Nilov Monastery

Ostashkov, Russia

Stolobny Island is the home of Nilov Monastery, which was founded by Saint Nilus in 1594, and previously welcomed up to 40,000 pilgrims each year. Most of the buildings of the monastery were built in the 18th and 19th Centuries in a neoclassical style. Today the monastery complex remains one of the most impressive ensembles of Neoclassical architecture in Eastern Europe. Some of its churches date back to the 17th century. A graceful embankment was completed by 1812, and a large cathedral was built in 1821-25. The construction of the causeway to the island was completed in 1812. The Nilow Monastery was one of the largest and wealthiest monasteries in the Russian Empire.

In 1919, after the October Revolution, the monastery was confiscated. It was closed in 1927 by the Soviet government and subsequently used for various purposes. From 1927 to 1939 there was a work camp for underage criminals.

In the period 1939 to 1941, during the first years of World War II, the monastery was a prisoner of war camp of the Russian secret service NKVD, which held approximately 7,000 Polish prisoners of war who had been taken captive by the Soviet Union as a result of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Almost all of the prisoners were subsequently executed in April 1940 in Kalinin (now Tver) and then buried in mass graves in Mednoye, an act which became known as the Katyn Massacre. Amongst those killed were Polish officers, lawyers, policemen, teachers, doctors, and other members of the intelligentsia.

From 1941 to 1945 there was a hospital in the building complex, and again from 1945 to 1960, a camp for minors and orphans. From 1960 to 1971 the monastery was used as a retirement home, and from 1971 to 1990 a hostel for tourists.

References:

Comments

Your name


Address

Unnamed Road, Ostashkov, Russia
See all sites in Ostashkov

Details

Founded: 1594
Category: Religious sites in Russia

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.8/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Cladr kly (3 years ago)
Одно из самых любимых мест! Очень красиво! Это моё "место силы"! Этот остров я открыла для себя ещё, когда там были руины и даже храм не действовал. Сейчас там всё шикарно: и отделка, и музей, и гостиница, и трапезная! Цены, конечно, дороговаты! Но жить монастырю тоже надо!
Denikin17 Denikin (3 years ago)
Отдыхали на Селигере в январе. Грех не побывать в монастыре. Очень интересный музей и рассказ экскурсавода Надежды об истории появления монастыря, и об истории жизни Нила, его обете никогда не ложиться, всегда быть в горизонтальном положении. Мы этим очень прониклись, но решили, что на такое не отважимся. По крайне мере пока.
Юрий (3 years ago)
Были здесь не раз... видели как восстанавливается монастырь.. сделали много замечательных фотографий... Вообще это уникальное место в России... "В 16 веке в Тверском Верхневолжье поселился отшельник Нил, впоследствии русский святой Нил Столобенский Чудотворец, слава о котором разошлась далеко за пределы Тверской земли. Как потом оказалось, это событие имело важные последствия для истории края. Преподобный Нил поселился на острове Столобный, где в 1594 г. был сооружен монастырь Нилова пустынь, который стал не просто хранителем заветов молитвенника, но и духовным центром всего Верхневолжья. В истории монастыря было немало горьких лет, наполненных тяжкими испытаниями, однако вопреки всем трудностям Нилова пустынь продолжала развиваться, укрепляться и отстраиваться с материальной поддержкой русских царей и знатных меценатов.Архитектурный облик монастырского ансамбля окончательно оформился в середине 19 века. Это время считается расцветом обители: идёт активная застройка, вырастают храмы и различные хозяйственные строения. Новый, 20 век Нилова пустынь встречает в качестве самого популярного среди паломников святого места. Годы советской власти — это громадный шаг назад, монастырь закрывается, ценности изымаются, многие здания разрушаются, а мощи святых подвергаются осквернению. В период с 1927 по 1990 г. в обители размещались колония для военнопленных, госпиталь, дом престарелых, туристическая база. В 1990 г., когда святую обитель передали Русской православной церкви, появилась надежда увидеть Нилову пустынь в возрождённом виде. Восстановительные работы не прекращаются и сейчас..."
Victor Lander (4 years ago)
Powerful place
Changwon Oh (4 years ago)
Reverence !
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Landmarks of Sicily
Photo from Flickr, copyright Nicola since 1972

Historic Site of the week

Royal Palace of Naples

Royal Palace of Naples was one of the four residences near Naples used by the Bourbon Kings during their rule of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (1734-1860): the others were the palaces of Caserta, Capodimonte overlooking Naples, and the third Portici, on the slopes of Vesuvius.

Construction on the present building was begun in the 17th century by the architect Domenico Fontana. Intended to house the King Philip III of Spain on a visit never fulfilled to this part of his kingdom, instead it initially housed the Viceroy Fernando Ruiz de Castro, count of Lemos. By 1616, the facade had been completed, and by 1620, the interior was frescoed by Battistello Caracciolo, Giovanni Balducci, and Belisario Corenzio. The decoration of the Royal Chapel of Assumption was not completed until 1644 by Antonio Picchiatti.

In 1734, with the arrival of Charles III of Spain to Naples, the palace became the royal residence of the Bourbons. On the occasion of his marriage to Maria Amalia of Saxony in 1738, Francesco De Mura and Domenico Antonio Vaccaro helped remodel the interior. Further modernization took place under Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies. In 1768, on the occasion of his marriage to Maria Carolina of Austria, under the direction of Ferdinando Fuga, the great hall was rebuilt and the court theater added. During the second half of the 18th century, a 'new wing' was added, which in 1927 became the Vittorio Emanuele III National Library. By the 18th century, the royal residence was moved to Reggia of Caserta, as that inland town was more defensible from naval assault, as well as more distant from the often-rebellious populace of Naples.

During the Napoleonic occupation the palace was enriched by Joachim Murat and his wife, Caroline Bonaparte, with Neoclassic decorations and furnishings. However, a fire in 1837 damaged many rooms, and required restoration from 1838 to 1858 under the direction of Gaetano Genovese. Further additions of a Party Wing and a Belvedere were made in this period. At the corner of the palace with San Carlo Theatre, a new facade was created that obscured the viceroyal palace of Pedro de Toledo.

In 1922, it was decided to transfer here the contents of the National Library. The transfer of library collections was made by 1925.

The library suffered from bombing during World War II and the subsequent military occupation of the building caused serious damage. Today, the palace and adjacent grounds house the famous Teatro San Carlo, the smaller Teatrino di Corte (recently restored), the Biblioteca Nazionale Vittorio Emanuele III, a museum, and offices, including those of the regional tourist board.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2022 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.