Sergiev Posad (former Zagorsk) is a town in Russia, located 71 km from Moscow. The town was founded in the 14th century by the
Saint Sergy Radonezhsky who was canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church. Sergiev Posad
is a great tourist attraction and forms a part of the Golden Ring.
The most popular sight is the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.
The Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad is enlisted in the UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The Trinity Cathedral (1422-1423)
This beautiful church is the heart of the Trinity monastery and to some extent the heart
of the Russian Orthodoxy. A memorial service for St. Sergius (whose tomb stands in the south-east corner)
goes on all day, every day, lit only by oil lamps.
Most of the icons were created by the great medieval painter Andrey Rublyov and his disciples,
though Rublyov's masterpiece icon of the Old Testament Trinity is a copy,
the original one is in Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow.
The architectural ensemble of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is enlisted in the UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The Cathedral of the Assumption (1558-1585)
The cathedral with its star-spangled domes, was designed in accordance with the cathedral of Assumption in Moscow Kremlin.
It was finished in 1585. Services are held here in summer. Outside the western door there is the grave of Boris Godunov,
the only tsar buried neither in Moscow Kremlin nor
in St. Peter & Paul Cathedral in St.Petersburg.
Nearby, the resplendent Chapel-at-the-Well (Nadkladeznaya chasovnya) was built.
The Refectory Church of St. Sergius
The huge block with the 'wallpaper' paint job and lavish interior was once a dining hall for pilgrims.
Now it's the winter counterpart of the Assumption Cathedral,
with morning services in cold weather.
The Church of the Descent of the Holy Spirit
This little 15th century church (Dukhovskaya tserkov), with the bell tower under its dome,
is a graceful imitation of the Trinity Cathedral.
It's used only on special occasions. It contains, among other things,
the grave of the first Bishop of Alaska.
You can find a tour to Sergiev Posad in our selection of Golden Ring Tours and Day Trips from Moscow.
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