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The Holy Triniry and St.Sergiys Lavra was founded by saint
Sergiys of Radonezh in 1337. At that time the monastery had
already become the spiritual center of Russia.
In the XV - XIX centuries the stone churches, chambers and
other buildings of various architectural styles were erected
inside the monastery walls, decorated by the outstanding pallerus
of Russian iconpaiting, frescoes and objects applied arts.
Nowadays as well as in the other times, novices and parishioner
pray for their own salvation, for the prosperity of the native
land and for the peaceful life of all mankind. The Superior
as the monastery is His Holiness Patriarch Alexiy II of Moscow
and All Russia. A part of the territory of Lavra is occupied
by the Moscow Theological School - Seminary (from 1738) and
Academy (from 1814).
Pereslavl-Zalesski is situated on the
shore of Lake Plescheyevo, 140 km north-east of Moscow. Ancient
chronicles hold it that it was founded in 1152 by Prince Yuri
Dolgoruki. The new fortress became the biggest one he founded
and Pereslavl itself - an important political and cultural
center of north-east Rus. The Principality of Pereslavl included
such towns as Dmitrov, Tver, Nerekhta etc. Here were created
the "Chronicle of Pereslavl of Suzdal" and the "Prayer
of Daniil Zatochnik" - renowned works of old Russian
literature. Pereslavl is the birthplace of Vladimir Grand
Dukes Yaroslav Vsevlodovich, Alexander Nevski and his son
Dmitri Alexandrovich.
During the times of the Tartar yoke the town was ravaged many
times by the invaders, as well as suffered from the bloody
feuds of Vladimir princes. The townsfolk actively participated
in the struggle for power. In 1302 almost a century-long existence
of Pereslavl Principality ended - Alexander Nevski's grandson,
Prince Ivan Dmitriyevich bequeathed his lands to his uncle
and ally Prince Daniil Alexandrovich of Moscow. The future
capital became strongly strengthened by the vast Pereslavl
territories. But for many years to come the rivals of Moscow
tried to recover their right to rule over these lands.
In the 15th and 16th centuries Pereslavl became an important
town of Moscow Rus (Russia), a center of trade and craft.
The Austrian Ambassador Sigismund Herberstem described old
Pereslavl in the following manner: "...the town and the
fortress in the north-east, 24 miles away from Moscow, which
lies on a lake, where one can catch herring, like near Solovki
Islands. The fields are quite fertile and abundant; after
harvest the prince likes to hunt here. On thet same fields
there is a lake, - its water is boiled out in order to get
salt. This town is passed by those who are going to Nizhni
Novgorod, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Uglich. The well-known English
traveler Giles Fletcher included Pereslavl among the 12 most
important towns of the country.
Monasteries played enormous role in the political and economic
life of the town. In Pereslavl the renowned Russian Holy Monk
Sergey of Radonezh received the rank of hegumen. Such saints
as Dmitry of Priluki and Gerasim of Boldino spent their yeng
years? as well as the contemporary of Ivan the Terrible -
Metropolitan Aphanasi. In the 16th century the members of
the Grand Duke's family frequented the town. Moscow rulers
greatly enjoyed hunting in local forests, they also made pilgrimages
to the monasteries. Ivan the Terrible especially favoured
these lands. In the times of Oprichnina (1564-1572) the Alexandrovskaya
Sloboda (now the town Alexandrov) of the Pereslavl District
became the actual center of the Russian state.
In early 17th century, during the Time of Trouble, Pereslavl
and its environs were ravaged by the Polish invaders. More
than half the population perished, a series of villages completely
disappeared, for a long time life in the monasteries came
to a halt. It took several decades for the town to return
back to normal: new stone buildings in monasteries were again
built, the fortress was reconstructed and trade revived.
In 1654 a terrible plague broke out, which took lives of more
than half of the inhabitants. Pereslavl survived, but slowly
began to loose its economic and political significance. However,
it was still an important religious center. In late 17th -
early 18th centuries most of the monasteries here acquired
their present form. Many important figures of the Russian
Orthodox Church lived here. Peter the Great and members of
his family made generous donations that enriched local monasteries
and gave them the means to construct new temples. In 1744-1788
one of the largest town monasteries - Goritski - served as
a center of the Pereslavl Eparchy, which included nine towns
with twenty five monasteries and six hundred and five churches.
Tsar Peter the Great had a special sympathy for Peresiavl,
In late 17th century he often came here and spent a lot of
time on the banks of Lake Plescheyevo, where he was building
a small fleet, with which the story of Russian navy really
begins.
In the tumultuous history of the town this was probably the
last outstanding event. In early 18th century Pereslavl is
a provincial town, with 6232 population. In 1775, after an
administrative reform, Pereslavl receives the rank of a district
center of the Vladimir Government.
The merchant class was especially influential in the town.
A large linen factory, belonging to F. Ugrimov, was found
here as early as mid-18th century. By early 20th century Pereslavl
had several spinning and weaving mills, a factory producing
copper goods, enterprises involved in making embroidery, leather,
glass etc. There was also a free hospital, high schools for
boys and girls, a commercial school, elementary schools.
The town had a chance to bring back its former wealth and
glory, but the merchants and the local authorities chose to
ignore the steel paces of progress - in the 1860s the Northern
Railroad did not go through Pereslavl,
Today Pereslavl is a district center of the Yaroslavl Region.
Its population is 45.000. The largest enterprise is "Slavich
Company", which produces black and white photographic
paper, tape, packaging materials etc. The products of the
embroidery factory "Novy Mir" and those of "Pereslavl
Ceramics" are popular across the country. The town is
well-known for research in new information technologies, it
houses the Institute of Program Research of the Russian Academy
of Sciences. Students from Russia and CIS Countries attend
the local university. There is also a cultural center dedicated
to D.N. Kardovski where one can see exhibitions of local and
foreign artists.
The charm of old times, a magnificent combination of old Russian
architecture with a unique landscape attracts numerous tourists
to Pereslavl, both from Russia and from abroad.
Photo gallery>>>
Dmitrov was founded 1154 by grand in
duke by JURI DOLGOROUKI and by that time the town was one
of the fortified outposts of Vladimir-Souzdal Land. There
is a monument of defence architecture - the earthen wall of
the 12th century well preserved up-to the present time in
Dmitrov.
Favourable geographical location of Dmitrov along the merchant's
routes to the upper part of Volga River and to the North enabled
if rapid development. Dmitrov was joint to Moscow Principality
already in the 14th centure, but up to the 16th century local
princes were fighting for it.
From the 15th Century up to the first half of the 16th century
Dmitrov was a very important Trading Centre of Moscow land,
there was a straght merchant's water trading Route along Jachroma,
Sestra and Doubna Rivers. It was not only the biggest town
in the Northern Part of Moscow territory, but at the same
time one of the biggest towns of Russian State. Dmitrov was
connected by road with Moscow, but that road was located some
distance to the West of modern town of Dmitrov.
The Kremlin remained as a core of the town and there is the
main ancient building in the centre Uspenski Cathedral. The
building houses Regional Museum under it's five cupola roof
since 1933. Later on it was reorganized into the Museum of
History and Art. The Architecture of facades reminds the architecture
of Archangelsk Cathedral of Moscow Kremlin.
Our coordinates:
Tel./fax: (095) 918-51-98, 795-68-16
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