Description of the attraction
The Ferapontov monastery was founded by an associate of the Monk Cyril of Belozersky - Saint Ferapont in 1938. The monastery is located 120 km from Vologda. The Ferapontov Monastery is small: four churches, a refectory, a bell tower and a treasury chamber are fenced off with a not very high brick fence.
The monastery gained wide popularity thanks to the activities of the Monk Martinian, who is the confessor of Basil II. In the second half of the 15th - early 16th centuries, the monastery became an important spiritual, ideological and cultural center of Belozerye. The elders of the monastery had a serious impact on the politics of Moscow. At the beginning of the 17th century. The Ferapontov Monastery owned several villages, fifty villages, wastelands and peasants in the number of more than three hundred people.
The ensemble of the monastery amazes with its quiet charm, comfort, unity with nature. The first buildings of the monastery were built of wood. Stone buildings began to be erected at the end of the 15th century. The first to be erected was the Cathedral of the Nativity of Our Lady, which was one of the first cathedrals built of stone in northern Russia. The cathedral is the oldest building of the monastery.
The cathedral was painted by Dionysius, a famous and popular icon painter of that time. Dionysius' sons helped paint the cathedral. The area of the painting of the walls of the cathedral is 600 sq. m. The soft colors of the painting and numerous subjects are pleasing to the eye. The walls of the cathedral were painted in thirty-four days.
The Nativity Cathedral seems extremely light, exquisite, slender. The western side is distinguished by a special outfit. The basis of its decoration is a decorative belt, consisting of two tiers, laid out of sparkling tiled tiles. Above is a patterned cornice. The drum of the central dome, as well as the kokoshniks and semicircles of the altar apses were generously processed. All types of decor are presented in their design - tiled belts, balusters, curly niches.
The cathedral is adjoined by two-level passages with a bell tower built in the middle. They lead to the Church of the Annunciation, which was built in 1530-1534. It is a cube-shaped temple with one dome, divided into three tiers. The first, lower floor was occupied by utility pantries, the service room was located on the second floor, and the bell tower was located on the third. The completion of the temple was not quite usual either. The area of a high cylindrical drum, which was crowned with a pretentious head, grouped a bell tower, small rooms that have the purpose of "hiding places" and book depositories, communication passages.
The main entrance to the monastery is the Holy Gate. They were built in 1649. Their main facade is colorful and decorated. Narrow and long windows are framed by elongated platbands with a keeled sharp top. Under the cornice there are patterned belts in two rows. The crown of mastery and talent of the architect is represented by tents, crafted with great taste.
In 1614 the monastery was thoroughly plundered by the Poles. However, the monks managed to hide and preserve especially valuable shrines. Gradually, starting from the end of the 17th century, the monastery began to decline. The buildings of the monastery are, one might say, the only ones in the north of Russia that have preserved all the typical features of the interior and decor.
By the decision of the Holy Synod in 1798, the monastery was closed. Many buildings have been destroyed or rebuilt. In 1904, the monastery began to function as a nunnery. It was closed again in 1923. In 1975, the formation of the museum began. Nowadays, it houses the Museum of Dionysius frescoes. Today these are the oldest surviving frescoes of ancient Russia.
Description added:
N. N. 06.10.2012
The Ferapont Monastery was founded by the Monk Ferapont at the end of the 14th century, but soon the founder departed for Mozhaisk, and his brainchild began to decline. At the end of the 15th century, a fire broke out in the monastery, after which stone construction began on the territory of the monastery. A stone sob was built in 1490
Show full text The Ferapontov Monastery was founded by the Monk Ferapont at the end of the 14th century, but soon the founder departed for Mozhaisk, and his brainchild began to decline. At the end of the 15th century, a fire broke out in the monastery, after which stone construction began on the territory of the monastery. In 1490, the stone cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin was built. In the 16th century, the Church of the Annunciation with a refectory, the Guest Chamber and other service buildings were built. In the middle of the 17th century, the gateway churches of the Epiphany and Ferapont were erected on the Holy Gates, a tent-roofed church and a bell tower. In the 19th century, the monastery was surrounded by a stone fence, and in 1924 it was closed. In 1975, the Museum of Dionysius Frescoes was opened in the monastery, and in 2000 the ensemble of the Ferapontov Monastery was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Holy Gates of the Ferapontov Monastery are a prismatic volume with two light slender tents topped with small domes. A wide archway of this gate leads into the monastery ensemble.
The cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin is of the greatest artistic significance. It was built in 1491 by Rostov craftsmen. The type of the cathedral is reminiscent of Moscow temples of the 15th century. The volume of the building is cubic with keeled bins and blades on the facades. The walls are covered with patterned brickwork. Under the zakomaras, the walls are decorated with a wide belt with floral ornaments made of matte red tiles. The same decorative treatment was introduced in the apses and in the upper part of the high drum with a helmet-shaped dome.
Inside the cathedral, all walls, pillars and vaults are painted with frescoes. The frescoes of the Ferapontov Monastery were made by the famous painter Dionysius and his two sons. During his work, Dionysius used paints obtained from local rocks of minerals, which helped him to create a rich color range of paints.
The painting of the cathedral is dedicated to the Mother of God. She is depicted in the center of the temple and in large compositions on the walls. The third tier contains the scenes of the Akathist of the Mother of God. Dionysius and his masters strove to reveal the bright human image of Mary, hence this optimistic tone of their painting. In the dome of the temple there is a fresco "Pantokrator" with evangelists on papyri.
The Church of the Nativity of the Virgin was cold. Services were held there only in the warm season. A warm church was the Church of the Annunciation, standing nearby, built a little later along with the refectory. In the 19th century, the refectory was converted into a church, and the former church became the altar part of the new church.
In 1975, the Dionysius Museum of Frescoes was established in the monastery, which is part of the Kirillo-Belozersky Historical, Architectural and Art Museum-Reserve. In addition, there are two more exhibitions here. One of them is located in the Church of the Annunciation and is dedicated to history and church art, and the other is ethnographic in the Refectory.
Hide text
