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New Maiden Convent

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Руководитель: Янонис Екатерина ВикторовнаУчитель английского языкаМесто выполнения работы: Гимназия ГБОУ №1358 Г. Москва

It is an architectural ensemble situated on the bank of the river Moscow near the metro station Sportivnaya. This beautiful convent was founded in the early 16th century during the reign of Grand Prince Vasily ||| . It is a symbol of beauty and pride of Moscow’s culture and architecture.

In this picture, the main entrance to the convent and Church of the Transfiguration

Преображенская надвратная церковь 1687 – 1688

It was the richest convent in Moscow. Noblewomen of that time: wives and widows of tsars and boyars, their daughters and sisters took the veil here. They handed

over their jewels, pearls, gold and silver to the convent.

Smolensky cathedral was the main in the convent dedicated to the Mother of God of Smolensk (1524-1525).

Смоленский собор

Смоленская икона Божией матери Одигитрии (с греческого: Путеводительница, наставница)

The Smolenskaya Icon of the Mother of God Hodigitria. The icon was brought to Rus from Greece in 1064.

It was built and designed by qualified, experienced masters who built the Moscow Kremlin.

Smolensky cathedral was a symbol of the power of the Orthodox Church.

The convent is like a miniature Kremlin. It has the similar toothed walls and the towers like Kremlin. But unlike the Kremlin walls,

it has 12 towers.

Toothed walls resembling swallows’ tails were built to protect marksmen from enemies’ attacks. In the 17th century the towers were decorated with splendid tracery crowns.

Peter the Great’s half sister Sofia took particular concern over the convent in the middle of 17 century

and made the convent more beautiful.

Under her direction Bell –tower was built in the style of Moscow baroque, 72 meters high (1689-1690). It was the second high Bell –tower in Moscow after the Ivan the Great tower.

Chambers of Tsarevna Sofia (1680) near Naprydnaya (Over- the-Pond) Tower (Палаты царевны Софьи у Напрудной башни)Sofia was an intelligent and power-loving woman and did not want to give the throne to her brotherPeter when he had to take it.She was supported by the marksmen.Peter the Great put her in the convent against her will. In 1698 the guilty marksmen were hanged onthe walls in front of her windows. Sofia died in the convent in 1704.

Assumption Church with Refectory Hall (1685-1687) was built in the style of Moscow baroque. It is open to visitors. Успенская церковь с трапезной палатой

The interior of the church looks magnificent and splendid.

Napoleon’s soldiers stayed inside the convent. Before leaving it, Napoleon gave orders to blow up the churches. But thanks to the nuns it didn’t happen. The nuns managed to put out the fuses and prevent a fire in the convent.

After the war with Napoleon some heroes of this Patriotic War were buried here. New Maiden Convent has 2 cemeteries: “old” and “new”.

Partisan Denis Davydov, a hero of the Napoleonic war,was buried inside the convent.

The “new” or “south” cemetery adjoins the convent in the south side outside the convent. The new cemetery appeared in 1898. In the Soviet period this cemetery became the second most honored place for burials after the Kremlin walls. Chekhov was buried here in 1904. Cherry little trees grew near his grave and blossomed in spring.

In the “new” cemetery a lot of famous people were buried: Lyubov Orlova, Nadezda Allilueva, Bulgakov, Nikita Khrushev, Fedor Shalyapin and many others.

Samuil Marshak, the outstanding Soviet writer and translator, died on the 4th of Luly in 1964 and was buried in the “new”

cemetery.

Singers’houseПевческие палаты (XVII в) 

Prokhorovs chapel (1911)Часовня Прохоровых

Pogrebnie chambersПогребовые палаты (XVII) 

Mausoleum of the Volkonskiys (1830s)

Мавзолей Волконских

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Every year the great religious feast – Easter holds here. Cakes and eggs are lighted.

Thank you for your attention!