Novodevichy Convent
Russia · Europe
About
Novodevichy Convent, also known as Bogoroditse-Smolensky Monastery (Russian: Новоде́вичий монасты́рь, Богоро́дице-Смоле́нский монасты́рь), is probably the best-known cloister of Moscow. Its name, sometimes translated as the New Maidens' Monastery, was devised to differ from the Old Maidens' Monastery within the Moscow Kremlin. The convent was founded by Grand Duke Vasily III on May 13 , 1524 in honor of the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God " Hodegetria " - the main shrine of Smolensk , in gratitude for the capture of Smolensk in 1514. Unlike other Moscow cloisters, it has remained virtually intact since the 17th century. In 2004, it was proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.