This quiet monastery is located on the outskirts of Kolomna, in a picturesque place where the Oka meets the Moscow River. The place where the Staro-Golutvin Monastery stands is truly holy, it was chosen by the monks to found the monastery at the beginning of the XIV century. By order of Dmitry Donskoy, his first stone was laid, however, historians argue about the date. Some call it 1374, others call it 1385, but this does not change much.
Holy Place History
The Old Golutvin Monastery is not just a quiet monastery of monks. In the past, this was a strategically important object, which was intended to protect not just the road, but the most popular trade route. That is why the monastery quickly grew and developed, and reached its peak of prosperity by the beginning of the 17th century. At this time, he becomes the richest of his kind, which, of course, leads to claims on his land. In this regard, at the end of the XVIII century the monastery was deprived of its possessions and fell into decay. Only with the beginning of the XIX century it began to be restored, but after the revolution the building was given over to the hostel and only in 1994 was returned to the Moscow diocese. However, let us dwell a little more on the past monastery.
origin of name
Why does the monastery have such a name - Staro-Golutvin Monastery? Historians still do not agree, but there is a generally accepted version, according to which the prefix "old-" appeared relatively recently, when the brothers of the Golutvinsky monastery were resettled and a new monastery was formed. That is, the automatically restored monastery has become old. Today, the buildings on its territory are completely restored, the restoration of the walls and towers continues.
Monastery founder
It was Sergius of Radonezh who became his founding father. Under his leadership, the first temple was laid, from which only parts of the foundation reached us. According to legend, this place was chosen by Sergius of Radonezh because the source unexpectedly scored here. Be that as it may, his role in creating the monastery is not forgotten. This is evidenced by the monument, as well as the greatest reverence for that insignificant part of that first temple that has survived to this day.
Architectural ensemble
Each tourist has his own interest in the ancient monastery. Someone wants to get in touch with the special world of monks, for others it is only an educational tour and an examination of a monument of ancient architecture. Be that as it may, there really is something to see here. The Old-Golutvin Monastery (Kolomna) is stunningly beautiful, moreover, it is the largest in the entire region. The largest building is the main temple dating back to the beginning of the 18th century. It is located on the site of an old stone cathedral, which was no longer subject to reconstruction. A beautiful wall or fence with intricate towers dates back to the same time of construction. All earlier buildings today are completely lost.
The Old-Golutvin Monastery (Kolomna) was rebuilt for the most part in the 19th century. In its first half, the St. Sergius Church was built. A little later, the Eastern (fraternal) building and the bell tower were erected, as well as a gate church. The outbuildings, which are necessary for the brothers living in the monastery, gradually grew.
The most recent buildings were the western building, which served as a hotel for pilgrims, as well as the Orthodox Theological Seminary.
Visit to the monastery today
The Epiphany Staro-Golutvin Monastery (Kolomna city) invites both true believers who seek unity with God, and ordinary inhabitants. Every Sunday at 5 p.m., a water sanctuary is held. You can choose the day and time of the visit based on what you are interested in. Especially visited are evening services, and in the morning, most often there are only brothers and novices. Not all tourists come here to join the quiet life of monks, much more often people are interested in this object as a cultural and historical monument. The time of the visit is not regulated, you are free to just walk around the territory, go to the temple, participate in worship or make donations.
Landscapes and attractions
Do not forget to bring a camera with you if you decide to go to the Epiphany Staro-Golutvin Monastery; Kolomna itself is extremely beautiful, green and quiet, but its outskirts are especially picturesque. And one of the most attractive places is the monastery. Tourists especially love the main temple of the monastery. All mass services are performed here, for the monks of the monastery there is the opportunity to pray in more secluded places. What else, besides the natural beauty and grandeur of this ancient monastery, is Kolomna famous for? The Epiphany Staro-Golutvin Monastery is very interesting for tourists with its shrines, which we will talk about now.
The cloister through the eyes of a believer
Of course, a religious person is primarily interested in a temple as the house of God. The ancient large monastery has significant wealth in the spiritual sense of the word. Here a huge library is collected, which is studied by all novices and tutors. In addition, the Epiphany Old-Golutvin Monastery keeps shrines, which are very important for every believer. These are miraculous reliquaries with parts of the crown of thorns and the cross of the Savior. The relics of many holy saints rest here.
It is in order to not only see, but also touch these great shrines, a large number of pilgrims come here. Not every monastery has such a rich history, even the earth itself is different - holy, prayed, healing.
The cloister through the eyes of a simple layman
Staro-Golutvin Monastery lives its own, quiet and very special life. For ordinary tourists, information about the life of the monastery is quite difficult to obtain. The only thing you can get to know is the schedule of services in front of the front door. It is usually closed, although not locked, which causes some confusion among tourists. Upon entering, you find yourself in the territory of the monastery. Here is a neat alley that leads to the main square. Before you in all its glory - Staro-Golutvin Epiphany Monastery. The majestic Epiphany and Sergiev churches rise to the right. In fact, they are nothing special. Simple quadrangular buildings with turrets and domes. However, one needs to look deeper into a story that shows the true greatness of this monastery. On the left are fraternal buildings, a simple white building with openwork porches. The Vvedensky temple adjoins it . Its bell tower was built at the beginning of the 19th century. The height of the bell tower is about 50 meters. If you have time, it is worth spending time here, contemplating a tall bell tower against a bright blue sky. The sight is amazing and bewitching. You will probably be surprised that on the territory of the monastery there are a lot of flowers and greenery, flower beds and flowerpots. Meanwhile, the brothers themselves, who live in the monastery, are almost never visible. Between the temples is a monument to the founder of the monastery, Sergius of Radonezh. Immediately behind the beautiful monument is a row of flower beds, and a little further - a well-preserved fence with Gothic towers. The red brick wall and intricate towers create a contrast with the white, simple walls of the temples themselves.
What we see today is the creation of the hands of masters of the 18th century. All earlier buildings are completely lost, only fragments of the foundation and basement from the original version are preserved. Next to the Epiphany Cathedral is the church of St. Sergius of Radonezh, to which the abbot corps adjoins.
In the distance is the monastery’s own apiary, however, close to the hives is undesirable for their own safety. And completely separate, behind a high old fence, is the Kolomenskoy Theological Seminary.
How to get to the monastery
Most often, his visit is included in the program of excursions along the Golden Ring of Russia. The Staro-Golutvin Monastery is located, the photo of which will not convey the special atmosphere that reigns here in the ancient city near Moscow called Kolomna. The distance from Moscow is only 100 km. If you choose the route by train, it runs from the Kazan station to the Golutvin station. Since it bears the same name as the monastery itself, remembering is easy. Travel time is about 2 hours. Upon arrival at the station you will find a walk of about 2 km, and if there is no desire to walk, then you can drive two stops by bus. After the Bochmanovo stop, on which you need to get off, turn left and, after passing several hundred meters, get to the gates of the monastery.
Tourists reviews
Unlike many ancient temples, which are appreciated by tourists for the elaborate decoration or the abundance of ancient icons, everything here is completely different. The temples of the quiet monastery are not replete with gilding, frescoes or icons, here people believe in a different way, sincerely, without an external brilliance. To understand the atmosphere prevailing here, you need to feel it on yourself, understand, comprehend, live. Some say that visiting the monastery helped solve personal problems, others got rid of serious illnesses, and still others just had a good time and plunged into the history of the ancient monastery. You need to prepare for such an excursion in advance, because there is no guide here, which means there will be no one to tell and show. Today, restoration work is underway on the territory, and walls, towers and some elements of buildings are being reconstructed. That is, over time, the monastery will become even more beautiful. Regardless of whether you are a believer, it is worth visiting at least once.