Spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church - Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad 657
What and Why
The beautiful Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius (Russian: Троице-Сергиева Лавра, Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra) is a lavra (ла́вра) and the most important Russian monastery, being the spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church (Русская Православная Церковь, Russkaya Pravoslavnaya Tserkov'). The lavra is hence also one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Russia (Россия, Rossiya).
The city Sergiev Posad (Сергиев Посад) is named after this monastery when the monastery was founded in 1337 CE and one can hence appreciate the importance of this monastery. The monastery was in turn named after its venerated founder Saint Sergius (Сергий Радонежский, Sergiy Radonezhsky). Saint Sergius was respected and canonised in Russia not only for his religious influence, but also for his stance against invaders. He was instrumental in encouraging Russia to unite together against the Gordon Horde (Kipchak Turkic: Ulug Ulus) attack during the late 14th century CE, resulting in Russian victory in the Battle of Kulikovo (Куликовская Битва, Kulikovskaya Bitva).
Due to the practice of atheism during the Soviet Union (Советский Союз, Sovetskiy Soyuz) times, the lavra was actually closed and the city was called Zagorsk (Загорск), after the revolutionary Vladimir Zagorsky (Владимир Загорский, né Вольф Лубо́цкий (Wolf Lubotsky)) until 1991 CE.
Toponymy
Ditto for the city's and the lavra's toponymy.
A lavra is a type of Orthodox monastery consisting of a cluster of cells for hermits, with a main church in its centre. The word comes from the Greek word 'Λαύρα (lavra)' meaning a 'city alley'.
A posad (посад) is a Slavic settlement, usually walled or moated.
See
The main landmark is really the picturesque lavra itself, as the site map shows. We shall follow a clockwise route from the main entrance, identifying each main landmark. The entire pentagonal site is roughly 2,200 m2 so it is not very big. The entire lavra is ramparted with green and white walls and a number of towers.
Gate Church of Saint John the Baptist (Церковь Рождества Святого Иоанна Предтечи)
The main entrance into the lavra is through the Holy Gates and then the Gate Church of Saint John the Baptist (Церковь Рождества Святого Иоанна Предтечи, Tserkov' Rozhdestva Svyatogo Ioanna Predtechi), which was built during the late 17th century CE. The building is an excellent example of the architectural style known as Naryshkin Baroque (Нарышкинский Стиль, Naryshkinskiy Stil'). The archway is decorated with impressive frescoes as below.
Assumption Cathedral (Успенский Собор)
The white-stone Assumption Cathedral (Успенский Собор) is the largest building in the lavra and immediately greets you with its iconic golden and blue domes. It was commissioned by Ivan IV Rurikovich (Иван IV Рюриковичи, Ivan IV Rurikovichi) to resemble the namesake castle in Kremlin (Кремль, Kreml') of Moscow (Москва, Moskva) as blogged in Moscow (Москва) - Kremlin and beyond.
The cathedral is famous of its five-layer iconostasis, as above, which includes icons painted by the famous Andrey Rublev (Андрей Рублёв).
Chapel Over the Well (Часовня Над Колодцем), Church of the Holy Spirit (Церковь Святого Духа)
Next to the Assumption Cathedral stands the Chapel Over the Well (Часовня Над Колодцем, Časovnya Nad Kolodtsem) where worshippers fill bottles with holy and supposedly healing holy spring water. The green rotunda was added in the 19th century CE.
Next to the well stands Church of the Holy Spirit (Церковь Святого Духа, Tserkov' Svyatogo Dukha). The church is unique as it includes a belfry.
Trinity Cathedral (Свято-Троицкий Собор)
The main church of the lavra is the Trinity Cathedral (Свято-Троицкий Собор, Svyato-Troitskiy Sobor). The church, ornated extensively by Rublev's frescoes, always holds a queue outside for worshippers to view the lavra's most sacred religious relic - the relics of Saint Sergius. The cathedral was built over Saint Sergius's tomb.
Church of Saint Sergius (Церковь Святого Сергия)
The Church of Saint Sergius (Церковь Святого Сергия, Tserkov' Svyatogo Sergiya) was built during the late 17th century CE using money from Peter I (Пётр I, né Пётр Романов, Piotr Romanov), in gratitude for the refuge given to him during the Streltsy Uprising (Стрелецкий Бунт, Streletskiy Bunt).
Palace of the Metropolitans (Дворец Метрополитенов)
The Baroque building is the residence for the abbot of the lavra who is the patriarch of Moscow.
Treasury and sacristy (Сокровищница и ризница)
The treasury and sacristy (сокровищница и ризница, sokrovishchnitsa i riznitsa) is a museum to curate all the gifts from tsars (царь) and monastic treasures dating back to the foundation times of the lavra.
Belfry (Колокольня)
Constructed during the mid-18th century CE, the five-storey belfry is one of the tallest belfries in Russia and is the major landmark of the lavra. The obelisk in front of the belfry was erected in 1792 CE to honour the monastery's historical service to Russia.
Church of Zosima and Savvatiy (Храм Преподобных Зосимы и Савватия Соловецких)
The Church of Zosima and Savvatiy (Храм Преподобных Зосимы и Савватия Соловецких, Khram Prepodobnykh Zosimy i Savvatiya Solovetskikh) is a tent-roofed church constructed during the mid-17th century CE and includes an infirmary.
Zosima (Зосима) and Savvaty (Савватий) were the founders of the Solovetsky Monastery (Солове́цкий Монасты́рь, Solovétskiy Monastýr').
Church of the Virgin of Smolensk (Церковь Смоленской иконы Божией Матери Одигитрии)
The Church of the Virgin of Smolensk (Церковь Смоленской Иконы Божией Матери Одигитрии, Tserkov' Smolenskoy Ikony Bozhiyey Materi Odigitrii) is a tiny Baroque church that houses the miracle-working icon of Mary (Aramaic: מרים, Maryam). It used to be blue but was recently painted pink.
Tsar's Palace (Царский Дворец)
The northern side of the lavra is taken up by the Tsar's Palace (Царский Дворец, Tsarskiy Dvorets) are the administrative, residential buildings and a theological college, which are closed to the public.
Buy and Do
Matryoshka (Матрёшка)
Other than being a religious centre, Sergiev Posad is famous for its toymaking industry and the famed matryoshka (матрёшка) dolls are invented here. In spite of its famed Russian cultural representation, the nested dolls are actually a fairly recent invention by Sergey Malyutin (Сергей Малютин) in the late 19th century CE. The inspiration for these nested dolls is now untraceable and no one knows for certainty what it actually means. The name 'matyroshka' means 'little matron'.
Usually matryoshkas are made of linden wood with the final innermost tiny piece made of a solid piece of wood. The world record is a 51-piece set but common sets would comprise of either 7 to 9 pieces. There is a big bazaar outside the lavra selling all sorts of matryoshka.
Travel Suggestions and Logistics
Sergiev Posad is approximately 70 km away from Moscow, which makes it a convenient day-trip from the capital. The lavra would easily spend a good afternoon stroll. The city is part of the famous Golden Ring (Золотое кольцо, Zolotoye koltso).
We went during the 2010 CE Russian Wildfires (Природные пожары в России в 2010 году) and hence all photographs appear hazy.
UNESCO Inscription
This is a fine example of a working Orthodox monastery, with military features that are typical of the 15th to the 18th century, the period during which it developed. The main church of the Lavra, the Cathedral of the Assumption (echoing the Kremlin Cathedral of the same name), contains the tomb of Boris Godunov. Among the treasures of the Lavra is the famous icon, The Trinity , by Andrei Rublev.
References
Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad | UNESCO World Heritage Centre (📹)
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