Sergiyev Posad is one of the famous cities in the so-called golden ring northeast of Moscow. The town’s history goes back to the monk Bartholomew’s founding of the Trinity Monastery in 1340. The monastery originally consisted of a simple wooden church dedicated to the Trinity, and over time it attracted more monks.

After Bartholomew’s canonization as Saint Sergius in 1422, the monastery became a place of pilgrimage for Orthodox believers from Russia. Already at this time, a settlement had arisen around the monastery, which particularly attracted merchants and craftsmen such as icon painters, who benefited from the many pilgrims in the monastery. Other crafts lived by servicing the monastery itself, and several separate settlements arose over time.

Gradually, new stone buildings were built on the monastery grounds, and in 1550 the monastery was surrounded by a new stone wall with defensive towers. Thanks to this great structure and the heroic efforts of its defenders, the city withstood a sixteen-month Polish siege in 1608-1610 during the Troubled Times of Russia. The Polish invasion army was repulsed, and the monastery was then hailed as an example of Russian nationalism.

This brought even greater fame and prosperity to the monastery in the 17th century, and at that time the architectural ensemble of today began to form within the walls of the monastery, while in front of the walls arose the modern buildings that later transitioned into today’s city.

The city name Sergiyev Posad came into being in 1782, and it refers to the craft settlements around Sergius’ monastery. At the end of the 18th century and into the 19th century, the city’s economic growth continued with the increasing number of pilgrims who made pilgrimages here. Icon painting and woodcarvers were part of the boom, and shops, inns and eateries were built in the city. Access to Sergiyev Posad became easier in 1845 when a paved road was built between the city and Moscow, and in 1862 a railway line opened to the capital, which after a few years was extended to Yaroslavl, and later the line became part of the Trans-Siberian Railway.

The October Revolution put an end to the city’s growth, as the Trinity Monastery was closed down and used as residences and a museum, among other things. The city’s name changed to Zagorsk in 1930 in honor of the revolutionary Vladimir Zagorsky. From the 1940s, the large monastery complex was converted into a museum under special protection, and the Orthodox Church was again allowed to use parts of the site actively.

During the Soviet era, Zagorsk became industrialized with, among other things, toy factories that took advantage of the woodcarving traditions of the town. In 1991, the town got its old name back, and the large monastery again passed to the Orthodox Church.

Today, as Russia’s former religious capital, Sergiyev Posad is a major tourist destination, and with the short distance to Moscow, many people come on trips from here. A visit gives a good insight into the rich and beautifully decorated medieval architecture of Russia, and the Trinity Monastery of Saint Sergius/Троице-Сергиева Лавра is both the city’s and one of the area’s biggest attractions, with churches and mansions within the white walls from the 16th-17th centuries.

The place is the holiest place of pilgrimage in Russia, and in the monastery is the tomb of the monk Saint Sergius. The importance of the place is emphasized by the fact that Boris Godunov, Peter the Great and many others have visited the complex over time.

Saint Sergius Trinity Monastery is Sergiyev Posad’s major attraction, and behind the monastery walls hide many beautiful architectural gems and ecclesiastical treasures. Saint Sergius built a wooden church as the beginning of the facility, which today has been included in UNESCO’s list of world cultural heritage.

The Ascension Cathedral/Успенский собор was completed in 1585 with the gold and star-sprinkled onion domes as the centerpiece of the facility. The cathedral was built from 1559 on the initiative of Ivan IV. Outside the church’s main entrance, you can notice a monument dedicated to Tsar Boris Godunov, who is buried here with his family.

Opposite the Ascension Cathedral you can see the equally beautiful Trinity Cathedral/Троицкий собор, which dates from the years 1422-1423. The church contains the relics of Saint Sergius and thereby functions as a pilgrimage church. In the church you can also see an iconostasis which, like the church, dates from the 15th century.

The entire monastery complex forms a composition in different colors and architectural styles. You can walk around most of the area within the walls, and you should experience the monastery’s refectory, which was built as one of the country’s largest halls in the late 17th century. The architectural style is Moscow Baroque.

There are also other things to see in Sergiev Posad than the Holy Trinity Monastery. In the square immediately in front of the monastery, you can see the city’s monument to the head of state Lenin, while the center of the modern district unfolds around the boulevard Prospekt Krasnoj Armii, where there are modern urban spaces such as Sovetskaya Ploshad square.

Shortly to the north of the square is the city’s cultural palace, named after the cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. In the southern part of the center, you can visit the interesting toy museum, Muzej Igrushki, which displays fine matryoshka dolls and other things that reflect some of the traditional craftsmanship of the city.