Alexander Monastery (Suzdal)

The Alexander Monastery is a men's monastery of the Vladimir and Suzdal diocese in the northern part of Suzdal, on the high left bank of the Kamenka River, on Gasteva Street. The Alexander Monastery in Suzdal is best known for its tent-roofed bell tower and the late 17th-century Church of the Ascension, both clearly visible from across the river.

History

According to tradition, the monastery was founded in 1240 by Grand Prince Alexander Nevsky and dedicated to his patron saint, the martyr Alexander. For a long time it was a convent. In the 14th century it received estates and gifts from the Moscow princes Ivan Kalita and Ivan II the Fair, descendants of Nevsky. Tradition calls it the "Great Lavra" and links it with the burials of Suzdal princesses; another story says that many orphans found shelter here after the Tatar invasion.

During the Polish-Lithuanian devastation of 1608–1610 the monastery was burned, and no building older than the 17th century survived. The present ensemble dates from 1695, when the stone Church of the Ascension with its bell tower was built with money from Tsarina Natalya Kirillovna, the mother of Peter I.

In 1764, during Catherine II's secularisation of church lands, the monastery was abolished and its cathedral became a parish church. The church was closed in Soviet times. In 2006 the monastery was revived, this time as a men's community.

What to see

The Church of the Ascension is a tall two-tier cube with five domes, with a heated side chapel and a porch attached. Next to it stands a free-standing tent-roofed bell tower with almost unadorned walls, a typical landmark of Suzdal architecture.

The monastery is enclosed by a wall with decorative turrets. The Holy Gate with its two-tier turret recalls the Holy Gate of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. The wall and towers were built under the master builder Ivan Gryaznov, who also worked on other buildings in Suzdal. The monastery hill looks out over the Kamenka valley and the Saviour Monastery of St. Euthymius.

Getting there

Suzdal is about 35 km from Vladimir and 220 km from Moscow, with regular buses from both. From the town centre and the Trading Rows it is about a 15-minute walk along Lenina Street and then Gasteva Street through a quiet residential area. By car, take the M-7 highway to Vladimir and then the road to Suzdal.

Good to know

This is a working monastery: the grounds are open to pilgrims and visitors during the day, according to guidebooks roughly from 8:00 to 17:00. Check the service schedule with the monastery before your visit. Modest dress is expected in the church, and women usually cover their heads.