Ferapontov Monastery

The Ferapontov Monastery (Russian Ферапонтов монастырь ) is a fortified monastery in the Russian Vologda Oblast. It is one of the greatest examples of Russian art of the Middle Ages. Because of its wall and ceiling paintings, which were created in 1502 by Master Dionisy, it was 2000 inclusion in the World Heritage List of UNESCO.

The monastery was founded in 1398 by the Holy Ferapont in the Russian north. It is located 20 km northeast of Kirillov and 120 km north- west of Vologda near the Kirillo- Belozersky monastery, which was founded by St Cyril of White Lake, a fellow Feraponts. The Holy Martinian, a student Kirill, increased the influence and power of the monastery. After the death Martinians the Ferapontov Monastery was established by members of Ivan III family. protected and promoted.

The first stone building of the monastery, the Nativity of the Virgin ( 1490 ) Cathedral, was built by the architects from Rostov of burnt brick. From three similar cathedrals that were built in the 1490s in northern Russia, this building is the best received. The interior walls of the church are covered with an approximately 600 m² fresco cycle of the major ancient Russian painter Dionisy. An inscription of the Master shows his authorship:

" On August 6, the day of the Transfiguration of Jesus in the summer of 1502 the painting of the church was started. It was completed the work in 2 years on September 8, the day of the Nativity of the Mother of God. "

In the 1530s the Chamber College, a refectory and the Cathedral of the Annunciation was built with a bell tower. At that time, the monastery enjoyed a number of privileges that were given to him by Ivan the Terrible. It had about 60 villages in the vicinity. The Tsar himself visited the monastery often as pilgrims.

In the Time of Troubles, the Ferapontov Monastery was devastated by the Poles. In the course of the reconstruction of the monastery were the last building - the tent-like church of the Holy Martinian ( 1641), two doors Churches ( 1650), and a bell tower ( 1680) - added to the complex. The clock of the belfry has the oldest watch mechanism in Russia. While the monastery with the time lost its religious significance, it became a place of exile for major clerics such as Patriarch Nikon. The monastery was closed in 1798 by the Holy Synod, opened in 1904 as a convent again, but in 1924, this time closed by the Soviet authorities, again. 1975, it was converted into a Museum of Frescoes. The museum has since 1991 been part of the national park "Russian North " ( Русский Север ).