New Jerusalem Monastery scheme of the monastery. New Jerusalem in Istra. Photo. Under the auspices of Empress Elizabeth

The history of the Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery is closely connected with the memory of its founder, Patriarch Nikon. This monastery was the favorite of the three monasteries he founded: Iberian, Cross and Resurrection. Here he lived for more than eight years after his removal from Moscow and used all his strength to realize his plan - to create in the Moscow region an exact likeness of the famous Jerusalem Church of the Resurrection of the Lordto enable the Russian people to contemplate the places of the saving passions and the Resurrection of Christ without being subjected to an expensive and unsafe journey to the Middle East.

The construction, begun by the Patriarch in the year, even during his friendship with Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, and continued with his allowance even during the period of cooling of this friendship from to years, was suspended for almost 14 years with the exile of the Patriarch at the end of the year, but was resumed by the zeal of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich and thanks to the efforts of his aunt Tsarevna Tatyana Mikhailovna in the year. In his reign, the desire of the Patriarch to return alive or dead to his beloved monastery was also fulfilled, he received permission to return to New Jerusalem, but died on the way from exile and was buried in the chapel of the Beheading of John the Baptist of the Resurrection Cathedral on August 26 of the year. Unfortunately, in the 1930s, the Soviet authorities opened the coffin of Patriarch Nikon, and the whereabouts of his remains are still unknown.

After the death of Tsar Fyodor Alekseevich, during which the entire building of the Resurrection Cathedral was brought to vaults, construction continued under Tsars John and Peter Alekseevich, and on January 18, the cathedral was consecrated by Patriarch Joachim. In the same year, the Sovereign Wardens of the Resurrection Cathedral granted the Resurrection Monastery a grant, the so-called “eternally approved charter” for all its then estates and lands.

Subsequent Sovereigns arranged thrones in the Resurrection Cathedral in memory of the birth of the heir, emperors Paul and Nicholas arranged two chapels in the name of St. Alexander Nevsky and a chapel in the name of Christmas Holy Mother of God in memory of the birth on this day of Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich.

In the XIX and at the beginning of the century the monastery was one of the most popular centers of pilgrimage, the number of its visitors especially increased after the St. Nicholas and then Riga railways. About 35,000 people visited the monastery in a year; a hospice for poor pilgrims and hotels were built at the expense of the monastery. The constant attention of the imperial family to the monastery at this time is also evidenced by rich contributions to the sacristy.

The beginning of the 19th century scientific study history of New Jerusalem, the largest historian of the monastery was Archimandrite Leonid (Kavelin), a researcher of the monuments of the Christian East, manuscripts of New Jerusalem, Kaluga antiquities and inscriptions of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. His fundamental work Historical description Voskresensky, New Jerusalem of the named monastery”, published in the year contains not only a historical essay, but also the publication of many now lost valuable documents of the 17th century. Archimandrite Leonid founded the monastery museum, which exhibited the personal belongings of Patriarch Nikon, paintings, icons, books, fabrics from the collection of the monastery.

In the same year, Archimandrite Amfilohiy (Sergievsky-Kazantsev) publishes the Description of the Library of the Resurrection Monastery, which describes 242 manuscripts of the 11th-18th centuries and 135 printed books of the 16th-17th centuries. The Resurrection and Nikon chronicles were kept in the library of the Resurrection Monastery, the “Izbornik of Svyatoslav of 1073” - the second oldest dated Russian manuscript. In the same year, handwritten books from the monastery library were transferred to the Synodal Library, where they made up a special Resurrection collection, in the year the Resurrection collection was transferred to Historical Museum where it is kept to this day.

In July of the year, by decision of the Zvenigorod district congress of councils, the Resurrection Monastery was closed and its property was nationalized. In the funds of the existing Historical, Architectural and Art Museum "New Jerusalem" there is a museum plaque with the following text: "The Great Russian Revolution handed over New Jerusalem Monastery and the cathedral of the people. From now on, having ceased to serve the affairs of the cult, it is an artistic and historical monument of antiquity of All-Russian significance. In the 1920s, the most valuable items from the sacristy of the Resurrection Cathedral were transferred to the Armory.

In December, New Jerusalem found itself in the zone of fierce battles for Moscow, the buildings of the monastery were badly damaged, some were completely destroyed, information about the destruction in New Jerusalem appeared in the Nuremberg trials. Starting from the 1950s, active restoration work was carried out in the monastery, as a result of which the architectural complex of the monastery was raised from the ruins, work began on the restoration of the interior decoration of the Resurrection Cathedral.

On July 18, the Holy Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church listened to the message of Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' on the resumption of the activities of the Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery and the appointment of a vicar of the monastery. The following decision was made: “With gratitude to the Lord, accept the news of the revival of the New Jerusalem Monastery under the canonical administration of the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. To approve Archimandrite Nikita (Latushko) as the abbot of the Stavropegic Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery.

On July 23, Patriarch Alexy II and Russian President D.A. visited New Jerusalem. Medvedev. They examined the buildings of the monastery, and, having made sure how much still had to be done to restore the former splendor of the monastery, they decided to create Charitable Foundation on the restoration of the Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery and agreed to become co-chairs of its Board of Trustees.

Pastors, governors

• Stephen (1656 - 1658)
• Gerasim (1658 - October 1665)
• Akaki (December 25, 1666 - 1670)
• Theodosius (mentioned 1671)
• Philotheus (1672 - January 1680)
• Barsanuphius (February - October 25, 1680)
• German I (1681 - 1682)
• Nicephorus (January 1683 - 1685)
• Nicanor (1685 - 1698)
• German II (October 13, 1698 - June 26, 1699)
• Arseny (July 30, 1699 - 1703)
• Ignatius (1703 - 1709)
• Anthony (1709 - 1722)
• Lawrence (Gorka) (April 29, 1722 - September 8, 1723)
• Cyprian (Skripitsyn) (August 1723 - September 27, 1727)
• Melchizedek (Borschov) (June 1727 - April 1736?)
• Karion (Golubovsky) (July 19, 1737 - 1742)
• Peter (Smelich) (September 6, 1742 - November 27, 1744)
• St. Hilarion (Grigorovich) (December 17, 1744 - May 22, 1748)
• Ambrose (Zertis-Kamensky) (May 10, 1748 - August 2, 1765)
• Nikon (Zertis-Kamensky) (August 2, 1765 - September 29, 1771)
• Sylvester (Stragorodsky) (1771 - October 3, 1785)
• Pavel (Ponomarev) (October 13, 1785 - January 14, 1786)
• Apollos (Baibakov) (1786 - 1788)
• Platon (Lyubarsky) (June 21, 1788 - March 31, 1792)
• Nectarios (Chernyavsky) (March 31, 1792 – April 2, 1792) was appointed but died
• Varlaam (Golovin) (April 13, 1792 - January 17, 1799)
• Jerome (Poniatowski) (January 17, 1799 - June 4, 1802)
• Gideon (Ilyin-Zamatsky) (July 19, 1802 - August 20, 1805)
• Melchizedek (Minervin) (September 25, 1805 - June 29, 1813)
• Iona (Pavinsky) (December 31, 1813 - July 22, 1817)
• Filaret (Amphitheaters) (July 28, 1817 - June 1, 1819)
• Afanasy (Telyatev) (October 30, 1819 - March 10, 1821)
• Apollos (Alekseevsky) (February 9, 1821 - February 19, 1837)

At the very beginning of my vacation, I went on an excursion to the city of Istra, Moscow Region, in ...

Resurrection New Jerusalem Stauropegial monastery

Patriarch Nikon (1605-1681) came up with the idea of ​​creating a resemblance of Palestine shrines on the land near Moscow, he also tried to bring it to life. At his direction, the learned hieromonk of the Trinity-Sergius Monastery Arseniy Sukhanov went to the Holy Land, who, upon his return from the trip, delivered to the Patriarch drawings, plans and an exact model of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Jerusalem, as well as drawings of the Bethlehem Church. Under the personal supervision of Patriarch Nikon (he lived in a skete, the building of which has survived to this day), work began to bring his grandiose plan to life. 60 km from Moscow, before the eyes of astonished contemporaries, the "New Jerusalem" appeared - an architectural and landscape icon that combined the images of many Palestinian shrines.

In the center of the ensemble is the Church of the Resurrection of Christ, which is a fairly accurate likeness famous temple in Jerusalem. Nearby is the Church of the Nativity of Christ - a reminder of Bethlehem, the birthplace of the Savior. To the north of the monastery is the village of Skudelnichye (Mikulino), to the northwest are Mount Tabor and Hermon. At the walls of the monastery - Birch Grove called the Garden of Gethsemane. Patriarch Nikon renamed the Istra River into the Jordan, and a small stream flowing at the foot of the monastery hill - into the Kedron stream. Nikon did not have time to see his plan completed. He was condemned by the Moscow Cathedral in 1666 and exiled to the North, to the distant Ferapontov Monastery. The construction of the New Jerusalem was suspended for a long time. Resumed work in 1679 Tsar Feodor Alekseevich. He also returned Nikon from exile, but on the way to Moscow, the Patriarch died. His body was taken to New Jerusalem and buried in the John the Baptist chapel of the Resurrection Cathedral. The construction of the monastery was completed only under the Empress Elisaveta Petrovna. At the same time, the buildings of the monastery were treated in the Baroque style. XVIII-XIX centuries outstanding architects worked on the creation of the ensemble: Rastrelli, Blank, Kazakov, Voronikhin, Vit6erg.

The necropolis of the New Jerusalem Monastery is located inside the cathedral (burials of the 17th century) and on its own territory - on both sides of the Church of Constantine and Helena

In 1919, the Resurrection New Jerusalem Monastery was closed, the monastic community was abolished. In 1920, on the basis of the monastery, the Artistic and Historical Museum was created, the collection of which was put up by the expropriated and nationalized values ​​​​of the sacristy of the monastery. Great damage to the architectural ensemble was inflicted during the Great Patriotic War. On December 10, 1941, the retreating German troops blew up the Resurrection Cathedral and its bell tower, the Damascus and Elizabethan towers, the holy gates of the monastery, and burned other buildings. In the post-war years, the work of domestic restorers managed to restore the complex of buildings as a whole.

In 1994, the Resurrection New Jerusalem Stauropegial Monastery was again restored. In 1995, the Resurrection Cathedral with the earthen church of Saints Constantine and Helena, the Church of the Nativity of Christ, the skete of Patriarch Nikon, and the eastern fraternal building were returned to the Church. The church of Saints Constantine and Helena was renovated in the monastery, the chapel of the Archangel Michael of God and All the Incorporeal Powers, the Beheading of the Head of the Baptist John the Baptist, which were consecrated with a small rank, were restored.

Bell tower of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ

The rite of great consecration His Holiness Patriarch The restored cathedral church of the Nativity of Christ in 1997 and the chapel of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos in 1999 were consecrated by Moscow All Russia Alexis. It contains exact copies of the Anointing Stone and the Holy Sepulcher.

Earthen Church of Saints Constantine and Helena. It is located at a depth of 6 meters below ground level. We arrived at the monastery and were given 1.5 hours of time to look around in the temple, order a commemoration of relatives living and dead, pray, put candles. And I (who had never been here) miraculously came right here, to the temple of my patroness, the Holy Empress Helena Equal to the Apostles, and her son Constantine.

Edicule with an angel's chapel. Here are exact copies of the Anointing Stone and the Holy Sepulcher.

Icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Angels". It can only be seen here in the Church of the Resurrection of Christ. It depicts the Mother of God, which personifies the church, and under it is the New Jerusalem Monastery.

I can't help but dwell on the architectural decoration of the temple. It's extraordinarily beautiful!

These are tiles from the 17th century.

On the tiled columns you can see an ear at the top, below a bunch of grapes. All this has a religious connotation and was created specifically for the Church of the Resurrection of Christ.

Window decorations are also tiles and sculptures of cherubs.

Enjoyed the tour very much interesting story about the history of the monastery, about its founder, Patriarch Nikon. We looked at the Shrines available in the temple (I did not photograph them). I think I will definitely come here later.

You, my dear readers, interesting and cognitive information for the soul!

How to get to the city of Istra and the city of New Jerusalem from Moscow, as well as to the New Jerusalem Monastery:

There are three ways to get to us (routes are described on how to get to the monastery, but since it is located in the city of Istra, it will be quite useful for those who travel to Istra. A small note, if you are going to Istra by train, then get off at Istra station, if before monastery, then at the Novoyerusalimskaya station):

1. By train from Moscow from metro station Rizhskaya, Dmitrovskaya, Voykovskaya (Leningradskaya square), Tushino - travel time from 50 minutes to 1 hour, go to Novoyerusalimskaya station or Istra station.

Attention: you need to take a ticket for the train, which goes to Novoyerusalimskaya, Rumyantsevo, Volokolamsk, Shakhovskaya
Trains that follow to the station. Dedovsk and st. Nakhabino do not reach the station. Istra or New Jerusalem (located half way)

There are also electric trains following from the Kursk direction, you can get there from the Komsomolskaya metro station (Kalanchevskaya platform), from the Kurskaya metro station (Kursky railway station - usually platform 5). From this direction, trains do not run often, mainly to the station. Dedovsk and st. Nakhabino (they don't get to Novoyerusalimskaya station). But if you wish, you can take these trains, get off at the Tushino station and wait for the next train from the Riga direction, or transfer to a bus. Therefore, check when the trains go to the station. New Jerusalem.

Schedule of trains to the station Novoyerusalimskaya or Istra stations

The way from Novoyerusalimskaya station in the direction of the city of Istra:

Coming out of the transition, go right past the station building towards the bus ticket offices. Near them there is an underground passage to the other side of the Volokolamsk highway.

You go down into it and go out onto Panfilov Street, along which you will go further without turning anywhere.
On the way you will have on your left: shopping mall Jerusalem,

small residential two-story houses (built by captured Germans after the war),

kindergarten.

Volokolamsk highway will be on the right all the time.

Descending from this steep descent you will see the temple, which will appear before your eyes with all its splendor.

Immediately after the bridge on the left is a small attraction - fairy tale characters fairy tales "Kurochka Ryaba" (it will be interesting for kids).

After the bridge you go along the field to the temple.

The old gate, through which you will pass, opens the way first to a small museum and to the Garden of Gethsemane, where wooden architecture is located.

Driving directions from Novoyerusalimskaya station

We have described walking route from Novoyerusalimskaya station, but if you want to get from the station by bus or minibus, you do not need to go down to the underground passage to station square. to get to the other side of the highway. You need to go right past the junction and a little out onto the highway itself and you will see a bus stop. You need to take any bus or minibus that goes towards the city of Istra. If you want to get off at the monastery, then get off at the 2nd stop called "Museum", and if you are going to the city of Istra, then go further. If you still have questions about how to go, then call the guide number indicated on the site on the right.

2. By bus No. 372 from Moscow from the Tushino metro station to Istra (post stop) - travel time 1 hour.

Be careful when you go back! The timetable does not indicate the stop Post. It is located between the stops. 9 Guards Division and st. Istra, but on the way from Moscow to get out of it you can (there is a stopping point). There is no stopping point on the way to Moscow (you can take a bus at 9th Guards Division Street or Istra station)

Way to the temple from the bus stop "Mail" in the city of Istra:

Get off the bus. There will be a post office in front of you.

Turn left and go around the square towards the industrial building - the Uglemash plant. Cars are going in the same direction through the square.
Along the industrial building "Uglemash", pass it and walk along the highway along Pervomaiskaya Street. On the left along the way you will meet a landmark - two brick pillars immediately behind the building of "Uglemash".

They will have a sign stating that there was a house in which A.P. lived. Chekhov and immediately after them you will see the House of Culture.
Walking further along the sidewalk, you will see a path leading to the park. You can follow it. It's over short cut(for 5 minutes).

Without turning, go through it. Half way to the left you will see another attraction - a monument to the IL-2 aircraft on a stele that is carried away into the sky.

Follow this path through the park. Come out to the "G" - shaped building,
pass through his courtyard to the courthouse and, turning left near it, you will see the monastery, to which you will go further along the sidewalk to the traffic light near the music school.
Cross the road and you are at the monastery.
If you decide not to go through the park, then from the House of Culture, which will be on the left, go along the fence along the sidewalk. On the right there will be Volokolamsk highway, which will be a constant reference point (you need to go along it). Walk past the bank building, turn left and past kindergarten, past the building where the Surozh Stan restaurant will be located (you can also eat there, since a refectory is not yet provided on the territory of the monastery).
Next, go to the courthouse and, as described above, go to the traffic light and cross to the other side of the highway to the monastery.

Driving directions from the bus stop "Poshta" in the city of Istra

3. The way to the city of Istra from Moscow by car:

How to get there by car on the Volokolamsk highway (pass

How to get there by car on Novorizhskoe highway (pass

You need to go along the Volokolamsk highway past Krasnogorsk, Nakhabino, Dedovsk, Snegiri (military glory complex - museum military equipment under the open sky), then you pass through the Pesochnaya river and you are in the city of Istra.
To avoid traffic jams that sometimes occur on the Volokolamskoye Highway near Krasnogorsk, you can go to the Moscow Ring Road, and then turn off to the Novorizhskoye Highway and drive along it until the first turn to Istra, along which you will get to the Volokolamskoye Highway 7 km to Istra, then along it drive through Istra, as indicated above.

The section of the path from the center of the city of Istra to the monastery can be seen in the second diagram.

If you booked a bus or are traveling after 12:00 noon, then the main bus stop in front of the main entrance to the temple may already be filled with cars. In this case, you can not go to the main parking lot, but drive along the Volokolamsk highway further along the monastery, where you will see a second parking lot with a large number of parking spaces, convenient for long vehicles (buses) or other vehicles. In this case, your passengers will be able to enter the temple from the side of the western gate or return along the sidewalk along the wall and exit to the main entrance (5 minutes walk under the canopy of centuries-old pines)

Welcome!

Resurrection New Jerusalem Church one of the more respected well-known communities located in the center of the Russian Federation, while its characteristic property is that the Resurrection Monastery located here was built in the similarity and the icon of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which is located on Mount Calvary, which is located in Jerusalem. But according to the outward appearance, these 2 communities are completely different from each other. And to find out how to get to the monastery, the schedule of services, what holy places there are in the monastery and numerous - other things are possible from this article.

Chronicle of the formation of the monastery

The monastery is also commonly called the New Jerusalem. The founder Nikon decided to build Palestinian holy temples in the Moscow region, so that the Russian population could see the holy places of Christ's Resurrection.

The New Jerusalem Temple was not built in one stage. The initial stage lasted from 1656 to 1666 (at the time when Tishaishia Alexei Mikhailovich was on the throne). Then the construction was stopped due to the disgrace of Patriarch Nikon and continued in 1679 by order of Fyodor Alekseevich.

In 1685, the construction process of the monastery of Constantine and Helena was completed, and in addition to the Sunday Church, and the construction gate monastery The entrance of God and the protective wall ended in 1697, during the reign of Peter the Great.

But on given period the construction of the monastery was not completed, because, not having survived even 30 years, the tent of the monastery of the Resurrection collapsed. The restoration of the monastery continued until 1761, at the end of the reign of Empress Elizabeth.

Images and holy places

Within the walls of the monastery, believers will be able to see such shrines:

A sample of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher - this modification was brought to the capital of Russia in 1649 and was used by Patriarch Nikon during the construction of the monastery;

The keeper of the gifts from the chapel of the Equal-to-the-Apostles Blessed Mary Magdalene - in appearance it looks like a sacred container in which Krovushka and the torso of Jesus Christ lie for preservation;

The antimension of the seventeenth century is a piece of fabric, it represents the location in the tomb of the Most High;

Not so long ago, the acquisition was an image that was presented as a gift from the president to the New Jerusalem Temple, which depicts the Almighty Creator God on the Throne (subsidized by the eighteenth century).

Service Schedule

Divine services are held in the monastery for men in accordance with the following schedule:

On Mondays. Fifth Week of Great Abstinence. Venerable Benedict of Nursia:

Sutra at eight o'clock passes - morning worship, hours with the pronunciation of the Holy Scripture;

Second day of the week. Martyr and 7 sufferers: Dionysia, Romila, Puplia, Dionysia, Alexandra, Timolaus:

Sutra at eight o'clock passes - morning worship, hours with the reading of Holy Scripture;

In the evening at five o'clock - evening worship, a stately prayer.

On Wednesdays. Saint Alexis, the Lord's man:

In the morning at eight o'clock - morning worship, hours, evening, the celebration of the Liturgy of the Gifts of the Presanctified;

In the evening at five o'clock - morning with the reading of the famous prayer of St. Andrew of Crete.

On Thursdays. Venerable Macarius of Kalyazinsky:

In the morning at eight o'clock - the akathist of the Gifts of the Pre-Illuminated takes place;

In the evening at five o'clock - evening worship, a stately prayer.

On Fridays. Bishop of Jerusalem Saint Cyril (those people who lead preparatory work to the implementation of the Holy Mystery of Communion, it is necessary to refuse to eat food six hours before going to the monastery):

In the morning at eight o'clock passes - morning worship, hours from the reading of Holy Scripture;

In the evening at five o'clock it takes place - a majestic hymn, the celebration of the Liturgy of the Gifts of the Presanctified.

On Saturdays. Reading the Sabbath hymn. Raising the praise of the Blessed One Mother of God:

In the morning at eight o'clock - morning service with the reading of an akathist, divine prayer;

In the evening at five o'clock - all-night service.

On Sundays. 4th week of Great Abstinence. Reverend John Ladder:

Sutra at seven o'clock - hours, morning worship;

In the morning at ten o'clock - late divine prayer;

In the evening at five o'clock - passion and evening service;

In the evening at five o'clock - the ritual of the sacrament takes place.

Where is located

The clear address of the monastery: Russian Federation, Moscow region, city of Istra, on Sovetska street house number two, New Jerusalem temple.

All those who are thirsty will be able to get to the monastery in such ways

On public transport: minibus number 372 departs from the Tushino metro stop to the city of Istra and goes to the Pochta stop. The entire journey is expected to take one hour.

How to get there by train?

The train departs from the Kursk railway station or it is possible to go from the Tushino platform (the metro stop of the same name is located near it). Moreover, the cost of a ticket from the Tushino station will be slightly lower than the cost of a train, however, it must be taken into account that in the summer season the trains can be too full, as many people go to summer cottages. You need to go to the platform "Istra" or "New Jerusalem". Then you need to walk on foot in time, the walk will take about twenty minutes, and in terms of mileage about two kilometers, or you should take a minibus to the “Monastyr” stop.

If you get there by car

You will need to drive along the Novorizhskaya highway (from the ring road you have to drive approximately forty-five kilometers), and then through the city of Istra to the New Jerusalem Temple for Men.

It is possible to save on the cost of excursions cash, since at the entrance to the monastery and above the ticket office there is a detailed image of the temple, and if you really want to, you can listen to the guide, because they tell quite loudly.

May the Almighty always protect you!

Among the interesting places in the Moscow region, Istra in New Jerusalem occupies a special place, and any guide or guide for travelers in the Moscow region can tell you how to get to this city and what to see in it.

What to see?

Although the city of Istra is associated with New Jerusalem, once founded by Patriarch Nikon in exact accordance with biblical places, in addition to religious monuments, there are many other things that are no less interesting.

View this small town completely possible in one day, and all of its attractions can be reached on foot.

Once here, you need to see:

1. New Jerusalem Monastery with all its cathedrals, towers, inner churches and buildings.
2. Siloam font.
3. Garden of Gethsemane.
4. Skete of Patriarch Nikon.
5. Museum of Wooden Architecture.
6. Stables and livestock.
7. Wooden sculptures from the fairy tale about Ryaba the chicken.
8. Museum (exhibition hall) "New Jerusalem".
9. Bridge for pedestrians with one pylon.
10. Places associated with A.P. Chekhov.
11. Revolution square.
12. City Park.
13. House of culture and rest.
14. Ascension Church.
15. Square with a memorial to the fallen defenders and liberators of Istra and the cross of Nikon.
16. Drama Theater of Istra.
17. Fire corps and its museum.
18. Farmer's Yard Market.
19. Church of the Myrrhbearing Women.
20. Sculptures at the School of Arts.
21. Friendship Square.

You need to go to the city of Istra on a fine day, with comfortable temperature and comfortable shoes. If it rains, it is cold, or your legs get tired, then instead of an abundance of positive and bright emotions, only bad memories will remain.

Monastery complex

Inspection of the New Jerusalem Monastery in Istra should begin with the Resurrection Cathedral, its main architectural and semantic dominant.

Externally, the cathedral is interesting not only for its bizarre combination architectural styles, which made it look like a teremok from folk tales, but also with beautiful friezes, borders and trims made of ceramics, on the one hand, similar to Vologda lace, and on the other, very reminiscent of something Indian and Middle Eastern.

Looking from a distance at the Resurrection Church of the New Jerusalem Monastery, it is impossible to miss not the bell tower or the porch, but the large rotunda, sparkling with a heavy dome-tent with a diameter of 18 meters and three rows of dormer windows. Thanks to these windows, on a clear day, unique lighting is created inside, which is also an argument in favor of an excursion in good weather.

Inside the temple, in the central part of the rotunda, there is a cuvuklia that exactly imitates the original cuvuklia from the tomb in the Israeli Church of the Holy Sepulcher. There is also an icon of the Mother of God, the famous "Three-Handed" with a human silver brush.

An interesting half-history-half-legend is connected with this icon. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to look at it closely, because in front of the "Three-Handed" crowds of believers are always "to death" in dense rows, both on their knees, as usual.

Therefore, it is much easier to see not the icon, but the Stone of Anointing and the giant golden iconostasis of 12 tiers.

The transitions in the cathedral are very interesting, on the blue background of the walls, with an abundance of stucco molding in the spirit of the late Baroque, you can see icon-pictures representing biblical scenes. The religious canons of painting on them are reduced to a minimum, intricately intertwined with the classical performance, reminiscent of the work of the Renaissance masters. Very unusual and really beautiful.

The appearance of the Church of Constantine and Helena is associated with the legend of the cross found, of course, not in Istra, but in Israel, on which Jesus was crucified. According to legend, following the order of Emperor Constantine, the cross was discovered at a depth of 6 meters. That is how deep this church is, only 33 steps lead down.

Excursions in this place are not particularly interesting, the guides talk a lot, but absolutely nothing. It is better to wander inside, just reading the signs. A moat designed to divert groundwater to the side looks very interesting. It is lined with white tiles and from a distance gives the impression of a limestone vein. Many tourists throw coins at it.

Chambers and Church of the Nativity

The Church of the Nativity of Christ is not only a church building, it is a single complex that combines:

• church;
• refectory chambers with three halls;
• the chambers of the abbot;
• hospital rooms;
• kvass cellars;
• workshops of the chamber of malt workers and blacksmiths;
• sentry.

The complex is often called the chambers of Princess Tatyana Mikhailovna, this is due to the fact that all the buildings were built with her money and taking into account her wishes.

In principle, this is the only place here where the Jerusalem association is completely absent, as well as the copying of biblical places. Tours of the chambers are very interesting, especially those that tell about the organization of kvass production and cellars, about the status division of refectories and about the arrangement of guard rooms.

All buildings are built strictly in the usual national version of the baroque, that is, they are similar to the buildings of the Moscow Kremlin, towers and so on.

It is located directly above the central gate, which is its integral part.

It symbolizes the entry of Jesus into and forms a single architectural ensemble with walls and towers.

defensive buildings

New Jerusalem in Istra also has defensive buildings, the excursion program of which will allow you to escape from the abundance of information related to religious buildings.

The defense of the New Jerusalem in Istra includes:

1. 9 towers.
2. Walls with a thickness of 3-4 meters and a height of 9.6 meters.
3. Loopholes in 3 rows, allowing you to conduct plantar, hinged (mashikuli), gunfight.
4. Internal parapet and "combat" passages.

This is very serious and even progressive for the military art of the 17th-18th centuries and characterizes the Istra monastery complex as an almost impregnable fortress.

Each of the towers is crowned with a "tent" with a light drum, and they got their names, of course, in accordance with the names of the gates of the Old City in Israel. Next to the towers there are pedestals with cannons, which were in service with the monastery courtyard from the 17th to the 19th centuries.

Outside the territory, opposite the Foreign Tower, there is a source with spring and consecrated water - the Siloam font. Excursions around the monastery go down to it, so you don’t need to go around the walls separately in order to see the spring.

It is best to leave the New Jerusalem complex through the Elizabethan Gates, as they immediately open into the Garden of Gethsemane, through which you can go to the sketes, stand over Istra and continue your walk outside the walls surrounding the monastery churches.

When is the monastery open and what is the cost of visiting?

Temples and museums of the monastery complex are open for visits in the following schedule:

• from Tuesday to Friday - from 10:00 to 18:00;
• on Saturdays - from 10:00 to 21:00;
• on Sundays - from 10:00 to 19:00.

Excursions are available in the same time mode, the guides' working hours coincide with the opening hours of the museums and temples of the complex.

The checkout line is slightly different:

1. From Tuesday to Friday, the time to buy tickets is 10:00-17:30.
2. On Saturday, the time at which tickets can be purchased is 10:00-20:30.
3. Sunday - 10:00-18:30.

The time before closing, when tourists are still allowed in, is 30 minutes, but you need to understand that it’s simply impossible to see the monastery, its museums and churches in half an hour, even superficially.

As for the pricing policy, visiting the museums, territory and churches of the monastery will cost from 255 to 455 rubles. The amount will depend on which list of objects will be selected and whether the services of guides will be required.

It is quite possible to save money on paying for excursions, at the entrance to the complex and above its ticket offices there are detailed diagram the entire monastery courtyard, and if you wish, you can listen to the guides, standing not far from the tourist groups, as they tell quite loudly.

Video: New Jerusalem Monastery.

How to get there?

The exact address of this interesting place- Istra, Novoyerusalimskaya embankment, building 1. From Moscow to Istra can be reached by private car, by bus and by train.

Driving directions: Volokolamsk highway - Novorizhskoe highway - Volokolamskoe highway. The exit to Novorizhskoye is needed to bypass traffic jams near Krasnogorsk. If they are not there, then you can not turn onto it, but drive to Istra directly along Volokolamsky.

Getting there by bus is not difficult either. Flights depart from the Tushino stop, this is at the metro exit at the Tushinskaya station. You need bus 372, it leaves very often, every 10-20 minutes, starting at 7:00 and ending at 22:00. The cost is 114 rubles, tickets are sold by both drivers and the conductor, if any. On the way, the bus is about an hour, if it does not become a victim of traffic jams.

Minibuses depart from here and private drivers immediately look for fellow travelers.

The entire Moscow region is permeated with railway communication and it is most convenient to travel around it by electric trains. You can get to Istra from the Rizhsky railway station. Trains run very often, the first train leaves at 4:10, and last composition leaves for Istra at 00:06.

The train fare will be:

• 120 rubles - a full general ticket;
• 60 rubles - the cost for "beneficiaries";
• 30 rubles - the price for a children's ticket.

The advantages of traveling by commuter train are obvious:

1. The availability of a toilet, which is always important, but especially important when traveling with children.
2. No danger of getting stuck in traffic jams for many kilometers, where buses, minibuses, and cars are the same.
3. Arriving in Istra, on the way to the monastery, you can see a lot of interesting things, that is, in fact, immediately begin an educational walk.

On the way, the train is from 1 hour 15 minutes to one and a half hours, which is no longer than a trip by bus, minibus or car.

When planning a trip to Istra, you need to visit the official website of New Jerusalem and clarify exactly which places of the monastery are available, whether there are any changes in the working schedule and, of course, the time of the services, during which there are always a lot of people interfering with both sightseeing and simple movement around complex.

You also need to understand that in this place there is not a single whole original building, since the monastery was completely destroyed during the battles near Moscow during the war. The buildings have been restored, some of the original fragments have been partially preserved, some have been rebuilt from scratch. On each of the buildings there are corresponding informative signs that describe in detail what exactly the traveler sees.

In general, New Jerusalem is an interesting place, everything is arranged in it very modern and convenient, ticket options are also thought out, the only thing that many ordinary tourists, non-pilgrims lack, is the opportunity to climb the bell tower for a panoramic view.