New Jerusalem in the suburbs: excursions

Not far from Moscow you can see an unusually picturesque place - the complex "New Jerusalem". Many of our compatriots are well known monasteries of the Moscow region (including those that operate). All of them represent a huge historical and architectural value. This is the Don Monastery for Men, Novospassky, the female Alekseevsky, of course, the famous Novodevichy and many others. However, the one about which we will tell today stands alone in the beautiful gallery of works of Russian architecture. It is located on the Istra River, not far from the city of the same name.

It is usually called the New Jerusalem. In Moscow, the patriarch Nikon decided to reproduce the Palestinian shrines . This made it possible for Russian people to see the holy places of the Resurrection of Christ. And I must say that thousands of tourists come here every year from different parts of our country.

History of creation

The construction of New Jerusalem was carried out in two stages. The first stage continued from 1656 to 1666, when Alexei Mikhailovich Tishaishy reigned. The works were interrupted after the disgrace of Patriarch Nikon. Construction was resumed only in 1679 by order of Fyodor Alekseevich.

The New Jerusalem in the suburbs is a cathedral complex. In 1685, the construction of the Resurrection Cathedral and the Church of Constantine and Helena was completed.

The creation of the fortress wall and gate church of the Entry of the Lord was completed in 1697, already under Peter I. This construction did not end. To my great regret, the stone tent of the Cathedral of the Resurrection collapsed, having not stood for thirty years. It was restored until 1761. In this year the reign of Empress Elizabeth was completed.

The new tent was built according to the design of the famous Francesco Rastrelli (junior). The most famous works of this master are well known to our compatriots - the Smolny monastery, the Great Peterhof and the Winter Palace. The construction was supervised by the architect K.I. Form.

During the Second World War, the New Jerusalem (monastery) found itself on the territory seized by the fascists. Before leaving they ruined him, destroyed the buildings. The cathedral belltower was destroyed, the top of the Resurrection Cathedral was burned, tents were brought down from the towers. The complex required serious restoration work.

Monastery after the death of Nikon

When the Patriarch Nikon left this world, the monastery was not abandoned. Its construction was continued. At the end of the 17th century a monastery fence made of wood was replaced with a stone one. The reconstruction was carried out according to the project of the famous Russian architect Ya.G. Buhvostov.

A good tradition to attract the best architects to the construction of the temple complex was continued. After the collapse of the tent above the chapel of the Holy Sepulcher in 1723, Francesco Rastrelli took up his restoration. In further restructuring MF took part. Kazakov, A.N. Voronikhin, K.A. Tone.

Monastery under Peter I

At the walls of the monastery in 1698, a historic battle took place between the streltsi and loyal troops led by A. Shein. Sagittarians were defeated, most of them were executed. This event gave impetus to Peter's reforms. At this time the monastery experienced a decline. But later it became an important cultural and religious center of the country. On its territory was one of the richest libraries.

Many famous personalities of Russian culture and the history of the second half of the 18th century were here as pilgrims.

The architecture of the ensemble

New Jerusalem in the suburbs - this is a vivid example of the Moscow baroque. Its towers and walls are built in the form of a hexagon of irregular shape. They have internal utility rooms, loopholes and cells of monks. The towers are crowned with stone tents. The Resurrection Cathedral is located in the very center of the monastery.

Restoration of the complex

Restoration work in this holy place last for several decades and continues to this day. Today the monastery is almost restored, except the bell tower.

Analogies with Jerusalem are seen here in everything - some towers of the monastery are named after the gates of Jerusalem - Gethsemane, Damascus, Zion. There is also his Gethsemane garden. A great impression on tourists is built in 1658 by the monastery of the patriarch in the New Jerusalem complex. Istra, on one of the islands of which the monastery is located, symbolizes the Jordan River.

New Jerusalem in the suburbs: attractions

What should you look for tourists who have come to these places? Let us find a detailed answer to this question.

Resurrection Cathedral

A unique architectural monument. It is located in the center of the monastery. It is a complex structure, which consists of a temple and adjoining extensions. On the west side is the Chapel of the Holy Sepulcher with a rotunda, which has an eighteen meter tent. On the north side is the Assumption Church, and in the east - the church of Constantine and Helen, deepened into the earth. Earlier, on the south side of the cathedral, there was a bell tower, which was destroyed in 1941.

The cathedral's tranquility is characterized by a special aspiration, which is little inherent in Orthodox churches. There is also an underground church in the basement. In addition, inside you can see the dungeon, where Christ was waiting for a terrible execution, the Cubiculum - a chapel made of marble, concealing the Tomb of the Lord. Next to it are always burning thirteen lamps belonging to the Orthodox Patriarchate, thirteen Armenian, thirteen Catholic and four Coptic.

The cathedral is surrounded by refectory and hospital chambers. Next to them are the rector's chambers. Not far from the cathedral you can see the remains of the churchyard with the burials of prominent representatives of the Russian nobility.

Fortress walls

This part of the monastery was built under the guidance of Yakov Bukhvostov (1690-1697). The fortress walls have towers and the Gateway Church of the Entry over the Holy Gates.

Church of the Entry of the Lord

Another attraction is on the territory of the complex "New Jerusalem". The Temple of the Entry of the Lord was built in the 17th century. This is a multi-tiered structure. The gate church is a typical temple, widely used in Russian church architecture of the 17th century. In its elegant, but austere decor, made of bricks, the motifs of the fortress wall are repeated.

The tiered temple surprisingly organically blended into the space between the upper floors of the cathedral and the bell tower. This made the eastern facade of the complex even more picturesque and more complex.

On the west side of the temple are the Hospital Chambers built in 1698, the Refectory Chambers and the Church of the Nativity of Christ, which symbolizes Bethlehem (1692), and the Chamber of the Archimandrite (1750). Here is the palace of Tsarevna Tatyana Mikhailovna (XVII century), as well as the brotherly building.

New Jerusalem in the Moscow region is fenced with a unique wall, built in 1694. It unites eight towers - Zion, Gethsemane, Elizavetin Gateway (there was no such tower in Jerusalem), David House, Baruch, Ephraim, the Inexpensile, Damascus.

Behind the Elizabethan gates of the monastery was the Garden of Gethsemane. Now it's gone, it's a park in the bend of Istra.

Once in this garden there were channels that formed the island. On it, about three hundred meters from the wall of the monastery lived Patriarch Nikon.

Sketch of Nikon has survived to this day. This is a four-story house, in which there were two churches (on the first and fourth floors), cells, including Nikon himself, utility rooms. Sket, in addition to historical significance, is a rare example of a house in the middle of the 17th century.

The New Jerusalem Museum

The architectural and historical museum is located on the territory of the New Jerusalem Monastery - a magnificent monument of architecture of the XVII century. The Museum "New Jerusalem" (Istra, Moscow region) was founded in 1920.

This is an exact copy of the famous temple complex in Jerusalem. The museum at the monastery will acquaint all those who wish with the ancient Russian art of the 18th and early 20th centuries. The exposition presents rare, unique manuscripts, priceless documentary evidence, church vestments and utensils, antique furniture, jewelery. Here and under the open sky is a museum that shows examples of wooden architecture.

Every year new expositions are updated and appear in the exhibition building. On the territory of the complex there are festive events and interactive programs.

The museum is waiting for its visitors in the winter every day from 10:00 to 17:00, and in the summer - from 10:00 to 18:00. On Monday and the last Friday of the month the institution does not work.

All guests can enter the territory of the monastery, look at the archaeological excavations, visit the museum and the Church of the Nativity of Christ. Through the Elizabeth Tower you can go to the park, where the Exhibition Building and the most interesting monuments of wooden architecture - the chapel, farmstead, windmill. There is horse riding.

New Jerusalem in the suburbs: excursions

Thousands of tourists visit the "New Jerusalem" temple complex every year. You will need a map of the Moscow region if you are going to come here by car. The road from Moscow will take about two hours.

First you need a sightseeing tour. New Jerusalem will appear before you in all its glory at any time of the year. You will be invited to visit the tomb of Nikon, the chapel of the Assumption of the Virgin, the Underground church. Those who want to know more about this place will need an extended excursion. In this case, a visit to the Peasant Farm and Park is added.

In the warm season, a tour of the complex "New Jerusalem" in the Moscow region includes a climb to the fortress wall, which offers a stunning view. In winter, you can visit the Exhibition Building.

The complex "New Jerusalem" in the suburbs has developed an exciting excursion for children. It includes visiting a peasant house and a courtyard. An experienced guide will tell the children about the customs and life of peasants of the late XIX century. For an additional fee you can take pictures in a peasant dress, ride a horse.

In 1994, in the church of Constantine and Helena, divine services began to be held again, in 1995 the buildings and structures of the monastery were transferred to the Moscow Patriarchate, and the monastic life resumed.

New Jerusalem in the suburbs today is both a monastery and an open-air museum. Everyone who wants to join our history and relax in the shadow of age-old pines of the Garden of Gethsemane wants to come to these places.