Deposition of the Robe (Rizopolozhensky) Monastery

The Deposition of the Robe (Rizopolozhensky) monastery, founded in the 13th century, occupies the highest place in Suzdal. The monastery is known for spiritual feats of Euphrosyne of Suzdal, thanks to whom the monastery, the only one in Suzdal, has survived after the capture and plunder of the city by the Mongol-Tatars in 1238. The first buildings of the monastery were wooden. Only stone buildings from the 16th century survived. The earliest of these is the Deposition of the Robe Cathedral, which was probably built in the 1520s. It was a small three-domed temple without poles, with a very reservedly decorated facade. Apparently, that is why at the end of the 17th century, three Suzdal masters, whose names miraculously came to us – I. Mamin, A. Shmakov, I. Gryaznov – surrounded the temple from the south and west by a gallery, richly decorated with carvings and tiles.

The same architects, probably belonging to the serfs of the monastery, created in 1688 the most interesting building – the two-tented Holy Gate, which was decorated with grooves in the wall with colored tiles on the bottom and a belt of tiles in square framing under the cornice. Despite the impressive size, the gate looks very elegant.

The monastery's Prepodobenskaya bell-tower rises to 72 meters. It is visible almost from all parts of Suzdal and even a few kilometers from it. It is believed that it was erected in honor of the victory of Russian troops in the Patriotic War of 1812. The bell-tower is made in the style of classicism, characteristic of this time, but does not fit into the common architectural image of Suzdal.

In 1999 the monastery was transferred as a women's monastery of the Vladimir-Suzdal diocese. The relics of St. Euphrosyne of Suzdal (the first half of the 13th century) are preserved in the cathedral of the monastery.

Author: V. Korolkova