Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery

Yaroslavl, Russia

Spaso-Preobrazhensky monastery dates back to the 13th century. It was destroyed by fire in 1501, and the monastery as you see it today was mostly built in the 16th century. For centuries it was one of the biggest monasteries in Russia and by 1764 it owned vast amounts of land and had some 14,000 serfs. Almost every Tsar in history visited the monastery and it was behind its formidable walls that Minin and Pozharsky prepared their citizen’s army before sailing down the Volga to help defeat the Poles.

At the centre of the monastery is the large fresco covered cathedral and a bell tower which you can climb up to get great views over the river. The various buildings and towers of the monastery host a series of exhibitions about the region and there are also various souvenir stalls and tea stands dotted around. The most interesting museums are the Treasures of Yaroslavl with its wealth of gold, silver and previous jewels and the collection of ancient Russian art and icons.

There’s also a museum of local history which deals with the history of Yaroslavl from the 13th Century and features numerous portraits and sketches, artifacts from local archaeological digs and most impressively a large 18th Century French carriage. A museum of local nature presents the flora and fauna found around the Volga and may entertain more specific interests, while the museum of Russian epic literature is even more niche.

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Details

Founded: 1506-1516
Category: Religious sites in Russia

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Guinness T Hunter (4 years ago)
Incredible pleasant visit. If you've only time for one thing in Yaroslavl, this is the place. Pleasant grounds, amazing exhibits, although almost no explanations are in English. However, with even rudimentary understanding of Cyrillic, the non-Russian speakers can get the gist by visuals and reading dates. We visited on a winter day with lovely snow. Exhibit rooms are very warm. We spent a perhaps three hours.
Peter Loughrey (5 years ago)
Definitely worth the visit but make sure you buy a series of tickets that enable visiting all displays.
Svetlana Yanova (5 years ago)
An amazing place to learn about the history of Yaroslavl. Beautiful view of the city from the top of the tower!
Nooby Bobo (5 years ago)
Strong wall!
Daniel Kiselev (6 years ago)
A beautiful place. Plenty of historical landmarks, also lots of tourists from abroad, which is great! Many cats are present within the museum boundaries. It also features a few souvenir shops and a cafe. The admission fee applies: 40₽ per adult, and I also recommend going up the bell tower, which is 200₽ per adult. For students 50% discount applies, just make sure to bring your student card. Great place. Stunning views.
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