TRINITY ST. SERGIUS
MONASTERY (LAVRA)

Sergiev Posad: (population 120,000) is located 44 miles north of Moscow at the confluence of the Koshura and Glimitsa rivers. The town developed from the Sergiyevsky Posad settlement that developed around the monastery beginning in 1762. This was the most important monastery in late medieval and early modern Russia. It was established in 1340 by St. Sergii of Radonezh (1322-92). He is the patron saint of Russia and his feast day is July 18, the day on which special celebrations are held at the monastery. His holiness attracted men who sought the spiritual life and they soon made him the leader of their religious community. He also founded or sent his pupils to found other monasteries throughout northern Russia. The Trinity monastery was the center of a deep religious movement that established monasteries throughout Russia, including the famous Solovetsky on an island in the White Sea. The monastery was also associated with the revival of national spirit and the Muscovite victory at Kulikovo. Before the battle, Grand Prince Dmitrii traveled to Holy Trinity Monastery to receive Sergius' blessing and he returned there after the victory. According to the late chronicles one of the monks sent with Dmitrii by St. Sergius challenged a Tatar leader to single combat prior to the main battle. The monastery was devastated by the Mongols in 1392. After they left, the Abbot Nikon found the body of St. Sergius miraculously preserved in the ruin.
The monastery was burned by Tatar Khan Edigei in 1408, during his campaign against Moscow, but was soon rebuilt under the direction of Abbot Nikon.
The monastery became very rich from the donations of many nobles. It owned 100 estates with over 106,000 serfs until it was deprived of this right in 1764. During medieval times the monastery maintained a private army of 20,000 warriors. The fortress walls were constructed during the early reign of Ivan IV between 1540 and 1550. It is strongly fortified with stone walls up to 15 meters thick, two-thirds of a mile long and up to 8 meters high. There are 12 towers, however, none of them is preserved in its original form. The monastery again became a center of Russian spirit during the "Time of Troubles" (1602-1613) when its 1500 defenders withstood a strong Polish attack of 30,000 troops led by Sapieha and Lisovski for 16 months in 1608-10 and again in 1618. See illustration. In 1612 the relief army led by Kosma Minin and Prince Dmitri Pozharsky stopped for blessing here before advancing to eject the Poles from Moscow. In 1681 and 1689 the young tsarevich Peter took refuge here during the Strel'tsi uprisings fomented by his half-sister, Sophia.
The monastery was declared a Lavra in 1744. The Troitsky Cathedral was constructed between 1422 and 1427 in the Suzdal - Vladimir style on the site of the original wooden Church of St. Sergius, built by Abbot Nikon over the saint's grave. The saint's body now lies in a silver sarcophagus given by Ivan IV. The interior frescos date from the 16th century and the iconastasis contains many valuable icons. But the key icon of the Trinity is a copy of the original by Andrei Rublyev now in the Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
The brick Dukhovksya Church was built in 1476-77 by architects from Pskov. The Church of St. Nikon was completed in 1548 and rebuilt in 1623. The Uspensky (Assumption) Cathedral (with the four blue domes covered with gold stars and a central all gold dome) was completed in 1559 by order of Ivan IV as a commemoration of the capture of Kazan and Astrakhan. Outside the west door is the tomb of Tsar Boris Godunov, his wife and two of his children. Over the gate is the Church of St. John the Baptist, built in 1692-99. The frescos in the gateway arches depict the life of St. Sergei. The hospital was built in 1635-37. The baroque style Refectory and St. Sergius Church was built in 1686-92 by Tsars Peter I and Ivan V. Peter also ordered construction of the palace (built for his father, Tsar Alexei) that now houses the Theological College. There are several other churches and buildings and the very impressive Belfry (98 meters high) built between 1741 and 1769 from donations provided by empresses Anna, Elizabeth and Catherine II. There is a Museum of History and Art in the former palace of the Metropolitan Bishop. It contains many rich treasures presented to the monastery from the 14th to 17th centuries. In Sergiev the Toy Museum is unique in Russia. It has 30,000 toys from throughout the world. There is a toy factory. Sergiev is the original home of the Matryoshka dolls invented at the end of the 19th century. There are also several interesting churches outside the monastery in the town itself.

	Photo	Description
		The main gate from outside the eastern wall. Behind it are the Church of St John the Precursor, the Uspenski Cathedral and the belfry one behind the other.
		View of the fortress from the north east, across the river valley.
		This older photo shows the monastery from outside the eastern wall.
		In this older photo the view is from the southeast.
		View from the north west with the corner Carpenter's tower directly in front.
		Section of the northern wall between the northwest corner and central towers.
		Section of the western wall from inside the fortress.
		Section of the eastern wall from outside.
		A section of the upper level along the western wall overlooking the river valley and area of the main Polish attacks.
		Corner tower on northern end of the eastern wall.
		Tower at corner of fortress northern wall.
		Section of the northern wall with corner "Carpenter's" tower on the right and the Kalichya tower on the left.
		A section of the western wall as seen from a corner atop the northern wall.
		The St John the Precursor over-the-gate church built in 1692-99.
		Side view of the Church of St John the Precursor over the gate during our winter visit.
		Detail of painting above the entrance to the gate passageway. The walls also are covered with paintings.
		Painting depicting St Sergius blessing Dmitri Donskoi
		Painting on wall of entrance passageway.
		The belfry and Cathedral of the Assumption and behind it to the left is the over-the-gate Church of St John the Precursor.
		The larger Trinity Cathedral (1422-27, on the right with the attached Church of St Nikon, 1548, on the left. The Palace of the Metropolitans is peeking out from behind them.
		Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit (Dukhovski) (1476-77) with blue and gold stripe dome on the right. It was built by architects from Pskov. The Trinity Cathedral (1422-23) and Church of St Nikon (1548) with gold domes on the left. The Trinity Cathedral is in Suzdal-Vladimir style with 16th century frescos and valuable icons. It was built over St Sergius' grave and his body was moved into a sarcophagus.
		The smaller church of St Nikon in front with the larger Trinity Cathedral behind it. The 5 tier bell tower is behind both.
		The belfry built at the expense of Empresses Anna, Elizabeth and Catherine II. It is 5 tiers and 322 feet high.
		The upper tiers of the belfry built by Empresses Anna, Elizabeth and Catherine II.
		In the foreground is the Chapel cover over St Sergius Well (Moscow baroque late 17th century) from which the devout draw holy water. Behind it is the Refectory and St Sergius Church built in 1686-92 by Tsars Peter I and Ivan V in gratitude for having been sheltered by the monastery during Streltzi revolt..
		The end wall of the refectory and Church of St Sergius built by Peter I and Ivan V in gratitude for their protection here from the streltzi and Sophia.
		Uspenski (Dormition) Cathedral built on order of Ivan IV to commemorate the conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan.
		The Cathedral of the Dormition (Uspenski) built in 1559 by order of Ivan IV to commemorate his conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan.
		Entrance door of the Uspenski (Dormition) cathedral built by Ivan IV in 1559.
		The Uspensky (Dormition) Cathedral built for Ivan IV in 1559 to commemorate the conquest of Kazan and Astrakhan.
		The tomb of Boris Guduov and his family just outside the wall of the Uspensky Cathedral in the Trinity Monastery that he had endowed richly.
		The chapel over the well of St Sergius (Moscow baroque late 17th century
		Church of the Virgin of Smolensk (designed in 1746 by Prince Ukhtomsky) who also worked on the belfry behind it.
		The open covering over the well. Behind it is an oblisk and the yellow building is the treasury
		View of part of the ceremony that takes place here every July 18 on the feast day of St Sergius.
		The over the gate church of St John the Precursor (1692-99)
		This is the lowest part of the 5 tier belfry.
		View from the west, across the river shows the toy factory and a hospital with the Ilyinski (St Elijah) Church.
		The horde of tourists visiting the monastery attracts another horde of entrepreneurs selling art works and handicrafts.
		Domes of Cathedral of the Dormition.
		Multicolor facade of the Refectory church.
		Domes of the St. John the Precursor, Over-the-gate church on left and single dome over the outer gate on right.
		The porch of the Refectory on left and the golden domes of the Trinity Cathedral in background
		Domes of the Trinity Cathedral.
		Lavabo in the wall in entrance vestibul of the Refectory church.
		Doorway entrance between the vestibul and main part of the Refectory church
		Holy Door in the iconostasis of the Refectory Church.
		Section of ceiling in the Refectory Church
		One side of iconostasis and decorated columns on wall.
		Entrance to main part of Refectory church with iconostasis visible through it.
		Chandelier in the Refectory church.
		The bell tower.
		Church of St Sergius.
		Upper tiers of the bell tower.
		Gudonov family tomb outside the cathedral.
		Complex of fortress towers, museum, and Church of Smolensk.
		Fortress wall with entrance gate. To left of gate is the St John the Precursor over the gate church and left of it are the blue domes of the Cathedral with bell tower behind it.
		Bell tower on left and Church of Virgin of Smolensk on right.
		Fresco in entrance passageway.
		View of painting over the entrance passageway under the outer.
		The St. John the Precursor 'over the gate' church.
		Portraits of St Sergius and St Nikon in the entrance passageway.
		Facade of the Refectory church - note the icon - "Image not made by human hands" over the entrance

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