Sergiev Posad

Trip to Sergiev Posad (one hour drive out of Moscow)

We invite you to visit a historical ancient tow and spiritual center of the Russian Church in Moscow region and get to know how local people live in small towns of Russia.
Sergiev Posad grew in the 15th century around one of the greatest of Russian monasteries, the Trinity Monastery established by St. Sergius of Radonezh. The town status was granted to it in 1742. As the town’s name, alluding to St. Sergius, had strong religious connotations, the Soviet authorities changed first to just Sergiev in 1919, and then to Zagorsk in 1930, in memory of the revolutionary Vladimir Zagorsky. The original name was restored in 1991. Population: 110,900 (2010 Census preliminary results).

Chapel with Holy Water

The Trinity Monastery remembers such famous Russian czars as Ivan The Terrible and Peter the Great who set out there on piligrimage. Today the monastery is the summer residence of the Russian Patriarch and the most important spiritual centre of the Russian Orthodox Church.The architectural ensemble of the monastery is included in the UNECCO list of the World heritage.
During the tour you’ll see ancient buildings of the monastery: The Assumption Cathedral commissioned by Ivan the Terrible, burial place of Boris Godunov and his family, necropolis of Russian Patriarchs, the elegant baroque bell tower built in the 18th century that still has the biggest working bell in Russia, The Trinity Cathedral where St.Serguis is buried, The Chapel Over the Well built over a spring discovered in 1644. Pilgrims come here for holy water.

St.Sergius Holy Trinity Monastery.

Sergiev Posad is also the birthplace of matryoshka doll, Russian wooden doll. The town houses Toy Museum where you can trace the history of Russian traditional dolls and wooden toys. You can also do some matryoshka shopping in the local market square near the monastery.

After the tour , it is a good idea to have a lunch in a local Refectory.

After Lunch we will visit local streets with old wooden houses and you get to know Russian wooden architectural style and see how locals live.

A visit to a local market is also included in our tour.

Itinerary

09:00 Meet your guide at the lobby of your hotel and drive to Sergiev Posad
10:30-12:00 Tour of the St.Sergius Holy Trinity Monastery
12:15-13:00 Russian Lunch in a monastery Refectory
13:00- 14:00 visit the lake and local market
14:00- 15:00 walking along Old Street to see old wooden houses
15:00-15:30 Visit to a wooden chapel with Holy Water
16:00 Start driving back to Moscow
17:00- 17:30 Back to Hotel
Tour duration: Full day
Tour cost: 250 USD (including transportation)