Novodevichy Convent is located in the south-west of Moscow, in the bend of the Moscow River, and is an outstanding architectural monument of the 16th and 17th centuries. The convent was founded by Tsar Vasiliy III in 1524 in honor of the return of Smolensk lands to Russia ten years earlier. This also explains the second name of the monastery – the Mother of God of Smolensk.
The most remarkable piece and the focal point of the Novodevichy Convent is the Smolensky Cathedral, dedicated to the icon of Our Lady of Smolensk. The cathedral was built at the same time as the monastery groundwork’s began and represents a monumental five-domed temple with murals dating the 16th and 17th centuries. The cathedral features a five-tiered carved iconostasis and rare icons from the same era. The Church of the Assumption, multiple bell towers, the Church of the monastery’s gate, as well as the Marianskaya and Lopukhinskaya Chambers are all superb examples of «Moscow Baroque».
The fate of the Novodevichy Convent took a dramatic turn in the early 20th century. In 1922, the monastery was closed and turned into a museum, becoming affiliated with the State Historical Museum. Nevertheless, since 1980, the residence of Metropolitan Krutitsy and Kolomna has been located within these walls. In 1994, the territory saw the establishment of a nunnery again, while in 1995, religious resumed services on the Feast Day of the Smolensk Cathedral.
The Novodevichy Convent is included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site since the year 2004 and is considered to be one of the oldest monasteries in Russia. That same year this breathtaking Convent celebrated its 480 years.
