The majestic architectural ensemble of Кirillo-Belozersky Monastery is one of the largest in Russia. It has kept architectural monuments of XV-XIX centuries, massive walls and towers.
Here in the land of white nights one can step back in time to an era that exemplified grace and tranquility where many Russian sanctuaries and sacred places are preserved in their original appearance.
The Kirillo - Belozersky Monastery won an international renown owing to the effect of stateliness and an artistic work of exceptional value. Laid out and built in the traditions of early Russian design, they are preserved as monuments of church architecture.
Now the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery astounds everybody by the enormous size of its fortified walls and towers. The length of the monastery’s walls is about 2 km. The architectural monuments laid out and built in the traditions of early Russian architecture are mainly productions of the 15th-17th centuries. Among the structures that merit special attention are the Cathedral of the Assumption (1497), the Church of the Archangel Gabriel with a bell-tower and a refectory. Their distinctive traits lie in the simplicity and accuracy of the external décor.
The museum of icons located in the monastery is a really impressive collection. The iconostasis of the Cathedral of the Assumption, in its modern construction, has been preserved to our days. It is a unique fact in the history of the Russian art. In the museum there are several icons belonging to the brush of Dionisius from the Ferapont monastery.
Besides the icons of the museum, works of "silver" embroidery are worth seeing. An extensive library of the monastery has been preserved to our days. In the 15th-17th centuries it was one of the largest in Ancient Rus. By data of the 17th century it contained 1879 books.
Теги: Vologda, Kirillo-Belozersky Museum-Reserve