Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg – history, photo, description, how to get there, map
The spiritual center of the northern capital of Russia is the Holy Trinity Alexander Nevsky Lavra. The men's monastery was equipped by order of Peter I and has been fulfilling its functions for more than 300 years. The architectural ensemble of the monastery is one of the most popular sights of the city. The Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg attracts pilgrims and tourists from different parts of Russia and foreign countries. Visitors have the opportunity to see the monastery, necropolises, monuments, a museum operating in the Lavra.
Story
Simultaneously with the creation of a new Russian capital, Tsar Peter I ordered to equip a monastery in the city. As a construction site, a site was allocated on the banks of the Chernaya River. According to chronicle documents, it was in this area that the decisive battle of the squad of Alexander Nevsky with the enemy troops took place. Peter I wanted to perpetuate the memory of his outstanding predecessor and therefore ordered to transfer his relics to a new monastery. The monastery acquired a patron saint and was awarded the name “Alexandro-Nevsky”. The general plan for the development of the territory was developed by architects D. Terzini and I. Starov. The foundation was laid in 1710. One of the first buildings was the Church of the Annunciation (1712). A complex was formed around it, including buildings of various functions.
Residential buildings, with cells for monks, are interconnected and form the letter “P” in shape. The inner space of the monastery is divided into zones with flower beds and gardens. Later, cemeteries appeared on the territory, where monks and laity were buried. Members of the imperial dynasty (Empress Anna Leopoldovna, Princess Natalia Alekseevna), prominent statesmen (A. Razumovsky), outstanding generals (A. Suvorov), famous scientists (M. Lomonosov), famous writers (F. Dostoevsky, D. Fonvizin, I. Krylov), composers (P. Tchaikovsky, M. Mussorgsky, N. Rimsky-Korsakov) and artists (I. Shishkin, A. Kuindzhi).
In the 20s of the 18th century. the monastery becomes a center of education. A printing house and a seminary began to work in it, which eventually transformed into the Theological Academy. By decree of Paul I, the monastery receives the status of a Lavra (1797). After the establishment of Soviet power, the struggle with religious institutions begins. In the winter of 1932, the monastery was abolished, and the monks were arrested. The buildings were given to the needs of state institutions. The revival of the Lavra began at the end of the 20th century. The buildings were transferred to the ownership of the diocese, the monastic charter was approved, handicraft workshops were launched, reconstruction was carried out in the churches and services were resumed.
Saints and Shrines
Pilgrims come to the Lavra to bow to the ashes of Grand Duke Alexander Nevsky, to pray before the miraculous icons (Seraphim of Sarov, “Neva Quick Hearing Woman”, “It is Worthy to Eat”) and the relics of the holy Kiev-Pechersk Elders, as well as to see other shrines.
Holy Laurels
The names of saints revered in Orthodoxy are connected with the history of the monastery. They were inhabitants of the Lavra and spent part of their lives within its walls. St. Innokenty, the miracle worker John Kulchitsky, and the martyr Benjamin of Kazan are widely known among pilgrims. In 2000, St. Seraphim of Vyritsky was canonized. During the 2nd World War, he became famous for his prayer on the stone. Today, his cell has been converted into a chapel, which is open to the public.
The relics of St. Alexander Nevsky
The main shrine of the Lavra is the relics of the holy prince Alexander Nevsky, the patron saint of the monastery. Initially, the shrine with the remains was in the city of Vladimir and was solemnly moved to the northern capital by order of Tsar Peter I. In August 1724, the relic was placed in the Annunciation Church in St. Petersburg. By order of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, a new ark was made to store the princely remains. It was cast from silver at the Sestroretsk arms factory.
In the 20s. of the last century, during the period of the struggle against religion, the relics of the saint were removed from the repository and put on display in the museum of atheism. The precious reliquary was donated to the State Hermitage Museum. Patriarch Alexy II returned the shrine to its proper place. In 1989, the remains of the right-believing Prince Nevsky were transferred to the Trinity Cathedral on the territory of the Lavra. Every year on a memorable date (June 3), a festive prayer service is held in the monastery in front of the relics of the saint.
Icon of the Mother of God “Neva Skoroshlushnitsa”
Among the parishioners and pilgrims, the icon with the face of the Mother of God “Quick Hearer” enjoys special reverence. It is a copy of the original shrine kept in the Dohiar monastery on Mount Athos. In its original form, the Mother of God was depicted alone, and when creating the list, she was depicted with the baby Jesus in her arms. Hieromonks Barsanafius and Athanasius brought the new “Skoroposlushnitsa” to Russia at the end of the 19th century. The image was placed in the Alexander Chapel. After the face, in an incomprehensible way, was not damaged by fire during a fire, they began to endow it with miraculous power. The icon was able to survive during the years of fierce struggle against the cult.
During the siege of Leningrad, the image of the “Quick Acolyte” was exhibited in the Vladimir Church, along with the icon of the Kazan Mother of God. Believers turned to the faces of the Mother of God with requests for help and heavenly intercession. It is believed that prayers uttered before the “Quick Hearer” find a quick response. That is why the icon got its name. For greater clarity, the Russian copy began to be called the “Neva Skoroposlushnitsa”. From the end of the 50s. of the last century, the place of its permanent deployment is the Holy Trinity Cathedral of the Lavra.
Building complex
The architectural ensemble of the monastery was created in the 17-18 centuries. It is characterized by features of baroque and classical styles. The design and construction was carried out with the participation of famous architects – D. Terzini, I. Starova, T. Schwertfeger, M. D. Rastorguev. Residential and service buildings form a square around the courtyard. Each building has its own name, indicating its purpose – Metropolitan, Spiritual, Seminar, Sacrificial, Library. There are towers in the corners. There are 15 temples on the territory of the monastery. On the bank of the Monastyrka River (formerly the Black River), a 2-storey Annunciation Church was erected (1724). It has a rectangular shape.
The top is crowned with an 8-sided dome. This is one of the oldest stone churches in the city. The interior is decorated with molding (Rossi brothers), wall painting (I. Nikitin, I. Vishnyakov), icons (G. Gzel). The tombs of many prominent people are located in the crypt. Above the entrance to the monastery there is the Gate Church of Sorrow (Mother of God of All Who Sorrow Joy). It was intended for artisans and merchants serving the needs of the Lavra. The attic position determined the modest size of the temple.
Holy Trinity Cathedral
The core of the monastery complex is the Holy Trinity Cathedral. The building was built at the end of the 18th century. It has features of classical architectural style. The central facade looks like a portico with 6 columns. The upper part is made in the form of a triangle. The external decor of the building is made up of sculptures illustrating passages from the Old and New Testaments. They are made according to the sketches of the famous Russian architect F. Shubin.
The interior of the cathedral has a 3-nave division. The walls around the iconostasis are covered with marble. The altar partition is made of bronze casting with an elegant pattern. The vaults and the dome are painted according to the sketches of D. Quarenghi. 2 bell towers 47 m high adjoin the temple. Bells are installed on them, incl. “Blagovestnik” (weight – 18 tons).
Cossack cemetery
On the territory of the Lavra in the 18th – 20th centuries. several places for burials were arranged. In the cemeteries inside the monastery, monks, clergymen, and townspeople were buried. The most famous monastery necropolis is the Inner Alexander – Nevsky Cemetery. It is also called Cossack. In memory of the Cossacks who died during the dispersal of the Bolshevik demonstration in July 1917. Historical documents record the official opening date of the necropolis – December 1919.
During the years of Soviet power, the name of the Communist site was assigned to the place. The place was taken away for the burial of participants in the civil war, party functionaries, employees of the internal affairs bodies and the Cheka. Since the 1930s, graves of famous scientists (N. Marr, B. Legrand, M. Basov, I. Grekov, S. Fedorov, etc.) began to appear on the Site. The number of burials increased during the blockade. Many prominent military leaders, heroes of the Great Patriotic War found their last shelter on the territory of the cemetery. From the 70s. in the necropolis, only the burial of urns with ashes after cremation is allowed.
Small architectural forms (tombstones, steles, sarcophagi, obelisks, etc.), widely represented in the cemetery, have artistic and aesthetic significance. In addition to the mundane, the graves of the ministers of the Orthodox faith are located in the necropolis. As a rule, they are marked with crosses. In 2005, a monument called “The Triumph of Orthodoxy” was erected on the territory of the Cossack cemetery. It glorifies the memory of people who died during the years of repression and anti-religious struggle. The monument was made according to the project of E. Solovieva. The general plan includes almost 450 graves. According to historians, over 700 people were buried at the Cossack cemetery during the period of its existence.
Monuments on the territory
During a walk through the territory of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, visitors have the opportunity to see a number of monuments. They were installed in the early 2000s. At the entrance to the monastery rises the figure of Alexander Nevsky. The patron saint of the monastery is depicted astride a horse. The sculpture reminds of the military and spiritual feat of the famous prince. The creator of the project was the sculptor V.Kazanyuk. The square in front of the Trinity Cathedral is decorated with a monument dedicated to the Nativity of Christ. The height of the stele is 7 meters. Another symbolic sculpture reminds of the sacrifice of Jesus in the name of all mankind. It depicts a circle with a cross inside. The allegorical image was installed in the monastery garden in 2005.
In honor of the reunification of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia with the Moscow Patriarchate, a special cross was laid. It was erected in 2013 in the Metropolitan Garden of the Lavra. For the 300th anniversary of the monastery, which was celebrated in 2013, a panel depicting St. Alexander Nevsky was created. The bas-relief is cast in bronze and fixed on the wall of the Prosphora building. The Metropolitan Corps of the Lavra is marked with a commemorative plaque, which indicates the place of death of the Hieromartyr Peter Skipetrov. It fell at the hands of the Bolsheviks in January 1919.
Workshops
The Alexander Nevsky Lavra is famous for its handicraft workshops. They create not just objects for worship, but genuine works of art. Specialists working in the restoration workshop take care of the conservation of ancient iconography. It was organized at the end of the 20th century by order of Bishop Nazarius. Professor A. Krylov and icon painter D. Mironenko take an active part in the activities of the workshop. Under their leadership, a new image of the praying Alexander Nevsky was created, depicted against the backdrop of the Trinity Lavra.
Masters working in the art and jewelry workshop produce items for worship. In their works, they use a variety of techniques – casting, enameling, carving, engraving. Jewelry is made of precious metals, precious and ornamental stones, rare woods, ivory. A sewing workshop has been located in the Fedorovsky building of the monastery since 2006. Its employees develop the design of materials for church vestments and decoration of temple premises. Museum exhibits and old illustrations often serve as sources of inspiration.
Since 1974, the creative group of ceramists “Alfa” has been operating in Leningrad. She is engaged in the creation of samples of new porcelain products, incl. with religious themes. The group participated in the production of the Nevsky damask with a bas-relief of a saint, Easter souvenir eggs, and a series of Kizhi porcelain dishes. In 2007, “Alpha” was transformed into a separate art workshop, which is based on the territory of the monastery. The monastery also has its own pottery. The pottery has established the production of dishes, household items, toys. Products are sold through the store. In addition, master classes are organized for visitors to the Lavra on weekends. Their participants learn the skills of pottery.
In the late 90s. 20th century an icon-case workshop was organized at the monastery. She specializes in the creation and restoration of frames for storing icons. Masters also consult on the proper arrangement of the iconostasis at home. A special place among the monastery workshops is occupied by printing and graphics. Its main products are lithographs, linocuts, etchings. In the process of work, ancient technologies of manual printing are used. The illustrations are of high artistic value. They are published in small editions and are collectibles.
Worship Schedule
Access for parishioners and tourists is open to the Lavra every day from 5.30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Divine services in the Holy Trinity Cathedral are held according to the established schedule:
In the Church of Theodore of Novgorod, a late liturgy is served at 10 am (Monday-Friday) and an evening service at 5 pm (Sunday-Thursday). The sacred service (liturgy) in the Gate Church takes place at 7 o'clock. morning from Monday to Saturday.
Where is it located and how to get there
The Lavra is located on the Monastery Island. Its official location is Monastyrka Embankment, bld.1. The easiest way to get to the monastery is by metro along the Nevsko-Vasileostrovskaya line. Exit to st. “Alexander Nevsky Square”.