of Tsarevna Sofia Alekseevna, the Novodevichy Monastery underwent significant architectural renovation. During this period, the following buildings were built:

The refectory of the Assumption Church (1685-1687) is a building characterized by rich decor and a unique style reflecting Western architectural influences.

Church of the Transfiguration (1687-1689) — located above the north gate, it has five gilded domes and a cornice decorated with shells.

The Pokrovsky Temple (1683-1688) is more modest in details, but with an unusual three-dimensional composition consisting of three towers.

Sofia Alekseevna was imprisoned in the Novodevichy Monastery in 1689, after she was accused of treason and an attempt to seize power.

This happened against the background of a struggle for influence between her supporters and those of her brother, Tsar Peter I, who eventually overthrew her from the throne. («Streletsky revolt»).

Sophia lived in captivity in the chambers near the monastery’s chest tower.
Tsar Peter forbade even her confessor to talk to the tsarina (they would stop talking), and a deaf-mute maidservant brought her food.

Napoleon’s occupation

During the Napoleonic Wars in 1812, the monastery was occupied by French troops.

On September 8, 1812, two thousand French soldiers captured the Novodevichy Monastery.
They occupied all the cells and temples, with the exception of the Smolensk Cathedral. The uninvited guests did not stand on ceremony: We spent the night in the altars, dined on the thrones, and six cannons were installed in front of the north gate.

The French placed the wounded in the Assumption Church, and the nuns took care of them, cooked food and sewed linen.
Later, Napoleon visited the monastery and ordered the use of all the rooms for storing provisions, and also gave the order to blow up the Church of St. John the Baptist, located outside the monastery walls.
This church was the only one in Moscow that was destroyed by order of
Napoleon.
The French lived in the monastery for a month. Before their retreat, they tried to blow up the main church, the Smolensk Cathedral, by placing six barrels of gunpowder in the basement and putting burning wicks on them, after which they left. When the nuns entered the Smolensky Cathedral, a fire had already started there.
Quickly putting out the fire, they saved the temple from the explosion and the monastery from the fire.
After the war, the monastery was restored, rededicated and continued to perform its functions.

What to see at the monastery

The Novodevichy Monastery is not only a historical, but also a cultural heritage. Here you can see:

Smolensky Cathedral is the main temple of the monastery, built in 1524-1525. It is a striking example of Moscow Baroque architecture and is considered one of the main shrines of the monastery.

Assumption Church — built in 1685-1687, it served as a refectory for nuns and is richly decorated.

Church of the Transfiguration — built in 1687-1689, located above the north gate of the monastery. It has five domes and is decorated with beautiful architectural details.

The Church of the Intercession was built in 1683-1688. It has a modest but expressive style.

The Church of St. John the Baptist is located outside the walls of the monastery, was destroyed by order of Napoleon, but is now restored and functioning.

The Kremlin Wall is part of the ancient fortress that surrounds the monastery.
The towers are also unique architectural structures that have retained their historical significance.

A picturesque pond outside the monastery walls

A pond with banks overgrown with willows.
On the opposite shore from the monastery, you can see statues of ducks with ducklings.
Their author is the sculptor Nancy Shen.
The sculpture is called «Make Way for Ducklings!» and was unveiled on July 30, 1991.
It is inspired by the famous American fairy tale by Robert McCloskey. Ducks with ducklings symbolize peace and kindness.

Novodevichy Monastery in pictures

On the website you can purchase original oil and watercolor paintings with views of the Novodevichy Monastery in Moscow.
The author of the works is the artist Nadezhda Tsvetkova. Her paintings with views of Moscow and beyond are kept in many private collections in Russia and abroad.

Interesting legends related to the Novodevichy Monastery

One of the most famous legends is the story of the spirit of Tsarevna Sofia Alekseevna.
The tsarina died in a monastery, where she was in solitary confinement after her overthrow.
Sophia was buried in the Smolensk Cathedral.
It is said that after her imprisonment in the monastery, her soul remained there.
Locals claim that at night you can hear her footsteps and see the light in the windows of the monastery.

How to get to the monastery

You can get to the Novodevichy Monastery by public transport. The nearest metro station is Sportivnaya. You can walk from there.