Valdai Iversky Monastery of photography. Monasteries of Mount Athos. Iveron, Iversky Monastery. Shrines of the Iveron Monastery

Equipment and tools 06.12.2020

Equipment and tools

The Valdai Iversky Holy Mother of God Monastery is one of the centers of pilgrimage in the Novgorod region. The Orthodox monastic complex is located in a picturesque place 10 km from the city of Valdai: it is located on Selvitsky Island, almost in the center of the holy Valdai Lake.

The Iversky Monastery has an ancient history. Construction began in 1653 at the initiative of the Patriarch of Moscow Nikon, and the site was chosen in accordance with the vision that visited him. The first to be completed were the cathedral church of the Iberian icon and the church of St. Philip of Moscow.

Almost a year later Nikon visited the monastery under construction, the surrounding Valdai posad ordered to rename the village of Bogoroditskoye and consecrated the lake. So the monastery became the Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky. At the same time, at the initial stage of development, the new monastery acquired the relics of the miracle worker Jacob Borovichsky. The Assumption Cathedral of the monastery was completed in 1656.

In the first half of the 18th century, the Valdai Monastery quickly, and partly by force, fell into stagnation. His property and land passed to the St. Petersburg Alexander Nevsky Monastery, which was under construction at that time, to which a large bell was even transported from Valdai, while the monastery was rapidly falling into decay. However, already according to the reform of 1764, the Iversky Monastery was assigned to the first class.

The history of the monastery in the 20th century includes numerous transformations. In 1919 the complex became the Iberian labor artel, but in fact remained a monastic abode. In 1927, the monks were deprived of the miraculous icon, and the community ceased to exist. In the following Soviet years, the island housed a museum (historical, local history), various workshops, a house for disabled people of the Second World War (with accommodation and care), a local school for children with tuberculosis and, finally, a recreation center.

The long-awaited return of the monastery of the Novgorod diocese took place only in 1991. A large-scale, painstaking restoration of the complex was completed in 2007, then the Assumption Cathedral of the Iversky Monastery of Valdai was consecrated by the Patriarch of Moscow Alexy II in honor of the Icon of the Mother of God of Iverskaya - the main shrine of the monastery. Vladimir Putin was present at the ceremony. Separate work to decorate the monastery continued until 2011.

Currently, the monastery complex includes: the Iversky Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Refectory Church of the Epiphany, the Gate Churches of Michael the Archangel and Metropolitan Philip of Moscow, the Church of Jacob Borovichsky, the chapel with the tomb of the Panayevs, the tent-roofed bell tower, the viceroy and auxiliary towers, Mikhailovskaya) tower.

At the current monastery, there is a museum dedicated to the history of the holy place and Patriarch Nikon. Guided tours are organized in the monastery complex.

Schedule of services in the Valdai Iversky Monastery

Services in the monastery are held on a regular schedule. On weekdays, the allocated time is from 7:00 to 9:00 and from 18:00 to 20:00; on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays from 9:00 to 12:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00. Baptism - on weekdays, Sundays, holidays - at 13:00. Wedding - by appointment, only on permitted days according to the church calendar.

The full schedule and opening hours are available on the official website of the Iversky Monastery.

How to get to the Iversky monastery Valdai

Ferries "Zarya-211" leave from the Valdai pier to the monastery. You can also take a taxi - about 200-300 rubles from Valday. At the same time, it is convenient to get by road: the first island, Ryabinovy, is connected to the mainland by a road bridge; from its northern end, across a narrow strait, there is a bridge to Selvitsky Island, where the monastery is located.

Pilgrims often travel to Valdai from other regions of Russia. The M-10 motorway leads to the city, there are regular local and intercity bus routes with a stop at the Valdai bus station, electric trains and long-distance trains. However, on suburban trains it is more convenient to go not to Valdai, but to the Chernushki stopping point, located about 5 km from the island monastery, this distance can be walked or reached with fellow travelers. In addition, there remains the opportunity to go to Valdai and visit the famous Iversky Monastery in an organized way - as part of an excursion group (you need to check with the pilgrim center of the complex and the pilgrim services of your city).

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Iversky monastery (Russia) - description, history, location. Exact address and website. Reviews of tourists, photos and videos.

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The main Orthodox landmark of Valdai, the Iversky Monastery, is located on the Selvitsky Island of Valdai Lake. The monastery was founded in the middle of the 17th century in the likeness of a male monastery on Mount Athos.

Today, on the territory of the Valdai Iversky Monastery, there are the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Epiphany Church, several Gateway Churches, a chapel with a burial vault, a Pilgrimage Center, as well as economic and administrative buildings.

The Iversky Monastery is open for visits from 6:00 to 21:00. For tourists and pilgrims, the staff of the monastery conducts daily excursions. True, you need to pre-register by phone and indicate the number of people in your tour group. In the Iversky Monastery, accommodation is provided for tourists in the living room (with overnight stay and meals), but these issues should also be coordinated with the Pilgrimage Center.

You can get to the island, where the Iversky Monastery is located, by boat. It runs daily: on weekdays, the motor ship "Zarya-211" departs from the Valday pier at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00, on Saturday and Sunday at 9:00. A boat ticket costs 100 RUB.

After visiting the Iversky Monastery, you can go for a walk along Valdai Lake on the same boat.

The ride lasts about an hour (departure from the island is at 17:00) and costs only 250 RUB.

The prices on the page are for September 2018.

Address: Selvitsky Island, Valdai District, Novgorod Region, Russia. Coordinates: 57.9892224, 33.30542749999995 ... The phone number of the pilgrimage center: + 7-911-614-66-94. The monastery is open for visits from 7-00 to 21-00. Guided tours of the monastery can be ordered from the main cathedral's church shop or by phone. Accommodation and meals in the monastery are strictly by appointment, preferably a month in advance.

On one of the beautiful islands of Lake Valdai, among virgin forests, the Iversky Monastery is located. It embodied the desire of Nikon, the patriarch of All Russia, to create a monastery similar to the one on Mount Athos and in the same architectural traditions. For many years it became the focus of spirituality in the Russian land. Today the monastery's architectural ensemble has been completely restored and attracts thousands of tourists and pilgrims every year.

How to get to the holy place

Today anyone can get into the Iversky Monastery - every believer is welcome here. This can be done in different ways:
- It is most convenient to get to Valday by train from Moscow. To do this, you need to choose a flight to Pskov. It departs from the Leningradsky railway station at 20:23, and you will be on the spot already at 2:04. The price of the trip is from 772 rubles.
- It is better to get by bus from St. Petersburg. There is a direct route to Valday (12:45), as well as a transit route (8:25), following to Demyansk. Travel time will take 5-6 hours. The cost of such a trip is 750-800 rubles.
- It is also easier to get there by car, because Valdai is located on the highway connecting Moscow and St. Petersburg. In time, a car trip from the capital will take about 6 hours, from the Northern capital - 4 hours.
From Valday itself, by taxi or personal transport, you need to move in the southeast direction to the M-10 highway, and then east to the first turn to the left (the Cheryomushki stop). Further, you will also need to turn to the left - the road will lead you through about. Ryabinovy \u200b\u200bon about. Selvitsky, where the monastery is arranged.

Where to stay in Valday

For pilgrims and tourists visiting the Valdai Monastery, there are a variety of accommodation options. Those wishing to stay in the monastery hotel should contact the pilgrimage center. For large groups as well as for individual pilgrims, a preliminary agreement a month in advance, as well as its confirmation, is required. Only those who live in the hotel eat in the refectory and strictly according to the schedule, having ordered their participation in advance. Check-in should take place before evening service. For accommodation donated 1000 rubles per day for one place.
For those who decide to stay in the city, there are comfortable hotels with reasonable prices and magnificent hotel complexes. Families with children are more suitable for mini-hotels, where children up to seven years old are accommodated free of charge. On the picturesque shores of the lake, there are numerous boarding houses and rest houses offering country houses and cozy cottages. The private sector near the monastery is also a convenient budget option. Here you can find comfortable accommodation, prices for which depend on the area, living conditions and distance to the monastery. Prices generally range from 1,000 to 4,500 thousand rubles.

Variety of catering establishments

In the vicinity of Lake Valdai there is a large selection of cafes and restaurants where you can have a delicious lunch. The most popular cafes are "Uyezdnoye" and "Urartu". The latter offers dishes of Armenian and Russian cuisine, everything is very tasty and of high quality, portions are large, while inexpensive.
In "Uyezdnoye" you can taste delicious pancakes and other traditional dishes of Russian cuisine, the prices for which are quite low. The inexpensive and cozy Podvorie cafe is distinguished by its cleanliness and reasonable prices. Homemade bread and delicious pastries are baked here.
Wpcafe is a place where you can sit quietly with a glass of beer and have a tasty snack. Cafe-Restaurant Vmeste is a family lunch establishment with a cozy atmosphere and attentive service. A wonderful selection of dishes is offered, and the preparation is quick and tasty.
At the Rybnoye Mesto restaurant you can taste delicious trout fish soup and for only 150 rubles, other dishes also have excellent taste - grilled carp, homemade salted mushrooms, there is also a choice for a child. And lunch is so hearty that you don't need to have dinner. The service is very fast, and after eating you can take a stroll through the picturesque surroundings.

Features of visiting the monastery

When visiting the monastery complex, one must remember that not only in it, but on the whole island, life follows a strict charter. There are signs with signs in the courtyard of the monastery, and on the official website you can get acquainted with the rules for visiting. On the banks, even outside the walls, you cannot sunbathe or swim, much less have picnics or behave noisy and cheeky. This prohibition does not apply to other rivers and lakes, there are campers' tents scattered everywhere. Smoking is strictly prohibited inside the monastery.
Orthodox people are advised to make the sign of the cross and a bow in front of the church, and inside they need to light candles to the saints and slowly pray and only then make the request with which they arrived at this holy place. In the church, loud conversations or phone calls are inappropriate, they must be turned off before entering. Prior arrangement is desirable for meetings with priests and ministers.
Great importance is attached to appearance, as it is an indicator of the internal state. According to the dress code, only clean, tidy clothes that correspond to the gender are allowed on the territory of the monastery. Women should wear dresses with long sleeves and a closed collar. If you do not have the necessary things with you, long skirts will be offered at the entrance. Trousers are not welcome - like men's clothing. It is not recommended to use bright cosmetics and perfumes with a rich aroma. Men should wear trousers; those arriving in shorts will also have to use skirts. Women's hair should be covered with a scarf, while men's long hair should be simply tied with an elastic band so that it does not touch the shrines.
The rules for visitors indicate that photography or video can be taken only after the blessing of the Holy Father, and in order to see him, you must ask the church ministers. Filming permits can also be obtained from the pilgrimage center. There is a large asphalt parking lot right next to the walls of the monastery, opposite the church shop. There is also a second parking lot, slightly smaller, about half a kilometer from the point of interest. There are always free spaces on it, even if the first one is completely full.

The history of the emergence of the Iversky monastery

Its foundation is associated with an amazing vision that visited Patriarch Nikon, at that time still the Novgorod Metropolitan, during a trip to Solovki. After a short time, churches were already erected and consecrated - the Cathedral of the Icon of the Mother of God and St. Philip, both wooden. Having visited the grandiose construction site for the first time, the patriarch lowered the Gospel and the cross to the bottom of the lake, calling it Saints, and the word Svyatoozersky was added to the name of the monastery. Soon a lake with islands and settlements and other monasteries of the Novgorod land were assigned to him by the tsar's charter. It was settled by brethren of several dozen people who were engaged in book printing and bookbinding. The holy relics of Jacob Borovichsky, which were located in a small chapel, next to a healing spring, were also transferred to it.
The local printing house became the second in Russia after the Gosudarev Printing House and the first in the province. Various crafts developed here - woodcarving, icon painting, making colored tiles, the remains of which can still be seen in one of the buildings. By this time, the Cathedral of the Assumption was completed and solemnly, in the presence of numerous representatives of the higher clergy, which impressed with its monumentality. The highest place on the island was chosen for its construction. By this day, the patriarch ordered a huge 35-pound bell, cast at his expense and with his image, and a beautiful copy of the miraculous icon of the Iberian Mother of God was delivered from Moscow. A five-tiered gilded iconostasis was installed in the church, and a wonderful chandelier in the form of a tree, decorated with flowers and birds, brightly illuminated the magnificent decoration.
The monastery, which received first-class status and had multiple privileges, flourished until the 60s. XVII century - until the period of disgrace of Patriarch Nikon. Then all of his parishes were closed and transferred to the treasury - as formed not according to the charter. The construction of the Iberian monastery was also suspended. However, the sentence was soon overturned, and she was fully restored to her rights. By the middle of the 18th century, a two-storey building of fraternal cells appeared here, adjacent to the Church of Michael the Archangel. The building - unlike other buildings - is made in the Moscow Baroque style with its characteristic white stone carved decorations in the decoration of the platbands. It has practically not undergone reconstruction and has been preserved in its original form. One of the oldest is the Vodovzvodnaya Tower, or the Horse Tower, built in the 18th century, and later the Corps of Stable Cells was attached to it.
The famous secularization reform of Catherine II in the mid-1770s. thoroughly undermined the foundations of the former monastic life. All church estates were transferred to the state, a good half of the parishes were abolished, and the rest had to receive a certain amount for maintenance, depending on their status, or exist by cultivating nearby unpopulated lands. Although the Iversky Monastery received the status of first-class, the financial support was barely enough to survive. It began to decline, buildings were dilapidated, the number of monks decreased, only those who devoted themselves to an ascetic lifestyle and obey a strict rule remained. After the revolutionary events, the monastery was plundered, and within its walls were alternately located a museum, a forest school, and a recreation center.
Only in the 90s. restoration work began - buildings were repaired, the bell tower was updated, heating was carried out, so that services can be held at any time of the year. The restoration was completed at the beginning of this century. The consecration of the restored Iversky Cathedral, the former Assumption Cathedral, was also held, where its shrine, the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God, was returned, it was kept in the local church for decades. Wonderful craftsmen from Zlatoust made a precious robe for her. It was decided to cover the domes of the cathedral with gilding. There is also a museum dedicated to the history of the monastery and its founder.

Monastic shrines

The Assumption Cathedral, the main temple of the monastery, is the largest Orthodox object built in Russia in the 17th century. The majestic snow-white building, decorated with five domes, dazzling with gold, is distinguished by its simplicity of form. It is built in the form of a square with three naves and is surrounded by a gallery with a porch. The temple vaults are supported by six huge pillars. The walls are painted with stories from the history of the Athos monastery from the lives of saints. Since the monastery has undergone several reconstructions, the original paintings by local masters have not survived and have been restored according to descriptions. The 19th century frescoes have been restored. Old oak doors with unique carvings and forged grilles have remained unchanged. The new carved iconostasis was reconstructed according to the preserved documents.
The Epiphany Church with a refectory was supposedly built at the very end of the 60s. XVII century. It is a single-domed cube-shaped temple with a strict façade and a two-tiered faceted apse. The complex is connected by arched passages with a huge two-story refectory. The ground floor windows are decorated with small kokoshniks. The refectory itself, together with the kitchen and utility rooms, is located on the second tier, and there are storage facilities below.
Between the buildings - the viceroy and the abbot, is the Bell Tower. The first, stone, it was built in the 70-80s. XVII century in the form of a tower, crowned with a tent - it then had 13 bells. Due to deformations caused by the peculiarities of the soil, as well as due to a large fire that happened here earlier, the structure had to be rebuilt. The tent was dismantled, and instead of it, a dome with a spire with 8 sides was installed on the upper tier. Arched spans have been left for the bells. In the 90s, during the reconstruction period, the upper tier was rebuilt, returning it to its original appearance - with a tent. A set of bells from the city administration of Valdai was handed over to the Valdai Monastery for the Festival of Bell Ringers organized here.
The wooden church of Philip the Metropolitan was rebuilt one of the first - as a sign of special respect and recognition of his merits in the foundation of the complex. He was considered the local patron saint. The modern two-storey building of the gate church was built in the 70s. XIX century in the form of a single-headed quadrangle with cut corners, made in the eclectic style. On the second tier, crowned with a dome with a dome, there is a church, and the lower tier is equipped with a passable arch. Opposite the gate there is a small pier for the motor ship, which in summer makes flights between the monastery and the city.
The Gate Church of Michael the Archangel is located at the main entrance and is an important element in the architectural ensemble. The tall building is a quadrangle with one apse, cut in the center by a wide arch, on both sides of which there are false arched decorations. The temple is single-domed, although initially it supposedly had five domes. Facades and gates are decorated with a variety of architectural elements - in contrast to the more austere appearance of other Christian structures. Here is kept a unique icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, dating back to the 16th or 17th century. On both sides adjoin the buildings of monastic and treasury cells, as well as the Nikon tower from the monastery fence.
Nikonovskaya tower has another name - typographic, as it once housed the monastery printing house, where many unique books were printed. The structure is one of the first buildings of the monastery and still attracts with its beauty and architectural forms. It is decorated with a hexagonal tent, which ends with a spire with a gilded eagle.
The Iberian Icon of the Mother of God is the main monastery shrine. Richly decorated, it is an exact copy from the image on Mount Athos and was brought here by two monks. The cost of her jewelry was estimated at almost 45 thousand rubles at that time. A ban was imposed on making copies from it. It became famous for numerous miracles - in the middle of the 19th century, when the cholera epidemic began, the image saved the monks and many surrounding residents from the terrible death. Since that time, a religious procession has been performed with him every year. Hundreds of pilgrims also come to pray to the icon, each with his own misfortune.

Holy springs

The springs with healing water in Valdai have been known for a long time. For many centuries, thousands of pilgrims have come here to test their strength and pray in holy places.
People come to the Tekunok spring, which is near the small village of Uzhin, to pray and wash before any important matter. In the 19th century, the Tikhvin icon of the Mother of God was installed near it - this place was popular among newlyweds, after the wedding they took water from the spring, praying for a happy family life. During the war years, the local water eased the suffering of the wounded in hospitals. Later, the spring was filled up several times, but it made its way again. At the beginning of this century, its channel was cleared, a font and a chapel were built here. Every year, on the day of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God, services are held near the source. Holy water from here is especially useful for eye diseases, but it also helps with various kinds of inflammatory diseases.
The source of Saints Cosmas and Damian is located on the Bogomolnaya mountain. After a centuries-old pilgrimage, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was abandoned for several decades, until one of the local residents again discovered the healing water near the ruins of the chapel. The spring has been restored, it has a noticeable therapeutic effect in diseases of the internal organs, perfectly relieves fatigue, increasing the tone of the body.
The Mshen people became famous thanks to the unique sources that emanate from great depths - it is not even possible to measure it. Pure and healing water heals from ailments of the heart, nervous system and many others. Locals also believe that bathing in the font with this key cures infertility.
The holy spring in Izitsy is dedicated to the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God. The chapel on this site has not survived. The key was also abandoned and forgotten during the years of Soviet power. Now it has been restored, and a bathhouse has been built nearby. Many people prefer to come here on the day of the annual solemn divine service, when its next consecration is held. Spring water is especially useful for childhood diseases and infertility.
The village of Bor is famous for its holy spring named in honor of the Great Martyr Paraskeva Friday. Here is the source of the Pyatnitskaya river, where the font is also arranged. The Holy Chapel stands nearby. A spring near the village of Edrovo was also consecrated in her honor. A dirt road leads to the spring with a chapel and an open bath. It is surprising that the water temperature here is constant throughout the year and is +4 degrees.
According to legend, workers - builders of the monastery, said that they saw unclean spirits over the waters of the lake. Then, having consecrated it, Patriarch Nikon named Lake Valdai Holy and served a moleben. Since then, it has been consecrated every year for Epiphany, and the ministers of the temple, along with numerous believers, go to the lake font, which is cut into ice. The depth of the reservoir is on average 12 m, but in some places it can reach 60 m. It is fed by springs, thanks to which it has a clean bottom and fresh and cold water. As a rule, it freezes already at the beginning of winter, remaining covered with ice until May.

When is the best time to go to the monastery

The monastery welcomes pilgrims and tourists at any time of the year, but the best period for a trip is late spring and summer - then it looks especially picturesque, surrounded by lush forest greenery and clear, clear waters of the lake.
Warm seasons are convenient for swimming in holy springs and walking along shady forest paths. The summer months are also characterized by a large influx of visitors, so a slight inconvenience due to queues is likely. A huge number of pilgrims choose the Easter holiday to visit the monastery, so a large number of people gather on these days.
The climate in Valdai is a bit like the sea, with moderately cold winters and long, warm autumn. At this time, a trip to Valdai attracts by the fact that the flow of people decreases, and nature fascinates with a variety of colors. On the last warm days before the cold weather, it is especially pleasant to walk through the forest in search of berries or mushrooms.
The monastery is not empty even on winter days - there are always visitors here. Some of them come specially to plunge into the holy springs, the water in which has a higher temperature than outside. Walking in the cold after the evening service is also pleasant.

Must see

To get acquainted with all the sights of the monastery and its shrines, you need to set aside a few free days. However, you can see a lot of interesting things in a day. The shrine is located in stunningly beautiful locations. Even a quiet walk along its walls and along the well-groomed territory will leave an indelible impression.
You can make an interesting trip to the Museum of Bells, which is located in the building of the Church of the Great Martyr Catherine. Its round snow-white building topped with a dome attracts attention with its unusual architecture. It carries the features of classicism, the author of the project here was the remarkable architect N.A. Lviv. The museum has an amazing collection of various bells, ranging from tiny ones to ship bells. There are also carillons, which consist of many tinkling bells. In general, Valdai is famous for the production of bells, and such a museum complex is the only one in the country. There is a popular legend according to which the ringing bells of Valdai appeared as fragments of the famous veche bell of ancient Novgorod, which crashed during transportation. The city could cast bells up to two thousand pounds in weight.
Pilgrims arriving at the monastery must visit the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. Its stunning beauty and unusual color unwittingly attract attention. The temple had to endure many hardships - from fires and destruction to persecution on faith, but every time it was restored. The current building was built on the site of a wooden church in the middle of the 18th century. At the end of the last century, it was completely restored, and today the operating cathedral pleases residents and pilgrims with its delicate color and beautiful architecture.
The old two-story mansion houses the Museum of the County Town. Initially, it was called Nikonovsky, it presented an exposition related to the history of the Iversky monastery and church values. She was exhibited in one of his churches. After the closure, the museum values \u200b\u200bwere transferred to various museums in Novgorod, and the remaining exhibits became the basis for the creation of the Museum of Local Lore. Today, in five spacious halls, expositions dedicated to the history of the settlement and the monastery that glorified it, the crafts for which the region was famous, as well as famous personalities - the natives of this region, are open.
If you have enough time, you can also get acquainted with beautiful examples of Russian architecture - old mansions, which are well preserved. The beautiful manor complex of the Mountain belonged to Duke N.N. Leuchterberg. The central element of the magnificent architectural ensemble was a three-storey stone palace, crowned with a round tower in two tiers. It was surrounded by a wonderful landscaped park with picturesque alleys around graceful ponds and fragrant flower beds. A delightful panorama of the lake and its surroundings opened from the windows. Household buildings and fragments of the park have survived to this day, but they also make an impression.
In the 18th century, the coast of Lake Uzhin, connected by a canal with Valdai, was built up with rich estates. In Novotroitsy there was a large park ensemble belonging to the Kvashnins-Samarin family with numerous outbuildings. It was distinguished by a beautiful alley of white birches. The church on the estate has also been preserved.
The magnificent manor complex, which belonged to the Musin-Pushkin family, is made in the tradition of "wooden" classicism. Two wings of the two-story building were equipped with porticoes with columns, and a round turret adorned the top. The Church of the Holy Trinity on the territory of the estate, built in the same style, is a four-pillar structure with a dome. There is an iconostasis inside, and beautiful wall paintings have survived.
The Tolstoy estate in Nikolskoye once occupied more than 19 hectares. A large fish hatchery was once founded here - several flowing artificial ponds for fish farming. On the shores of a huge body of water, century-old trees of park species grow - birch, poplar, linden, etc.
A walk along the largest island in Valdai - Ryabinovoy - will be wonderful. The mountain ash was a cult tree among the Finno-Ugric tribes living in these places. Until now, a hundred-year-old mountain ash forest has been preserved here, and a tourist trail has been laid along which you can find mushroom and berry plantations. There are also recreation areas.

What to bring from the monastery

At the gates of the monastery there is a small church shop where you can buy a variety of souvenirs and church attributes - small icons, crosses, books, which are then consecrated. Long dark skirts and scarves are also sold here. There is a stall next to the parking lot, where it is easy to buy church pastries very cheaply. Bread and lean cabbage pies have a special flavor. During Easter, extraordinary cakes are sold here.
There is also a church shop on the territory of the monastery, where candles and incense are sold. They are offered to be bought in the church. Bottled holy water can be purchased at the monastery. Church shops are located next to the healing springs and offer various religious attributes and souvenirs with images of saints, pebbles and icons depicting the Iberian Mother of God are especially popular.
In Valdai, there are also many souvenir shops with a wide selection of magnets, postcards, bells, boxes and much more. Bells of various shapes and sizes, which are especially popular, are one of the remarkable symbols of the city. Local craftsmen make unique items from birch bark - combs, mirrors. The bactericidal properties of birch bark have been known for a long time, so birch bark souvenirs will become not only a beautiful reminder of wonderful places, but also a source of positive energy. The city is also famous for linen products with original embroidery.

The Iversky Monastery is an amazing place filled with powerful, spiritually enlightening energy. Unusual tranquility seems to be poured into the clean, fresh air, filled with the coniferous aromas of pine forests, and the fabulously picturesque nature is a wonderful frame for the majestic monastery!

Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery - a copy of the monastery of Iveri on Mount Athos

The Iversky Bogoroditsky Svyatoozersky Monastery was created under Metropolitan Nikon in the distant 1652. The monastery is located on one of the islands on Lake Valdai.

The Valdai Monastery became the first among the grandiose buildings that the patriarch built. The Iversky Monastery on Lake Valdai is, in fact, a kind of copy of the Athonite monastery of Iveri, which was revered as the main monastery on the Holy Mountain. And it was in this that the special strategy of the policy of Patriarch Nikon was concluded, he strove to maximize the boundaries of the Orthodox Church of Russia, endowing grandiose buildings with loud names: New Jerusalem, Monastery of the Cross.

The Assumption Cathedral in the Iversky Monastery was built by the whole world, in the literal sense of the word: for example, a blacksmith arrived from Torzhok, brick-makers and burners were supplied by Moscow, the famous Ignat Maksimov arrived in Belarus from Kopys, a master of magnificent colored tiles, his works later became known far beyond the borders Valday.

Belarusian monks brought to Valdai all their property and even a printing house - a great value and an extraordinary rarity in Russia at that time. Before that, the only printing house was only in Moscow.

And the Assumption Cathedral today has not lost its scope and grandeur. And today, like 3 centuries ago, it is one of the largest buildings of the 17th century in Russia.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 13.03.2016 10:22

Foundation of the Valdai Iversky Monastery

The founding of the Valdai Iversky Monastery is associated with a miraculous phenomenon to Patriarch Nikon. In 1652, he ordered to transfer to the Kremlin Assumption Cathedral the relics killed by order of Ivan the Terrible and buried c. Metropolitan Nikon, accompanied by a large retinue, was assigned to go after the remains of the saint. According to legend, during this trip “there and back,” Metropolitan Philip appeared to Nikon in a dreamy vision and blessed his intention to establish a monastery on Lake Valdai.

In the summer of 1653, work began on Valdai, and in the fall there were already two new churches smelling of fresh wood. One of them, warm, was consecrated in the name of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow, another - in honor of the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God.

Valdai Lake has long enjoyed a bad reputation among the surrounding residents. It was said that from time to time unclean spirits rise above the lake surface, taking the form of disgusting monsters, and in the surrounding forests one can hear now whistling, now laughing.

The patriarch took up the Valdai evil spirits with his characteristic energy. On one of his visits to the monastery under construction, he went ashore with all the clergy, served a prayer service, immersed the cross and the Gospel on the bottom of the lake and renamed the lake. It should now be called Holy. The name did not catch on, but the lake's notoriety faded. Moreover, phenomena of a completely different kind are now observed here.

There is no one like him in the world

The monastery was developing rapidly. In 1654, the Patriarch ordered to transfer here the relics of the righteous Jacob of Borovichi from the relatively nearby village of Borovichi, and at the same time transported to Valdai the silver reliquaries with particles of the relics of Moscow saints Peter, Alexy, Jonah and Philip. And in 1656, the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God was solemnly greeted at the monastery.

By this time, a magnificent stone cathedral dedicated to the Iveron Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos was being completed on the island. The construction proceeded at a truly "Nikonov" pace. In May 1655, the cathedral church was founded, in December 1656 it was already consecrated. The building boggled the imagination of contemporaries: in a hitherto remote area, in the middle of a lake, a five-domed temple ascended, which could be seen in the capital city.

Specially for the consecration of the Iberian Cathedral, master Alexander Grigoriev cast a thousand-pound bell by Nikon's order, on which the Patriarch himself was depicted, and inside the new cathedral was decorated with a five-tiered carved iconostasis (Belarusian carvers must have worked on it) and a chandelier of "yellow copper" ordered abroad. "The size of a large tree, with flowers, birds and indescribable wonders."

First class monastery

It was to this period that the second stage of the improvement works in the monastery belongs. Under Nikon, all the buildings of the monastery, except for the Iversky Cathedral and the warm Epiphany Church with the refectory, remained wooden. In the 1670s and 1680s, stone construction continued, and by the beginning of the 18th century, the monastery as a whole looked about the same as it does now.

The main income of the monastery was brought by pilgrims, who flocked in large numbers to the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God, which, when it was not worn in the surrounding villages, was in the Assumption Cathedral. By the Tuesday of Bright Week, on the day of the celebration of the Iberian Icon, up to fifteen thousand people sometimes gathered in the monastery. The attention of pilgrims to the Valdai Monastery after 1848, when the Iberian Icon became famous as the deliverer of Valdai from the cholera epidemic, became especially zealous.

By the beginning of the 20th century, there were about seventy inhabitants in the Valdai Iversky Monastery, and the monastery itself was a gratifying picture of livability. The domes of the Assumption Cathedral were visible far away (not gold, they were gilded only in modern times), and the monastery's message spread far over the water.

Valdai monastery after the revolution

In the field of the revolution, the communists took out of the monastery everything that they could see. The monks took away the keys to all storerooms and barns. From now on, the members of the committee gave out bread to the inhabitants, and the abbot had no right to take any action without the knowledge of the proletarian leadership. Since December 1918, the committee members forced young monks and novices to work in logging for the benefit of the state. The old and the poor also found a job: they worked at the pump station and in the kitchen.

In 1919, the monastery was transformed into a labor artel, the charter of which was registered in accordance with Soviet rules. It existed for eight years, after which it was closed.

After the dispersal of the artel, the monastery housed first a museum, then workshops. During the war, the building of the monastery was occupied by a hospital, later - by the house of disabled veterans and, finally, by a forest school for children with tuberculosis. In the 1970s, it was decided to set up a recreation center on the picturesque island. All these successive owners did not care too much about saving the monastery churches. The Cathedral of the Dormition lost its iconostasis and - almost completely - its murals. Only carved oak doors and front wrought-iron gates have survived from its original decoration.

Sasha Mitrakhovich 28.11.2017 07:28

For many centuries the Iberian Icon of the Most Holy Theotokos, which, according to legend, survived the iconoclastic era, was the main shrine of the Athos Iversky Monastery, its keeper. But only in the 17th century, the list from her got to Moscow - in order to become one of the most famous and beloved here too. The legend about the acquisition of the Iveron Icon of the Mother of God on Mount Athos. The famous Iberian Icon of the Mother of God. ... ...

Sasha Mitrakhovich 28.11.2017 07:33

There are many buildings on the monastery island. The first among them, both in seniority and in importance (after the Iberian Cathedral, of course), is the warm Epiphany Church with a refectory. It was built under Patriarch Nikon in 1657-1658. On the second floor of the church, a side-altar in honor of the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles was consecrated in 1747, and in the porch - the side-altar of St. Nil Stolobensky. As for the Holy Spiritual Chapel, it was notable for its royal gates, sent at one time by Patriarch Nikon for the wooden Iberian church.

A little further, above the inner monastery gates, rises an elegant church in the name of the Archangel Michael, built, like most of the buildings of the Iversky Monastery, at the end of the 17th century. During its existence, the church has undergone quite significant alterations. It is known that initially it was crowned with a wooden tent, and not a baroque "lantern" with an onion dome. Inside, everything was also changed: partitions, new doors and stairs appeared. In addition, considering the interior space of the temple too high, it was divided in two by a wooden ceiling.

Above the outer monastery gates there is a church in the name of St. Philip, heiress of the warm wooden church that has been in the monastery since its foundation. The current building was built in the last quarter of the 17th century and, like the Archangel Michael Church, has survived to this day not without changes.

The "change" of appearance is also noticeable in the church in the name of the righteous Jacob Borovichsky, which occupies the northeastern part of the monastery complex. It is in the same connection with a two-story hospital building. Both the temple and the hospital cells, being of the same age as the Archangel Michael and Filippovskaya churches, were rebuilt, perhaps, even more actively than they, and now have a very contradictory appearance.

Of the "civil" buildings in the monastery, the most noteworthy are the abbot's cells (the last third of the 17th century), which form a single ensemble with a bell tower. The building currently has two floors and a basement. There is a ravine on the south side of the building, so the walls of the basement rise approximately three meters above the ground and are perceived as another full floor.

The abbot's cells are of particular interest due to the preserved fragments of the tiled platbands discovered during the restoration process. As it was possible to establish, once magnificently executed tiles decorated the facades of many monastery buildings. The technology of their manufacture was brought to Valdai by monks from Orsha.

In the first years of the existence of the Valdai Monastery, the production of "tiles" was constantly expanding. Craftsmen tested new technologies and reached true perfection in the manufacture of tiles. Decorated with convex floral ornaments, brightly colored, they had an extremely elegant appearance.

Patriarch Nikon soon took the best Valdai masters to the New Jerusalem Monastery, and after a while the production of tiles in Valdai completely died out. And today only the architraves of the abbot building remind of the original Valdai "tiled school".

Sasha Mitrakhovich 28.11.2017 07:46

Valdai Monastery is one of the most comfortable in Novgorod today. But twenty years ago he would have made a completely different impression on a visitor.

In the early 1990s, it was scary to think how much money and effort would be spent on the restoration of the monastery. Many of those who came to the monastery then admit that they simply did not believe that it was possible to do something with these ruins. The buildings were in complete desolation: the cathedral was destroyed, the monastery bell tower stood without a roof since the 1960s.

In the late 1980s, the idea of \u200b\u200breturning the Valdai Monastery to the Church had many opponents. It was supposed to make the island a resort and tourist zone, and, apparently, only the calculation of the costs associated with the restoration of monastic monuments and the creation of the corresponding infrastructure forced the authorities to abandon this idea.

Be that as it may, in 1991 His Holiness the Patriarch blessed the revival of the Valdai Iberian monastery and served in the cathedral church of the monastery a prayer service in front of the Iberian icon of the Mother of God.

In 1652, on the instructions of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Metropolitan Nikon of Novgorod went to the Solovetsky Monastery to transfer the relics of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow to Moscow. The saint suffered during the reign of Ivan the Terrible in 1568 for exposing the royal iniquities and cruelties. In a special letter, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich brought repentance for the lawlessness of John Vasilyevich, admitted his guilt and expressed respect for the martyrdom of the saint. Nikon read the royal letter before the grave of Saint Philip and brought repentance on behalf of the king. Metropolitan Nikon with a solemn procession returned with the relics of St. Philip to Moscow. On the way, in a dreamy vision, Saint Philip appeared to him and blessed his intention to build a monastery on Valdai.

In the spring of 1652, Patriarch Joseph died, Nikon was elected to the patriarchal throne by the unanimous decision of the Tsar and the Russian bishops. On July 25, 1652, Metropolitan Nikon was appointed to the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia by a bishop's council.

Having ascended the primacy throne, Nikon expressed his intention to found a monastery on Lake Valdai to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich. The Emperor approved the Patriarch's request and allocated huge funds from the state treasury for the early construction of the monastery. In the summer of 1653, the Primate sent skilled architects, many people and building materials to the construction site, and by the fall, two wooden churches were built and ready for consecration. The cathedral church was consecrated in honor of the miraculous icon of the Iberian Mother of God, and the warm one - in the name of St. Philip, Metropolitan of Moscow. The Patriarch appoints Archimandrite Dionysius as the first abbot of the monastery - "her husband is skillful and fulfilled by divine scripture, virtuous, gentle and gentle ...".
The patriarch with all his heart strove to look at his creation as quickly as possible. At the first visit to the monastery under construction, Nikon renamed the Valdai settlement into the village of Bogoroditsky, and also named Valdai Lake Saint, having previously consecrated it and lowered the Gospel and the cross to the bottom. The monastery itself, in addition to the previous name, was named Svyatoozersky.
To glorify the monastery, by order of the Patriarch, the holy relics of Jacob Borovichsky were transferred. The discovery of the holy relics happened in a mysterious and mysterious way. As evidenced by the Novgorod Chronicle, in 1541 (according to other sources in 1452):

The monastery itself is located on the island. It is connected to the mainland by a bridge.

Valdai Lake can be compared in beauty with Seliger.

There are a lot of cars in the parking lot in front of the monastery. There is not enough space for everyone, so cars begin to park along the road at the entrance to the monastery. There are many sightseeing buses.

Gate Church of St. Philip is located in the western section of the monastery wall of the Valdai Iversky Monastery ensemble. The church was built in 1873-1874. designed by engineer-architect Savelyev on the site of the dismantled temple of the 18th century, it is a one-domed overgate building with one passable arch.

The building is two-storey brick, with a rigid structural scheme (the distance between the transverse walls is less than 24 m). On the south side, the church is adjoined by the building of the Gostiny cells, on the north side - the Stables cells. The head is octahedral.

The main volume of the second tier is a functioning church, the northern wing is used as a staircase

The pier. Another way to get to the monastery is by boat trip from Valdai.

But the city of Valdai itself is visible in the distance.

Usually on the spiers of the monastery walls there are weather vane depicting trumpeting angels. There is also an eagle with a scepter and orb. But the dream is two-headed, the head is one.

Church of the Archangel of God Michael. This stone church is located to the west of the cathedral above the inner monastery gates.
Built in the 17th century. In the iconostasis of this temple, on the northern doors, St. Archangel Raphael, and in the south - the king of Salem Melchizedek. In the vast porch of this church there was a cover from the ancient shrine of St. Jacob Borovichsky, in which he rested. The building is a pillarless one-domed one-apse temple with galleries on three sides, placed on a rectangular volume of the Holy Gates with a passage arch in the center.
The structure goes to the complex of the middle line of the monastery, dividing the territory into the eastern and western parts.

Refectory with the Church of the Epiphany. Opposite the north-western corner of the cathedral church, there is a warm monastery church in the name of the Epiphany, built with the blessing and plan of His Holiness Patriarch Nikon in 1657-1658.
This church is located above the church of the Epiphany of the Lord. Built in 1747. In the iconostasis of this church there were remarkable royal doors with canopy and columns, upholstered with silver-gilded basma. These doors, in 1653, were sent by Patriarch Nikon for the first wooden monastery church in honor of the icon of the Iveron Mother of God and constitute a wonderful monument of ancient Russian original art of the 17th century. These temples were in one connection with the fraternal meal and cells.

Bell tower.

Clock without hands.

Church of st. Jacob Borovichsky. Archimandrite Theodosius in 1670 asks Metropolitan Pitirim of Novgorod to build a church in the name of St. James Borovichsky, since the relics of the saint have been in the monastery since 1654, but there is no church in his name.
A wooden temple was built on the northeastern border of the monastery, in the garden.
In 1700, the wooden church of Jacob Borovichsky with a hospital burned down and in its place in 1702 a stone church with hospital cells and a refectory was built. The hospital building and the refectory were originally one-story. Subsequently, the second floor was completed.
The church in the name of St. Jacob Borovichsky is one-story, square in plan, covered with a box vault, with a semicircular apse part. A high wide dome with a round drum and a spherical cup rises above the roof. The entrance to the temple is from the southern façade, from the garden.

And here on the spire is already a trumpeting angel.

The cathedral Iversky temple is an example of the original Russian church architecture of the 17th century.
The five-domed temple is built in the form of an oblong square; the eastern side will protrude in 3 semicircles. Around the entire temple there is a gallery with an entrance porch; with her on the north and south sides there are two tents, two-story, in the form of chapels, with small iron crosses, the same cross on the entrance porch. The vaults of the cathedral are supported by four massive pillars. Light pours abundantly from the sides through wide windows (three on each of the 3 sides), and from above through the windows of 5 domes. The length of the cathedral from the altar wall to the entrance porch of the doors is 3 soot, 2 arsh., And the width is 10 fathom, 2 arsh. In the altar there are wooden choirs, the entrance to which is from the Iberian side-altar, and in the church itself there are stone choirs located above the entrance door to the temple, the entrance to which is from the north side in the wall.

The floor in the church is made of the Putilov slab. The throne was approved on 4 stone pillars on a stone platform; a stone step adjoins it from the front; he wears a chased silvered garment and a carved gilded canopy above it. Opposite the throne, on the eastern side, on the High Place under a carved gilded canopy, there is a majestic image of Christ the Savior, sitting on the throne in the form of a bishop with the forthcoming Mother of God and John the Baptist. On both sides of this image were depicted St. twelve apostles, St. Apostle James, brother of God, St. apostle Nicanor, St. Hieromartyr Irenaeus of Lugdun and St. Stefan Surozhsky. The altar is three-part with 3 windows; In 1841, in the deaconica, a side-altar was built in the name of the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God, and the main altar was renamed in the name of the Dormition of the Mother of God when the cathedral was rebuilt, which was consecrated by Metropolitan Job of Novgorod in 1710 after a devastating fire in 1710. The iconostasis in this temple is majestic, five-tiered, carved, wooden, gilded with red gold, crowned with the Crucifixion of the Lord.

Iberian icon of the Mother of God
The history of the Iberian icon can be seen from the first century, when, out of inexpressible love for people, the Mother of God blessed the holy apostle and evangelist Luke to paint her image in the days of her earthly life. The Monk John Damascene wrote: “The Holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke, at a time when the Most Holy Mother of God was still in Jerusalem and dwelt in Zion, painted Her Divine and honest image on the blackboard with pictorial means, so that subsequent generations could contemplate her as in a mirror and childbirth. When Luke presented this image to Her, She said: “From now on, all generations will please Me. Grace and power born of Me and Mine be with you. " Tradition ascribes to the brush of the holy Apostle and Evangelist Luke from three to seventy icons of the Mother of God, including the Iberian one.

In 1653, to commemorate the transfer of the relics of St. Philip (July 3), Patriarch Nikon had the idea of \u200b\u200bcreating a monastery in the name of the Iberian Icon of the Mother of God on his formerly (back in 1651) his beloved island on Lake Valdai, in the Novgorod region. He opened his thought to the king, who gave him full assistance in bringing his intention to fruition. It was supposed to create a monastery in everything similar to the Athos Iberian monastery. In the same year, the creation of a monastery was transgressed and two temporary wooden churches were erected: one in the name of the Most Holy Theotokos of Iveron, and the other with a warm meal in honor of St. Philip. The following year, parts of the relics of Saints Peter, Jonah and Philip were brought to the newly created monastery from Moscow. Those who were accompanying them met the relics of the Monk Jacob from Borovichi, marching there, 20 versts from the Iversk Monastery (it was February 24). After serving the Liturgy on the week of the cross (February 26), the patriarch went to Moscow and immediately sent it to the holy Mount Athos so that an icon for the newly built monastery was painted there from the Iberian Athos icon. After writing it completely in accordance with the ancient miraculous, it was sent to Moscow with the same ascetic, the priest Cornelius, who accompanied the first Iberian icon to Moscow (in 1648), and also the hieromonk Nikifor. The holy icon arrived in Moscow in 1655.
In Moscow, meanwhile, the Iberian icon, brought from Mount Athos, was adorned with gold, pearls and precious stones. According to the testimony of the patriarch, forty-four thousand rubles were used for the golden robe, garment of the Mother of God and crowns and for all the decoration of this icon. The decoration was completed on March 1, 1656, as can be seen from the historical inscription on the icon itself.
In December 1656/57, during the consecration of the cathedral church of the Iversky Monastery, the icon took its place in the iconostasis.