Holy Dormition Pskov Caves Monastery. Pskov-Caves Monastery

Not every monastery was a fortress, and not every fortress in the Russian North serves as a monastery for monks. But if we are talking about the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechora Monastery, then its uniqueness should be noted.

The monastery is located in a lowland, protected by hills and fortress walls.

What, you ask, is its peculiarity? Yes, in everything! Pechersky monastery built contrary to sound logic, in the valley of a stream, while other fortresses were always built on a hill.

Architects and builders succeeded in this idea very well.

The holy temple and monastery in Pechora, from the moment of its foundation, never stopped its monastic life and services, even if it was besieged and plundered by enemies.

It has all the attributes of a real fortress

What else is unique about the male Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechora Monastery? In that, like all strongholds, he has:

• High walls.
• Lookout towers.
• Reinforced driveways.

As an object of early fortress architecture, it is simply magnificent. And, if you have the opportunity to see the fortress in Pechora, be sure to go for bright and strong impressions. And the company "Charm Travel" will help you organize with maximum comfort.

A trip to the Pskov-Caves Monastery, a tour of the courtyard and ancient burials, a visit to the caves, walls and ramparts of the fortress will allow you to better understand the significance of a unique shrine in the history of Russia.

Flight over the monastery

Pechora fortress in Pskov: the story of a miracle

The founding date of the Pskov Pechora Fortress is considered to be 1472, when the fugitive presbyter, who became the founder of the stronghold, John, settled in a cave on the slope of the Kamenets River. dug in sandy ground niche marked the beginning of the settlement and became known as the Church of the Assumption Holy Mother of God. Under the next head of the monastery, Hieromonk Misail, on a hill above the caves, cells for the monks and a temple were built.

However, soon the Livonians plundered and burned the monastery

The history of the Caves Monastery is directly connected with the Russian tsars

After the Pskov Republic fell under the rule of Moscow at the beginning of the 16th century, the tsar ordered the construction of fortifications, the construction of a temple and the renovation of the cells in the monastery. The very first Assumption Church was surrounded by a facade, and the caves in the mountainside, which served as the burial place of the monks, were expanded and deepened.

The heyday of the monastery is considered to be the middle of the 16th century, when Ivan the Terrible turned his highest attention to it and ordered the construction of new fortifications of the monastery.

Hegumen Cornelius supervised the construction, having won the favor of the king. Thanks to the established relationships, the monastery:

• Received rich donations.
• Bloomed quickly.

But fate played a cruel joke with the abbot, and his high patron, Ivan the Terrible, became his killer. A visit to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery by the most cruel autocrat in Russian history ended in tragedy.

History says that the fortress-monastery was under siege more than once, was subjected to robbery and burning, but invariably rose from the ruins and began life anew.

Over time, the fortifications were improved, the Petrovsky Tower appeared next to the St. Nicholas Church, the entrance to the fortress was reconstructed, and the walls became higher. By order of Peter the Great, the monastery was fortified:

• Earth ramparts.
• Moat.
• Five bastions.
• Battery next to St. Nicholas Church.

So the monastery of monks turned into a real stronghold, and the shrines of the Pechersk Monastery in the Pskov region are still kept in a deep dungeon.

Even the video taken on the phone allows you to imagine the sacred beauty of the place

You can see the unique buildings, the cathedral and the churches of the monastery during the tour, which can be ordered on the official website of Charm Travel. Time is merciless, and while it has not yet reached the unique sights, hurry to see Pechory (monastery), Izborsk.

Pskov-Caves Monastery on the map: address, how to get there, photos and video

The wonders of the Pskov-Caves Monastery are available to anyone who wants to see them: the fortress is located 5 hours from St. Petersburg. The Sharm Travel company offers a trip to the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery in a comfortable bus and accompanied by guides. The trip schedule is designed so that on the way to the monastery you can:

• Stop at the most interesting places.
• See the sights.
• Take a photo of them.
• Listen to our tour guides about the sights.

The distance to the monastery from St. Petersburg is on average (depending on the chosen road) 400 km. You can get to the fortress on your own, by car or by bus.

Now Pechory is a well-groomed and beautiful place. Photos of the Pskov-Caves Monastery are pleasing to the eye:

• The domes are covered with gold.
• The roofs glitter with copper.
• The territory is decorated with beautiful flower gardens.

The monastery is not without reason a fortress: it withstood medieval raids, survived collectivization, industrialization, the construction of communism in a single country

And today he greets those who are not afraid of distance or even the opportunity to get there on foot, as a pilgrim

Tourists come here on excursions, and those who need help, for consolation. The bells of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechersky Monastery are heard far beyond its borders, and on holidays the laity gather to listen to the incredibly beautiful raspberry bells.

Caves Monastery: video of the procession and crimson bells

To find out how to get to the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery as part of a tourist group, you can contact the numbers listed on the Sharm Travel website. You can also find out the exact plan of the trip, the day and hour of departure, and book a tour for the weekend.

There are not many places left where you can not only admire the beautiful old architecture, but also think about the eternal

Be sure to visit the Pechersk Monastery! Read reviews about the wonders of this holy place, join trips with Charm Travel, come to the fortress with your children and friends, join the history of our region. If you're lucky, you'll get to the liturgy. But even if you do not plan to attend the service, you can just go into the cathedral and see how well the murals and frescoes are preserved, what silence and harmony permeate the space inside. Together with our guides you will see how beautiful and majestic the Ascension Cathedral in Pskov is.

The special silence and strong energy of the place attracts to the monastery those who need the protection and patronage of the saints.

You will have an excursion to the caves that store the mummified bodies of the inhabitants of the monastery. Be sure to come to this holy and bright place, where the traditions of faith and spirituality of our land still live. Contact us, we will select for you the best program travel around our area.

The Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery in Pechory is one of the largest in Russia, located in a ravine near the Kamenets stream. It is more than five hundred years old, during which the monastery has never been closed.

From the history of the Caves Monastery in the Pskov region

Once upon a time, hermit monks lived in caves along the banks of the Kamenets stream, who fled north from the invasion of the Tatar-Mongols. The mention of these places dates back to 1392. and are called God-created caves. In 1473 the monastery cave-temple was illuminated. In 1558 fortress walls with 10 towers were built around the monastery (9 were preserved).

The legend of the monastery

Ivan the Terrible came to the Pskov-Caves Monastery to pray. Hegumen Cornelius, who headed the monastery at that time, decided to seize the moment and asked the sovereign for permission to build a fortress wall in Pechory around the monastery buildings. With all the generous royal darling, Ivan the Terrible gave the go-ahead, only the fortress had to be no larger than the skin of a bull. Cornelius realized, cut the bull skin into strips, stretched them around the perimeter of the monastery and built fortress walls on them (🙂). Seven years later, the emperor-father again visited Pechory. Seeing a large fortress, Ivan the Terrible was so angry that he cut off the head of Cornelius with a sword, who hospitably met the king at the gate with bread and salt. And the abbot's head rolled down the slope. Immediately the sovereign shuddered, realized what he had done, caught the body of Cornelius and carried it to the Assumption Church of the Pskov-Caves Monastery. This descent is now called the Bloody Way, or Kornilievskaya Path.

Complex of the Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersky Monastery

The Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery includes:

1. Assumption Cave Temple
2. Belfry
3. Sretensky temple
4. Church of the Intercession
5. St. Michael's Cathedral
6. Fraternal Corps
7. God-made caves
8. Lazarevsky temple
9. Nikolsky temple
10. holy gates
11. Church of the Annunciation
12. holy mountain
13. Fortress walls with nine towers: Petrovskaya, Nikolskaya, the Tower of the "Lower Lattices", Blagoveshchenskaya, Izborskaya, Tararygina, the Tower of the "Upper Lattices", Tailovskaya, Prison. Once upon a time there was still Brusovaya.

There are also Life-giving and Holy springs. The monastery necropolis is located in the caves.

Our photo walk through the complex of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery

The entrance to the monastery complex of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Pechora Monastery is through the Holy Gates under the Petrovsky Tower. On the right is the prison tower, on the left is Nikolskaya:

Immediately we see the St. Nicholas Church, adjacent to the tower of the same name:

It was here, under the vault of St. Nicholas Church, that Abbot Kornily was murdered by Ivan the Terrible:

And here is the Bloody Way (Korniliev Path):

Fraternal Corps of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery:

Life-giving source:

Staircase to St. Michael's Cathedral:

St. Michael's Church of the Pskov-Caves Monastery from Uspenskaya Square:

Holy Spring and Assumption Cave Temple (was closed for general cleaning- we did not get there, as well as in the caves created by God):

Sretensky and Annunciation churches of the Holy Dormition Monastery:

Belfry:

And now let's look at the fortress wall and the towers of the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery. Petrovskaya and prison towers:

St. Michael's Cathedral:

Tailovskaya (the largest), Tower of the "Upper Lattices" (the highest - 25 m), Tararygina:

Izborskaya tower and milestone:

Annunciation tower:

The Tower of the "Lower Grids", behind it is the Holy Mountain:

Weird weathervanes:

There are a lot of beggars in the vicinity of the monastery, so be prepared - you will be attacked, for example, this alkodama (lower left) against the backdrop of the Varvara Church in front of the entrance to the complex:

Nearby is a monument to hegumen Cornelius:

In Pechory there is still a Lutheran church of St. Peter:

How to get to the Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersky Monastery

You can get to the Pechersky Monastery in the city of Pechory from Pskov: along the E-77 (A-212) highway, move in the direction of Estonia for 32 km, after Izborsk, follow the sign, turn right and go another 23 km to Pechora, where to continue move along the main street until you see the golden domes of the temples.

Address: 181500 Pskov region, Pechory, st. International d.5.

GPS coordinates: 57.80988, 27.61456.

The Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery on the map of the Pskov region:

A visit to the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery can be combined with a visit to the Izborsk fortress and.

50 km from the city of Pskov there is an ancient monastery - the Holy Dormition Pskov-Caves Monastery. The five-hundred-year history of the monastery is shrouded in numerous legends and stories, endless wars and real miracles. First of all, the Pechora Monastery is known for its holy caves, because the word “pechery” in Old Russian meant “caves”.

It was there that we went on the second day of our company's stay in Pskov.

After a good night's sleep after the train from St. Petersburg to Pskov, having breakfast at the hotel, we went on an excursion to the Pechersky Monastery in two cars. According to the plan, the route included two objects: the Caves Monastery and Stary Izborsk. In this note I will talk about Pechory, and a note about Izborsk can be read here .

We got there very quickly - no more than an hour. The town of Pechory is small, modest and cozy, but with ancient history. Its dominant and shrine and main attraction is the Pechora Monastery. We parked our cars in the center of the city of Pechory, on the central square.

In the center of the square is an old water tower sticking out like the last tooth. The central area is very well maintained and clean.

True, if you turn the corner, then the same broken roads and rickety wooden houses will be waiting for tourists.

We got out of the cars and walked to the monastery. Along the short path are stalls with souvenirs. Basically, products made from dog hair were offered here. On the way back, we all bought ourselves a pair of warm socks.

Local souvenirs are harsh, like everything around.

In 5 minutes we were in front of the Monastery, or rather in front of the unusual Petrovsky Tower.

At first, we decided not to go to the monastery itself (we decided to leave it for dessert), but to the observation deck, which offered a magnificent view of the surroundings. To do this, from the Petrovsky Tower, we went a little to the left, if you stand facing the tower.

Thoughtfully looking around the ancient fortress-monastery, we listened to our guide and listened to the history of this place.

Even in ancient times, many local residents heard voices and wonderful singing here. Therefore, the mountain was called the Holy. According to legend, somewhere in the 12-13th century, peasants cut wood on the mountain. Suddenly one tree fell, dragging other trees with it. Under the roots, a cave was discovered, above which was written "God created caves." No matter how people tried to erase this inscription, it appeared again and again. The generally accepted date of foundation of the monastery is 1473, when the church was consecrated, dug out by the Monk Jonah in a sandy hill. Saint Jonah is considered the founder of the monastery. His wife Maria, in vows - Vassa, helped him diligently. But, before the end of the construction, she fell ill and died. However, after burial the next day, her coffin was on the surface. This was repeated several times. Since then, the coffin with the body of Vassa has stood near the holy caves. When the Germans tried to open this gravestone during the war, a flame escaped from it, traces of which can still be seen.

Until the 15th-16th century, the monastery was poor and sparsely populated, often subjected to raids by the Livonian Order. The real dawn of the monastery took place under Abbot Cornelia, but we will talk about this a little later, inside the monastery. Powerful fortress walls and beautiful churches were built.

Near the observation deck, the passage was blocked in such an unusual way.

After admiring the view, we decided to take a walk along the monastery walls. The location of the monastery itself is very interesting - it is located in a lowland. Powerful walls more than once protected the monastery, including even during the formidable raids of Stefan Batory, the monastery was not taken. The thickness of the walls is 2 meters, the total length is 810 meters. It is terrible to imagine, but the monastery withstood 200 battles.

Now the time has come to enter the territory of the Caves Monastery. From the main gate there is a sharp path down, which has a terrible name - "the bloody path." And that's why.

In 1519, the monk Cornelius, who at that time was only 28 years old, became hegumen of the Pechora Monastery. Cornelius did a lot for the monastery, but his life was cut short at the age of 41.

According to legend, in 1570 Ivan the Terrible was returning from a campaign in the Livonian region. The tsar saw a strong fortress on the border - the Pskov-Caves Monastery, for the construction of which he did not give consent. The autocrat suspected treason, and even whispered evil tongues. The unsuspecting abbot Cornelius went out to meet the king with a cross in his hands .... Furious Ivan the Terrible silently cut off his head with his own hand. Cornelius' head rolled down towards the temple. Since then, the path from the Petrovsky Tower to the Assumption Church has been called Bloody. According to the second version, in repentance, Ivan the Terrible immediately picked up the decapitated body of Cornelius and himself carried it to the caves.

Going down the "Bloody Road", we saw another exhibit - the carriage of Anna Ioannovna. Once the empress visited an old man who lived in a monastery. Snow suddenly fell, the roads were covered with snow, and it was possible to get out of Pechory only on a sleigh. The royal carriage had to be left in the monastery.

Throughout its long history, the monastery was famous for its elders-soothsayers. Tsars and queens repeatedly came to Pechory to talk with them. So Peter the Great was in Pechory 4 times, Nicholas II and Alexander the First came here. They say that the modern political elite also happens here.

The real decoration of the monastery is the ancient Cathedral of the Assumption, whose appearance today is presented in the Baroque style. Initially, this temple was a cave temple, going twenty meters deep into the ravine. Then the church was built on and it acquired its present form. By the way, the domes are very reminiscent of the cathedrals of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. There is still a belief among local residents that the caves lead to the Kiev-Pechora Lavra.

The belfry, built in 1523, deserves special attention. In the 18th century, a bell was placed here, donated to the monastery by Peter the Great.

Here, next to the belfry, is the entrance to the caves. We only managed to visit a couple of small caves. We passed them so quickly that I only had time to quickly look around the tombstones and icons that were installed there. There were so many people that it was not possible to consider something for a long time. The caves contain burials of relatives of various famous people, including relatives of A.S. Pushkin. Shooting in the caves is strictly prohibited. I do not advise you to break this ban, people here are harsh and religious.

On the walls of the caves there are special tombstones - ceramides, which are found only in this area. We already saw ceramides in the Pskov Museum.

To visit the distant caves, the blessing of the abbot was required. But since the monastery was actively preparing for Christmas, everyone was not up to it, and we did not receive a blessing. In general, there are 7 tunnels in the dungeon of the monastery, they are called "streets". More than 10,000 people are buried in these streets.

Next to the Assumption Cathedral is the Sacristy, where treasures were once kept - gifts of sovereigns. The library was also located here. During the war, the sacristy was looted by the Germans, but later some of the treasures still managed to be returned back.

On the territory we visited several churches with ancient icons and wooden iconostasis. In total, there are 11 temples on the territory of the Pechora Monastery, 3 of which are cave ones.

Miraculous icons are kept in the Monastery. First of all, it's an icon. Mother of God"Tenderness" and "Hodegetria". They are stored in the Mikhailovsky Cathedral.

On the territory of the Monastery there is a holy spring, which is called the holy well. The first information about the holy well appeared in the description of the monastery at the beginning of the 17th century, in which it was reported that a holy well had existed in the monastery for a long time, equipped and covered in the form of a chapel. The water in this well “To the grace of the Most Pure Theotokos and the prayers of the venerable fathers of the chiefs - Mark, Jonah and Cornelius - goes to the holy land; and take it for all monastic needs. The water is said to help with eye and other ailments.

Naturally, we also decided to drink some water. We didn't have bottles with us. When we tried to wash ourselves at the “well”, the local caretakers drove us out to wash ourselves over the flower bed. Apparently, so that we do not spoil the aura)).

Leaving the monastery bought local souvenirs and recommended soap self made, brewed in the monastery.

We worked up a good appetite, so when we returned to the central square, we decided to have a bite to eat. There were several cafes there. The most touristy and decent cafe was in that same old tower. But there were no seats, and we went to the canteen.

The prices here were ridiculous and the food was delicious. Salad and empanadas were quite nothing. Having satisfied our hunger, we went further, because Izborsk was waiting for us.

How to get to Pechory from Pskov

By regular bus (journey time approximately 1 hour 20 minutes):

• Route number 126 (Pskov - Pechory) - departure from the bus station (daily) about once an hour.

• Route No. 207 (Pskov - Pechory via St. Izborsk) - departure from the bus station

You can also get there by train, which departs from Pskov twice a day.

Where to stay in Pechory

Hotel Planeta, Pechory: booking reviews

Guest house Strannik, Pechory

Pechory-Pak hotel: booking

and also, Hotel "Your Coast" - Pechory, st. Kuznechnaya, 17.

The monastery is located 340 km southwest of St. Petersburg and 50 km west of Pskov.

Foundation of the monastery

The chronicle tells how, at the end of the 14th century, Izborsk hunters, father and son Selisha, heard in the deep forest near the Kamenets stream "the voices of those who sing inexpressibly and beautifully" and felt the fragrance "as if from a lot of incense."

Soon local peasants purchased these lands; by lot, they went to Ivan Dementiev, who settled nearby, near the Pachkovka River. One day, when he was chopping wood on a mountainside, one of the fallen trees, falling, dragged others along with it. Under the roots of one of them, the entrance to the cave was opened, and above the entrance there is an inscription: "God built the cave."

From an ancient local legend, it is known that people from the Kiev-Pechersk monastery lived in this place, who fled to the Pskov borders due to the numerous raids of the Crimean Tatars. The names of all of them remained unknown, chronicle history has preserved to us only the name of the “initial monk” St. Mark.

generally recognized historical date The foundation of the Pskov-Pechersky Monastery is considered to be the year when the Church of the Dormition, dug out in a sandy hill near the Kamenets stream, was consecrated by the Monk Jonah. Saint Jonah is the direct founder of the monastery.

Hieromonk Misail, the successor of the Monk Jonah, erected cells and a temple on the mountain, but soon the monastery was attacked by the Livonians. wooden buildings were burned and property was looted. When the blasphemers began to act outrageously in the Dormition Church of the monastery, the fire that came out of the altar part drove them out of the monastery. Meanwhile, a Russian detachment arrived from Izborsk, completing the destruction of the Livonians.

The monastery was in poverty for a long time after this shock: the raids, although less daring, continued. Foreign invaders tried more than once to wipe the monastery off the face of the earth, as they saw in it, first of all, a stronghold of Orthodoxy and Russian influence on the nearby living local population of the Baltic tribes (Ests and Setos), as well as the organizer of economic activity in the region and, finally, the Russian military stronghold.

The heyday of the monastery in the XVI century

From year to year the fame of the monastery increased. The rumor about miraculous healings received by the special intercession of the Queen of Heaven, not only by the Orthodox, but also by the Latins, attracted many pilgrims; the once “wretched place” was replenished with precious contributions, vast lands and estates. But these offerings were not only for the needs of the monastery. Monastic account books kept information about financial assistance, which the monks constantly provided to refugees during numerous wars. At the expense of the monastery treasury, the dwellings destroyed by the invaders in the surrounding villages were restored; during the truces, the monastery redeemed prisoners of war from the enemy. All other monasteries of the Pskov diocese, even more ancient ones: Mirozhsky (1156), Snetogorsky (XIII century), Veliko-Pustynsky, Spaso-Eleazarovsky - ceded the primacy of the Pskov-Caves monastery, and the abbots of other monasteries were now made into its abbots as a sign of promotion. Pechersk abbots were ordained bishops.

The defensive value of the monastery

Monastery in the 20th century

During the war years, Father Pavel (Gorshkov) was the abbot of the monastery. The monastery was located on the territory occupied by the Germans, but the governor managed to find that thin and smart line in relations with the occupying authorities, which allowed him to save the brethren, the monastery and all the values. Father Pavel managed to organize food assistance for the captured Red Army soldiers of the camp in Pskov, the sick, the disabled and the elderly in the almshouse in Zavelichye. Evidence has been preserved that, under the pretext that he needed workers for the monastery, hegumen Pavel released more than a dozen prisoners of war from the German camp. There is evidence that Soviet scouts hid in the monastery caves during the war.

A heavy blow for the elderly abbot was the removal by the invaders from the sacristy of the monastery of ancient values, allegedly away from the bombings, to another Orthodox monastery near Riga, in fact, to Germany. Prevent this. Paul was powerless. “I can’t find a place or peace for myself day or night,” he wrote to the head of the Pechora occupation administration, Bekking. - I don’t want that after my death, the monk-guide through the caves to all visitors, pointing to my coffin, said: “Pavel Gorshkov is buried here, who gave away all the treasures of the monastery that the brethren had kept for five hundred years before him.” Almost exactly what happened. For many years, tourists who visited the monastery were told about his imaginary collaboration with the Nazis. After the release of Pechory, he was arrested, sentenced to 15 years and died in a prison hospital at the age of 80. Only 52 years later, Abbot Pavel was rehabilitated.

During the war years, the Refectory and Fraternal building, the wall of St. Michael's Cathedral were destroyed. Other temples also suffered from artillery shelling.

The care of putting the monastic economy in order in the post-war years largely fell to the lot of Archimandrite Pimen, the abbot of the monastery from to the years, and later became the Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus'. His works were continued by Archimandrite Alipy - a warrior and an artist (-). Under him, the restoration of the fortress walls and towers began in the year (they had been uncovered for a year after the devastating fire, gradually collapsing).

Senior ministry

The monastery also became famous in peaceful years for the spiritual exploits of its inhabitants, through whose prayers the mercy of God to those who seek heavenly solace at the Pechersk shrines does not fail. Throughout the existence of the monastery, the fire of senile service has not been extinguished in it. All who came for spiritual comfort and advice found such in conversations with great prayer books.

One of these luminaries of the Orthodox faith was the Monk Hieroschemamonk Lazar, who labored as a recluse in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

When the family of Emperor Nicholas II visited the Pechersk Monastery, the latter had a spiritual conversation with Elder Theodosius, who was then ascetic in the monastery.

Hieroschemamonk Simeon (Zhelnin) served God and people for more than 60 years, spiritually nourishing not only the monastic brethren, but also numerous laity, pilgrims who came to him for spiritual advice. A separate book has been published about his life, in which the reader will find many testimonies of the elder's miraculous prayerful help. On April 1, Hieroschemamonk Simeon was glorified as a saint.

Monastery today

Year after year, century after century, the Pskov-Caves Monastery turned into an outstanding historical and cultural monument. Fortified monastery walls with 9 towers and a total length of about 810 meters surround a magnificent architectural ensemble formed by a number of temples.

The oldest of them, the Assumption Cathedral, was excavated in the mountain, only the northern wall facing the monastery was made of stone.

Here, in the central part of the temple, the main shrine of the monastery is placed - the ancient miraculous icon of the Assumption of the Mother of God (g.).

From the entrance there are seven underground galleries, the so-called "streets", which at different times lengthened and expanded. The walls near the entrance are lined with bricks for strength. The air temperature here invariably keeps around +5 "C. Exact number burials have not been established, tk. with numerous sieges, this was difficult to do. There is reason to believe that more than 10 thousand people are buried there.

In the walls of the caves there are ceramic and limestone slabs with inscriptions, the so-called ceramides - a valuable historical monument of the Pskov region. The names of representatives of the glorious Slavic families of the Suvorovs, Rtishchevs, Nashchokins, Buturlins, Mstislavskys are found in gravestone inscriptions; here lie the ancestors of the poets A. S. Pushkin, A. N. Pleshcheev, the commander M. I. Kutuzov, the composer M. P. Mussorgsky. Representatives of the ancient Simansky family, who gave the Russian Orthodox Church Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy I. Bishops were also buried here, including the outstanding Orthodox hierarch Metropolitan Veniamin (Fedchenkov). Shortly before the start of the Great Patriotic War the temple of the Resurrection of Christ was restored in the caves.

Almost in the very center of the monastic ensemble, over an artesian well, a chapel was built in 1992, decorated with images of Russian saints. Daily from early spring to late autumn memorial services are held here. Not far from the chapel is another monastery well, which has long been revered by pilgrims and named by them in honor of the Monk Martyr Cornelius "Kornilievsky". Water is taken from it for blessing prayers.

The monastery belfry that adorns Uspenskaya Square was built in the 16th century. in place of the old wooden (). It has six different sizes - in accordance with the size of the opening bells. All bells are made by Pskov craftsmen, decorated with ornaments, animal figurines, relief inscriptions. The polyeleos bell donated by Ivan the Terrible () weighs 3 tons, the Budnichny (hour) bell donated by Boris Godunov () weighs 2 tons. Big bell - gift of Peter the Great () - 4 tons. Large bells are swayed from the ground with the help of yokes.

Adjacent to the bell tower is a clock tower built at the beginning of the 18th century. The clock mechanism is connected by cables to the bells; every quarter of an hour, small bells ring out, and the “Godunov” bell strikes the clock.

The monastery has continued to beautify itself all these years. In the 1980s, with the blessing of Metropolitan John (Razumov), Archimandrite Gabriel (Steblyuchenko) (-) carried out extensive restoration work: the painting of the temple walls was updated, the restoration of the monastery walls, begun under Archimandrite Alipiy, was completed, a new fraternal building was built, in Nikolsky In the church, a chapel was built in honor of the Monk Martyr Cornelius, the premises of the bakery and the library were repaired.

By the diligence of the next rector (-) archimandrite