Description of the attraction
The legendary ancient monastery is located on the Valaam island in the middle of Lake Ladoga. This is one of the most beautiful places in Russia. The architecture of the monastery fits perfectly into the northern landscape, and the revived monastery itself is a great Orthodox shrine.
History of the monastery
The first mentions of the monastery in written sources begin in the XIV century … In the monastery, its history dates back to the 10th century, when its founders settled here - Sergius and German … According to one of the versions, the name of the island "Valaam" is connected with the fact that there was a pagan temple of Veles - with the aim of turning it into a Christian church, two Greek monks settled here. It is believed that the reverend Avraamy Rostovsky took monastic vows in this monastery. In the Novgorod chronicle there is a mention of the fact that in the 12th century the relics of St. Sergius and German, saving from Swedish attacks.
At first, the monastery was Trinity, but at some point - perhaps after another ruin and temporary cessation of life in the monastery - it becomes Preobrazhensky. The brightest pages in the history of the monastery are in the 16th century, when he, like the Solovki, constantly had to fight off Swedish attacks. But there was not such a powerful fortress as on Solovki, so Balaam was constantly broke … In the monastery, 33 monks and novices who died in one of these attacks in 1578 are venerated as holy martyrs. A few years later, all the brethren left the devastated monastery. Since 1597, it has been rebuilt with funds allocated by the king. Fedor Ioannovich … But in 1611 the monastery was again ravaged by the Swedes to the ground. The monastery buildings were burned and demolished, and a Swedish settlement was founded on this site. However, the Swedes respected the burial place of the holy founders and celebrated it with a chapel.
Monastic life resumed in 1717 by decree Peter I … This was also important for the emperor - to revive the monastery on the land that had just been liberated from the Swedes. But the real flourishing of the monastery began in the 19th century. A grandiose stone construction began here, a brick factory was built for his needs. The growth of the monastery continued throughout the 19th century. By the revolution, the Valaam Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery is a huge economy with its own factories, gardens, farms. Pilgrims from all over Russia travel to the Valaam elders for guidance and consolation.
After the revolution, the monastery turned out to be in Finlandand that saved him from closing. In the 1920s-1930s, the ruined Russian monastery became the center that attracted Russian emigration here. According to the Russian-Finnish treaty of 1940, the territory returned to Russia - and then the monks left the monastery, taking out all the property if possible. They founded New Valaam in Finland - now this monastery also operates. And on the territory of old Valaam in the post-war years, a boarding house was created for disabled war veterans.
Revival of the monastery
Monastic life resumed here since 1989 … The restoration of the monastery buildings began. Since 2005, bells have been ringing on the belfry again, the most beautiful "Valaam chant" - a special type of church singing, has been revived.
Since 1992, it has opened its own Museum … It has two branches - one on the banks of the monastery bay in Karetny barn, and it is dedicated to the arrangement of the monastery economy in the 19th century, and the second is the Ancient storehouse, the monastery treasury in St. Vladimir's skete. The monastery has its own motor ship - "Admiral Kuznetsov", a hotel for pilgrims is open. The dairy farm has been reactivated, the first buildings of which were built in 1882. Trout is being raised again in Maly Nikonovsky Bay. In a word, now it is one of the richest and most economical modern monasteries.
However, over the past two decades, the monastery has had a protracted conflict with local residents, who were literally forcibly evicted from the island. The Church sees its task in transforming Balaam into a purely monastic territory, where the presence of secular persons is limited.
Transfiguration Cathedral
The most important attraction of the monastery, seen far from the water, is the most beautiful Transfiguration Cathedral, built on a high mountain - in the monastery they call it Favor.
The first wooden cathedral was built here in 1719, and the current building was built from 1890 to 1893. This is a majestic five-domed cathedral with a pointed bell tower, built in the Byzantine style.
Lower church with low vaulted ceilings, warm, consecrated in the name of Sergius and Herman of Valaam. Their relics continue to be hidden, but a shrine is arranged over their burial, which is revered as the main monastery shrine.
High upper temple - Preobrazhensky. It was painted at the same time, at the end of the 19th century, in an academic style using paintings by famous Renaissance painters: Titian and Raphael, biblical illustrations by G. Dore and classical Russian painting by A. Ivanov and others. The murals were damaged during the Soviet era, and were restored at the beginning of the XXI century during the revival of the monastery.
Valaam Icon of the Virgin
A small church was erected near the cathedral at the beginning of the 20th century. Once it was Nikolskaya, and now it is dedicated Valaam Icon of the Mother of God … This icon is a local shrine. It was written in 1878, but then it was forgotten for many years and "regained" only in 1897. The Mother of God appeared to the sick woman and promised her healing if she would pray before this icon. But the woman did not find such an icon in the monastery, and only after a new wonderful dream was the icon found abandoned in the old sacristy of St. Nicholas Church. Since then, this image has been revered here miraculous … The very first icon was taken to the New Valaam Monastery in Finland, but the monastery contains a copy of it dating back to the early 20th century.
The rest of the monastic complex is the surrounding cathedral from four sides monastery buildings … They are very simple and only set off the splendor of the main temple. Above the gate is church of st. Peter and Paul, built at the beginning of the 19th century. Then it was built Church of the Life-Giving Springbuilt into one of the enclosures. The stone building of the Winter Palace has been preserved since the 19th century. hotels for pilgrims.
The monastery complex includes delivered in 2014 monument to st. Andrew the First-Called, as well as the recently installed bust of Patriarch Alexy II. Not far from the entrance is Znamenskaya "Tsar" chapel made of Karelian marble, erected in 1862 in memory of a visit to the monastery by the royal family, headed by Emperor Alexander II.
Monasteries on Valaam
In addition to the main monastery on the island itself and around it, many sketes, deserts and chapels have been created, which are, as it were, its "branches". Now 11 sketes out of 13 have been revived, and the surroundings of the monastery are literally lined with memorable chapels, some of which have survived from the 19th century, and some are new.
Closest to the monastery and beautiful - Nikolsky skete … Its silhouette against the background of the sunset is the "calling card" of Valaam. The temple was built in the middle of the 19th century by the project of the architect A. Gornostaev. A distinctive feature of the works of this architect is the perfect fit of the buildings into the surrounding landscape. The temple itself is quite simple, but it is located at such a point that it looks mesmerizing from all sides.
A. Gornostaev is the author of the complex All Saints Skete, surprisingly laconic and echoing in its forms with the austere coniferous forest surrounding it.
Not included in the number of sketes, but in fact it is Abbess cemetery not far from the monastery - it is here that the legendary hegumen Damascene is buried, under whom the monastery experienced its highest prosperity.
The newest skete - St. Vladimir's, it was founded in 2002. His temple is completely new, but built in the traditions of ancient Russian architecture, it continues the traditions of A. Gornostaev. The patriarchal residence is located here.
Interesting Facts
- The monastic tradition says that the first person who visited this island was the Apostle Andrew, who preached in these lands in time immemorial.
- There are many works of art dedicated to Valaam. The most famous book about him is "Old Valaam" by I. Shmelev.
On a note
- Location. O. Valaam, Monastery Bay.
- How to get there. Most often, visiting about. Valaam is part of excursion and pilgrimage tours. You can independently get from Sortavala and Priozersk by boat.
- Official website:
- Visiting the monastery is free. The cost of a boat from Sortaval and Priozersk is about 1500-1700 rubles. depending on the season.
