Zvenigorod in 3 Russian words
This is one of the most ancient and picturesque towns near Moscow. It’s always been a favorite destination for writers, artists and monarchs. Here are three of its main symbols.
1. САВВИНО-СТОРОЖЕВСКИЙ МОНАСТЫРЬ (Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery)
This majestic monastery was founded at the end of the 14th century. Russian tsars loved to visit and pray there. A palace was even built on the monastery grounds especially for Alexei Mikhailovich and his wife Maria Ilyinichna. One of the most revered relics is the icon of the Great Martyr Panteleimon, brought there from the monastery on Mount Athos.
2. ЛЮБОВЬ ОРЛОВА (Lyubov Orlova)
Lyubov Orlova, one of the main Soviet movie stars of the 1930s and 1940s, was born in Zvenigorod on February 11, 1902. The city now has a cultural center named after her, where a collection of more than 150 of her personal belongings is on display. A monument to the actress, meanwhile, stands in front of the center.
3. УСПЕНСКИЙ СОБОР НА ГОРОДКЕ (Assumption Cathedral in Gorodok)
Built at the turn of the 13th-14th centuries, the Assumption Cathedral in the town of Gorodok is one of the oldest in Moscow Region. Paintings by famous Russian icon painters have been preserved there, including Andrei Rublev and Daniil Cherny.
