Day Trips from Moscow - Moscow - page 336

tower's bells. The cathedral was built in the 1590s in 12th- to 13th-century Vladimir-Suzdal
style. Inside, restoration has uncovered some bright 1689 frescoes by the school of Gury
Nikitin from Kostroma. The tomb of Prince Dmitry Pozharsky is by the cathedral's east
wall.
The 1525 Assumption Refectory Church ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) , facing the bell tower,
adjoins the old Father Superior's chambers (- MAP GOOGLE MAP ) , which house a display
of Russian icons and the excellent naive art exhibition showcasing works by local Soviet-era
amateur painters.
The old Monastery Dungeon ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ) , set up in 1764 for religious dissid-
ents, is at the north end of the complex. It now houses a fascinating exhibit on the monas-
tery's prison history, including displays of some of the better-known prisoners who stayed
here. The Bolsheviks used the monastery as a concentration camp after 1917 revolution.
During WWII, German and Italian officers captured in the battle of Stalingrad were kept
here.
The combined Hospital Chambers and St Nicholas Church (1669) features a rich mu-
seum of gold treasures.