Zvenigorod
Trip to the old Russian city, which once competed with Moscow to be the Russian capital. Here you can see masterpieces of 14 and 15 centuries: Assumption Cathedral and Savva’s Monastery. On the way will be several interesting places - Bolshie Vyazemy, Ubory with beautiful churches and views of Russian countryside.
I am sorry, that I have not time right now to prepare my own text about this church, but in Internet, I have found recently very interesting article about this monastery and I copied the most important info about this church:
"During the 14th century, when the Lithuanians were repeatedly attacking Moscow, a fortified guard and observation post was constructed on the high hill that has a commanding view over the entire river valley and the main road from Smolensk. It is still a beautiful location with open views of countryside that hasn't changed since then. At the end of the 14th century Savva was a member of Sergei Radonezh's circle at the Holy Trinity Monastery. The name, Storozhevsky, comes from the mountain's name, Storozhy, During a visit Prince of Zvenigorod Yuri Dmitryevich met Savva and was so impressed with his holiness that he wanted to bring him to his appanage and build him a church and hermitage. The wooden church was built here and named Rozhdenstva Presvayata Bogoroditsi (Nativity of our Blessed Mother). And a small monk's cell was constructed nearby. Soon the word of Savva's holiness spread and more and more monks gathered around him. A stone church was built. The monastery grew gradually as princes and boyars made donations. Here in 1396-1399 on a hill above the river Moskva, which dominates the valley, the area was made into a fortification by earthen ramparts, and a wooden fort with towers. In 1407 in the center of the enclave Yuri built the Cathedral of the Nativity in stone and the bells of the Cathedral served to warn Moscow of the approach of invaders. Presumably this was the reason that the nearby town was named Zvenigorod - the town of bell ringing."
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