Borisoglebsky Monastery in Dmitrov: history and description

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

The current Borisoglebsky Monastery in Dmitrov is the main attraction of this city near Moscow. The fortress is considered one of the most ancient monasteries in the Moscow region. The monastery has been completely restored and fascinates with its provinciality, inaccessibility and ringing silence.

Date of construction lost

The exact date of foundation of the monastery has not yet been established. However, there are many conjectures and opinions in this regard. So, according to some legends, in 1154 Prince Yuri Dolgoruky himself founded the Borisoglebsky Monastery. Dmitrov was founded at the same time. However, it is unlikely that this is the case.

Most likely, the monastery was built not earlier than the end of the 15th century. Written sources have been preserved in which the Borisoglebsky Monastery is mentioned for the first time. An example of this is the will drawn up by Prince Yuri Vasilyevich in 1472, which refers to the monastery of monks in Dmitrov. In 1841, the monks discovered an ancient cross under the aisle of the Cathedral of Boris and Gleb, locatedon the territory of the monastery. The cross had a number stamped on it when it was erected - 1462.

There are also versions that the foundation of the monastery was laid in the 1380s. But again, these are just versions. Unfortunately, it is impossible to determine the exact date of foundation of the monastery.

The fate of the monastery

As mentioned earlier, the Borisoglebsky Monastery has been documented since 1472. It was a small suburban monastery of monks, which was supported first from the treasury of local princes, and then by Moscow sovereigns.

After the monastery was partially destroyed by the troops of Hetman Sapieha in 1610, considerable funds were required to restore it. Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod, who soon became patriarch, personally undertook the reconstruction of the fortress, and in 1652 made it his residence near Moscow. However, soon the patriarch lost interest in this place and moved his residence to another fortress.

For a long time of its existence, the Borisoglebsky Monastery acted either as part of other monasteries, or independently. So, from 1652 to 1664 he was part of the Novgorod Bishop's house. Then for almost twenty years he acted independently. In 1682, the Moscow Zaikonospassky Monastery received power over it. And since 1725, the Dmitrov monastery of monks again became independent.

The monastery was completed and rebuilt more than once. The first known extension was the cathedral, built in 1537 in honor of the great Russian princes Gleb and Boris. After almost twenty years to the cathedrala chapel dedicated to Alexy, the man of God, was added.

In 1672 there was a strong fire in the fortress. Since the building was made of wood, it almost completely burned out. After the fire, the monastery began to be rebuilt, but already in stone. The walls and towers were only completed after 17 years.

After the October Revolution, the monastery became a women's one, and a labor artel was opened on its territory. For some time, the Museum of the Dmitrov Region was located there. However, due to the repressions that affected many employees of the institution, the museum had to be closed.

During the Great Patriotic War, the walls of the monastery served as protection for the city. And in the fortress itself there was a military garrison and a hospital.

In the post-war period, the monastery fell into disrepair. The building began to be used for warehouses and living rooms. And only in 1993 the monastery began to operate again.

Architectural ensemble

The main attraction of the monastery is the Cathedral of Gleb and Boris. This is a beautiful brick temple with a gilded dome topped with a cross. The date of construction is indicated on one of the plates built into the walls of the building. This is 1537.

Initially, the cathedral was built of wood, but after a fire in 1672, it was laid out again - already from brick and stone. In the middle of the 15th century, a western porch and a three-tier hipped bell tower with a fighting clock were added to it. During its existence, the temple was remodeled and restored more than once.

Beautiful murals have not survived to this day,made on the walls of the cathedral in 1824-1901. Today the walls in the temple are white. But you can see long and narrow, like cracks, windows, as well as a white stone cellar, made back in the 15th century.

In addition to the Cathedral of Saints Boris and Gleb, the monastery also includes the buildings of the Abbots and the Spiritual Board, fraternal cells, Holy Gates and a huge brick monastery fence with four corner turrets, which today has no defensive purpose.

Visit Borisoglebsky Monastery

Dmitrov is not far from Moscow. You can get either by train: from Savelovsky station to Dmitrov station in just an hour and a half; or by your own car, which is even faster: along Dmitrovskoye highway straight to the city.

The address of the monastery: the city of Dmitrov, Minin street, 4.

Despite the fact that the monastery in Dmitrov is for men, women can also enter its territory, walk along the massive white walls and bow their heads at the altar in the Cathedral of Boris and Gleb. Just don't forget the headscarf.

Monasteries of Saints Boris and Gleb

By the way, monasteries with a similar name exist in other cities of Russia, and not only. So, for example, in addition to Dmitrov, they have their own Borisoglebsky monastery Torzhok and the village of Borisogleb (Vladimirov region). In the village of Anosino (Moscow region) there is a functioning convent of Boris and Gleb. The Orthodox St. Boriso-Gleb convent operates in the village of Vodiane, located in the Kharkov region onUkraine.

The Borisoglebsky Pesotsky Monastery and Smolensky Monastery, built on the site where St. Gleb was killed, have not survived to this day. In the city of Polotsk (Belarus), a memorial stone was erected dedicated to the Borisoglebsky Belchitsky Monastery that once existed there.