The Resurrection Monastery of Uglich is one of the beautiful monuments of the Russian architectural style of the seventeenth century. Many will say that only the shadow of the past is left of him, and that magnificence, which he was famous for earlier, can no longer be returned ... But the Resurrection Monastery is an Orthodox monastery of particular importance. It is associated with persons known in Russian history who have invested a lot of effort and money in its construction. Our article is dedicated to its history, architecture and ensemble, as well as the appearance, decline and revival of this monastery.
Uglich and its monasteries
This city in itself is one of the most interesting places on the so-called Golden Ring of Russia. Uglich monasteries occupy a special place in the local architecture. The Resurrection Monastery, the history of which is described below, is one of the most interesting and, possibly, ancient. Of course, he had a lot to go through. Other monasteries of this city can surpass it in the richness of the decor or in the abundance of ancient icons and murals. But it is this ensemble that is classical for Rostov architecture. Other monasteries are also unusually interesting. The date of appearance of most of them is unknown. This is Alekseevsky, Trinity-Nikolsky "on the sand", John the Theologian and others. Most of them were ravaged in the seventeenth century and closed after the October Revolution. And only a few were restored and restored. Resurrection monastery refers to such "lucky." It was restored almost completely.
Location
The Resurrection Monastery (Uglich, address: Spasskaya Street, 31 / 2a) is located on the banks of the Volga River. This is the area west of the Kremlin. Administratively, it belongs to the Rybinsk diocese. But since the territory of the monastery is very large, it is surrounded by other streets - Academician Oparin, Pionerskaya. Nearby is the Rooster Park Museum, one of the interesting sights of the city.
How to get there
Uglich often organize sightseeing tours. Getting here on your own is problematic. The easiest way to get to Uglich is from Yaroslavl. From this regional center to the museum city is two hours away. Yes, and regular bus services. You can get to Uglich and from Moscow. Buses run through Pushkino and Sergiev Posad daily. But it takes about five hours to get there for a long time. Almost every inhabitant knows the address of the Resurrection Monastery in Uglich. Moreover, it is located near the Kremlin. So, they will show you the way, you will not get lost.
Story
We do not know exactly when the Resurrection Uglich Monastery in Uglich was founded. Many different legends are told about this. One of them says that its construction is connected with the biography of St. Paisius of Uglich. Allegedly, this monastery was founded when the city was Archimandrite Nathanael, who came to consecrate the Cathedral Church of the Intercession. It happened on October 1, 1482. The letter of the specific prince Dimitry Zhilka from 1509 has been preserved, according to which the monastery received several neighboring villages. At least at that time he was already a large landowner.
And other sources claim that the monastery is much older. According to this version, it was built by the Uglich prince Roman Vladimirovich in the thirteenth century. In the XVI century there were six wooden churches. In 1609, during the Time of Troubles, Polish troops stormed the monastery. Killed five hundred inhabitants of the city, about sixty monks and archimandrite. In the XVII century, stone buildings were built on a new site. But already in the eighteenth century this monastery ceased to exist. It was liquidated, and temples turned into parish city churches. Household buildings in the monastery were closed. Over time, the number of active parish churches has decreased.
Construction
The Holy Resurrection Monastery (Uglich) now has the appearance that it took in the seventeenth century. In those days, it was rebuilt at the direction of Jonah Sysoevich. This is the Rostov Metropolitan, an associate of the Patriarch Nikon, who received tonsure at this monastery. He ordered the construction of a complex of buildings in a new place, which was then called Puddles. The fact is that the territory on which the old monastery was located was in the destruction zone. The shore of the Trinity Stream, where he stood, gradually collapsed. Therefore, in the spring, almost the entire territory was flooded with water, which the inhabitants did not like. All the monastery buildings were built according to plan, at the same time. The architect was Alexey Ustinov. The composition is well thought out. This architectural monument has a complex and at the same time solid composition. Buildings stretched out in a row and interconnected by the so-called gulbische.
The monastery in the Soviet period
After the revolution, parish churches were in decline. The main cathedral was dilapidated, and the ground beneath it began to fail. Under Soviet rule, it was originally transferred to the Museum of Antiquities, where many masterpieces of ancient Russian art were collected, including applied art. But during the period of so-called active godlessness (1923-24), all the temples of the monastery were closed. But after the war, and especially from the sixties of the last century, they gradually began to be restored. In 1975, the ensemble of the Resurrection Monastery in Uglich was restored using the latest technologies at that time. First of all, they were used to strengthen the soil under the foundations that sank. In 1999, the monastery and all its buildings were returned to the Orthodox Church .
Uglich, Resurrection Monastery. Description of the ensemble
The whole monastery is a single whole, and this impression of unity characterizes the entire complex. This architectural style is characteristic both for the time of construction and for the customer. It was built at the same time as the Kremlin of Rostov the Great. All buildings are white-stone, they are decorated with irrigated green ("pickled") tiles, which depict various symbols, animals, scenes - both domestic and military. The new Resurrection Monastery of Uglich, built in the seventeenth century, consisted of a cathedral, a Smolensk church with a refectory, and also a gate church of Mary of Egypt with a bell-tower in a tent style. Then cells, a fence and utility rooms were built. He also entered the system of city fortifications, in particular, defended the southwestern part of Uglich. This architectural ensemble was recognized as one of the outstanding creations of Russian architecture. It differs in laconic forms, simplicity of decoration, interesting and rich decor, as well as taking into account the functions of each part of the monastery. This suggests that its builders were outstanding, if not brilliant people.
Resurrection Cathedral
This building is dominant throughout the ensemble. This is the most majestic and even somewhat harsh temple, which is located in the center of the complex. The Resurrection Monastery (Uglich) is interesting in that its main cathedral has two chapels, connected by a gallery. The porch in the west goes into the staircase leading to the temple. And from the south, the gallery is connected to the rest of the monastery buildings. At first, the temple was a separate building. But then it was connected with extensions and transitions with the rest of the complex. The Resurrection Cathedral itself is rich in a variety of decorative ornaments. Its portals are made of special bricks, the arcades are inlaid with tiles. The window frames in the absides are brightly painted. The church itself is a five-domed four-pillar temple, which was built according to the typical Yaroslavl religious architecture. Under the northern aisle is another religious building. This is the winter church of the Sign of the Virgin.
Bell tower
This impressive three-span structure with four tiers - the belfry - also has architectural significance. It does not stand alone, as is the case in most monasteries. With its help, the Resurrection Cathedral is connected to the refectory and the church of Hodegetria. A bell tower was built according to the type of Yaroslavl and Rostov belfries. It has two floors. Below, there used to be the main gate, where they drove in to get into the Resurrection Monastery of Uglich. Now this is a basement with a ladder. There are also walk-through gates. The second floor has been preserved as a gallery; it represents a transition between buildings. In one of the rooms of the belfry, on the upper tier, is a small church of Mary of Egypt. You can enter there from the gallery on the stairs inside the walls. Above is an arcade for bells, completed by a gilded chapter. It was restored in 1999.
Hodegetria Church, refectory and other buildings
These monastery buildings can be accessed through the passage, which is located in the belfry. The refectory is an extensive hall - the so-called chamber, whose vaulted ceiling is supported by a central column. In the old days there was a watch with a movement. The chamber itself initially had a tented dome, and then it was replaced by a more artsy one. In the east, the refectory is adjoined by a three-apse one-domed church of a slightly elongated shape - the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God. It used to be used as a winter church. After the monastery was closed, the refectory housed a religious school. In the fifties of the twentieth century, the Smolensk church was restored. The Hodegetria Church (Resurrection Monastery of Uglich) is a small building, which is located immediately behind the refectory. The interior of this temple is not as richly decorated as in the Cathedral, but fragments of old frescoes have been preserved. In the 2010s, the Holy Gates and a fence with towers were added to the complex. In the sixteenth century, the ancestors of the monastery buried the ancestors of the first representative of the Romanov dynasty by mother. Therefore, the royal family gave many donations to the monastery.
Reviews
Tourists and pilgrims who visited the Resurrection Monastery of Uglich left positive feedback about it. They write that the complex is operational. Outside the gates, monastic life is reborn. Everything is very modest, but comfortable. In the small courtyard there are many benches for relaxation. There is a shop where you can buy religious literature and paraphernalia, as well as kvass and pies made by monks. In churches liturgies and divine services are performed. Beautiful, interconnected snow-white buildings with golden domes make a wonderful impression. The street on which the monastery stands is also interesting - it is very old, and there remained historical buildings. This architectural complex fits perfectly into the urban ensemble and the character of Uglich. When visiting the city, it is worth a visit.