The Transfiguration Monastery in Yaroslavlis the oldest building in the city. For the first time about it is written in the chronicle, dated 1186 year. However, other sources say that it was founded in the XIII century. Perhaps this is not the main date, since the first buildings of stone temples located on the territory of the monastery were erected in 1216-1224. Numerous documents testify to this. Most tourists have a reason to visit Yaroslavl. The sights, photos of which they saw in brochures, attracted them with their beauty, in particular - the image of the majestic monastic buildings.
To have an idea of the exactthe location of the monastery, you should know where Yaroslavl is located on the map of Russia. The city is located on the river Kotorosl, not far from Lesnaya Polyana, and belongs to the major cultural centers of Europe. On the left bank the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery was erected in Yaroslavl. Address of this landmark: Bogoyavlenskaya Square, 25. Originally all the buildings and walls were made of wood. In the XIII century, the monastery received the patronage of Prince Constantine of Yaroslavl, on the instructions of which there were erected stone buildings, a temple. Thanks to the Yaroslavl ruler, a spiritual school was opened here, the only one in the north-eastern region of Russia. In the Spassky Monastery was a rich library, which had many Greek, Russian books written by hand. Thus, this place has become the cultural and religious center of the region. In the early 90s of the XVIII century it was here that the collector of antiquities Alexei Ivanovich Musin-Pushkin discovered a list of "Words about Igor's Campaign", which other monasteries of Yaroslavl could not boast.
At present, the Transfiguration Monasteryin Yaroslavl is the oldest building, which has survived to the present day. It was erected on the foundation, left from the first monastery of 1506-1516. The first cathedral was badly damaged by the fire of 1501, so it was forced to dismantle it. The new temple was built not by Yaroslavl, but by Moscow masters sent from the capital at the direction of Vasily III, since before the ascent of the Moscow throne the prince ruled Yaroslavl. The architectural form of the monastery is somewhat similar to the temples of the Moscow Kremlin. The cathedral is girdled with a gallery on both sides, has an open arcade. The gallery was built in place of an open "gulbischa", for a long time it served as a library at the monastery. Today, archways from the north of the gallery were laid.
The outlines of the cathedral are simple and strict, theyalmost devoid of jewelry, except for the stepped gallery from the west. The facades end with large zakomars and are devoid of virtuosic design. Three high apses are equipped with narrow windows-loopholes. The cathedral is crowned with three heads on massive light tall drums, which are surrounded by small kokoshniks and girdled at the top with arkaturno-columnar belts. This carved decoration is the only decorating cathedral. Otherwise, the external decoration of the monastery is very strict, ascetic, conveys the severity of the times in which the temple was built. The cathedral was used as a burial vault of Yaroslavl princes, and at the end of the 17th century, less noble persons were buried there. One of the first cities that had many buildings in the monastery was Yaroslavl. Sightseeing - the photo shows us this - appeared as a result of the construction of new buildings and the restoration of old ones.
From the south-east side to the TransfigurationThe cathedral is adjoined by a huge church in Empire style, which was built in 1827-1831. in accordance with the project of the provincial architect Peter Yakovlevich Pankov. She completely blocked the view of the ancient cathedral from the south side. Before this place there was a small Church of the Entry into Jerusalem, which was the same age as the first cathedral. It was there that the relics of the Yaroslavl miracle-workers - Saint Prince Feodor and his sons - David and Constantine - were recovered.
As a result of the fire of 1501, she alsosuffered, however, not so much as the cathedral itself, so it stood still about a hundred years, until it was decided to rebuild it. The monastery and churches were especially revered by the Moscow princes. Even Ivan the Terrible himself visited them more than once. With his participation, the cathedral was painted, the monastery was honored with gifts, so, 55 gratified royal certificates were preserved.
In the XVI century on the square at the monastery erecteda large belfry, possibly a pillar in the beginning, it was connected with a cathedral by a two-tiered gallery. In the lower part of the building a temple was built, its apse is visible to the east. By the middle of the XVI century the belfry was expanded, it was made a thoroughfare, crowning the top with two tents made of stone. The arches of the original tier of this building are clearly visible till now.
Современный вид звонница получила в XIX веке, в one time with the construction of a temple in honor of miracle workers. According to the ideas of the architect P.Ya. Pankov built it in the third tier in pseudo-Gothic style. At the top put a small rotunda in a classic style. In this eclectic form, much "grown up", it reached us, becoming the main high-altitude landmark of the center of Yaroslavl.
From the western part of the belfry, framing the squaremonastery, set a huge refectory in two floors with the Christmas Church. It was built in the 16th century, perhaps even before the cathedral itself. The center of this building consists of a spacious one-pillar chamber with arches in the form of a sail. It was intended for solemn receptions of noble guests, refectory events of a huge monastic brotherhood. Vaults, as well as the walls of the chamber were richly decorated with paintings. By beauty and improvement this refectory was better than the capital buildings of its time. So, the heating went through the openings from the kitchen hearth, located below, the dishes were served from the cook through specially equipped hatches. Downstairs there was a kitchen and utility rooms - storerooms, kvassovarnya. On the second floor there were also living quarters. The eastern part of the building is furnished with a refectory of the Church of the Nativity of Christ. It is a small temple that stood on a towering podklet. From the west, the chambers of the rector of the 17th century joined the ward. The walls were devoid of outstanding decoration, except for simple platbands and pilasters.
At the beginning of the XVI century instead of a wooden fencestone fortifications are erected, including the exquisite Holy Gates. Originally, the eastern wall was closer to the belfry, and now on its line is an elongated cell building of the 1670s-1790s. In 1516, the first stone tower of the monastery walls was built - the Holy Gates, which overlooked the Kotorosl River. In the 17th century, the watch tower was also built up, this bell tower with a special alarm bell for reporting the alarm, and outside the tower were built a zahab - a kind of protective structure that covered the entrance from possible attacks by the enemy. The tower is considered the main entrance, and its gate is led to the central square of the monastery. Originally it was surrounded by a crenellated belt, which is now preserved only from the south. By the middle of the 17th century, besides the watchtower, the Vvedenskaya Gate Church was also installed on the Holy Gate, with the completion in the form of a tent, which was rebuilt in the 19th century, replaced by a primitive four-pitched roof.
Gradually (in the 1550-1580's.) all the existing wooden walls of the monastery were replaced by stone ones. The border of the monastery itself at this time passed from the east side, where, nowadays, a cell building is built. Strong stone walls were very handy, because in 1609 on Yaroslavl moved Polish-Lithuanian troops. The city itself was besieged, however, thanks to the mutual placement of the Kremlin and the monastery, withstood the twenty-four-day siege, remaining unconquered. In 1612, in the Savior-Transfiguration Monastery, the commanders of the Russian militia of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and the philistine Kozma Minin were placed. A year later, for the wedding of the kingdom, Mikhail Romanov himself came to Yaroslavl. The Preobrazhensky Monastery crowned the future ruler with honors. Perhaps this explains the long patronage of the royal family Spassky monastery.
По окончании смуты Спасо-Преображенский монастырь in Yaroslavl expands the territory. They began to build new walls, equipped with towers. In place of the old eastern wall, a rather long body with cells is being built (in the 1670s and 1690s).
The grandiose building was well thought out for comfortable habitation:
In the fence of the monastery, not all the towers were preserved, some of them were later dismantled.
The following buildings survived:
In the XVIII century, the monastery was abolished in accordancewith the decree of Catherine II, proclaiming the secularization of church lands. The Savior Transfiguration Monastery in Yaroslavl became the residence of the Yaroslavl and Rostov archbishops. The restructuring of the XIX century was carried out in accordance with the views of the House of Bishops. The former monastery still kept the richest library - the depository, and then opened the seminary. Due to this, Yaroslavl was marked on the map of Russia as a cultural capital.
В советские времена монастырь закрыли.During the Yaroslavl uprising, many buildings were significantly damaged, but in the 1920s they were again renovated. The temples and cells of the Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery were used as housing, educational institutions, military registration and enlistment office. And only since the 1950s, a full restoration was carried out, it was decided to place here the Yaroslavl Historical and Architectural Museum-Reserve. He is the full owner of the monastery territory to this day. The city of Yaroslavl is very famous for this grand building. The Savior Transfiguration Monastery, the photo of which is presented above, is a unique structure that looks truly magnificent and colossal.
