Description of the attraction
The Resurrection Goritsky Monastery is an Orthodox nunnery located in the village of Goritsy, Vologda Region, on the banks of the famous Sheksna River, namely, 7 km from the Kirillo-Belozersky Church. The monastery is located in a picturesque place where lush forest greenery turns into emerald green fields and meadows. The Goritsky Monastery is considered an architectural monument of federal importance.
The foundation of the Goritsky Monastery took place in 1544 with the participation of Princess Efrosinya Staritskaya, who was the widow of Grand Duke Andrei Staritsky, the uncle of Ivan the Terrible, and also the youngest son of Ivan III. Fate decreed that the monastery built by Euphrosyne soon became the place of her imprisonment, and later - a tragic death. This woman was caught in a lie and was initially imprisoned, and after a while she was drowned in the Sheksna River. Efrosinya's body was interred in the Goritsky monastery; after canonization, her remains were considered holy relics. In 1575, Tsar Ivan the Terrible imprisoned his fourth wife, Anna Koltovskaya, in a monastery. In 1591, immediately after the assassination of Tsarevich Dmitry, his mother Maria was sent to the Nikolovyksinskaya hermitage, and later to the Goritsky monastery. In memory of her deceased son, she built a chapel located at the Resurrection Cathedral. In 1606, the famous False Dmitry I sent to the monastery Ksenia Godunova, who was the daughter of Boris Godunov; in a convent she was tonsured under the name Olga. In 1739, a noble young girl was brought to the Goritsky Monastery. The overwhelming majority of historians believe that this girl's name was Ekaterina Dolgorukova - the never-accomplished wife of the great emperor Peter II.
On the territory of the Goritsky women's monastery there are three stone churches, as well as several residential buildings and outbuildings. A considerable number of premises are located within the walls of the monastery and beyond. One of the most interesting churches is considered to be a stone two-story church, built in 1544 at the expense of Andrei Staritsky, as well as his wife Efrosinya, on a wooden church previously located on this site. During 1611, the then famous nun Martha erected a square bell tower over the wooden church with several openings intended for bells. In the 18th century, the bell tower was subject to complete reconstruction. Now the church does not work and needs major repairs.
In 1821, the Trinity Cathedral was erected with the participation of Abbess Mauritius Khodneva. It was built on the east side of the Resurrection Church - at the burial site of princesses Alexandra and Evdokia. During the Soviet era, a rural House of Culture operated in the cathedral. After the temple was revived again, it was moved outside the boundaries of the monastery.
In 1832, at the expense of Princess Khovanskaya, a two-story warm, stone church was built, which was named Pokrovskaya. Now it is located to the east of the monastery. In Soviet times, the chambers at the house of the disabled were located here, and after a while - the state farm office.
The Goritsky Monastery is completely surrounded by a stone wall with small towers at the corners. In the wall there are hotel, residential and hospital departments, utility rooms, the Intercession Church and glacial cellars. Also, within the walls there are gates, the main of which - the "Holy Gates" - go directly to the bank of the Sheksna River.
The Vvedenskaya church is located on the west side of the monastery. She belonged to the local rural community; there is a cemetery next to it. The operation of the church continued until 1941. In the 1990s, it was gradually restored, and in 2000 it was transferred to the monastery.
After the revolution took place at the monastery, the village artel "Kolos" was formed, the work of which was supported by the nuns. The closure of the monastery took place in 1932, and the inhabitants became victims of repression. After the war, the House of Invalids was located here, and soon it was transferred to the museum. After that, the monastery was gradually restored and on October 6, 1999 it was officially recognized as operating.
Tourists and pilgrims constantly come to the Goritsky Monastery, the number of which is growing every year.
