Pechorsky
monastery, fortress of the 16 century, caves.
Church of the Dormition and Church of the Intercession
Hermits
once upon a time lived in these caves above the forest stream. It was they
who founded a church of the caves here in 1473. The monastery took shape
two centuries later in the 16 th century, when it became necessary to
strengthen the northwest boundary of the unfilled Russian state. Then the
monastery turned into a powerful, inaccessible (as its later history was
to show) fortress.
 Fighting
towers were built along the 800-metre long wall.
The Pechory Monastery was founded in 1473 when the Church of the Dormition
was built in a cave on a sandy slope. A lot the monastery buildings date
to the second half of the 16 th century when Cornelius, an educated man, a
prominent politician, and a patron of artistic crafts was Father Superior.
He turned the monastery into a fortress. The walls and towers were erected
mainly in 1565.
The monastery especially has got stronger and has grown in 16 century ...
were constructed the majority of buildings and fortress with towers. Tsars
Ivan the Terrible (Groznie) came to time (during) of war in a monastery to
pray. As it is necessary to meet the honorable visitors (quests),
Cornelius has met king with bread and salt and has asked him the sanctions
to enclose, to construct around monastery of constructions a wall of
fortress. King has allowed a fortress to build, but provided that it
should be very small and should go in on a skin of the bull (of such
fortress what will allow bull`s skin). Cornelius has given the promise to
do in accuracy all to execute and to not break this condition.
King was at war with the army near to Riga 7 years. Coming back in Moscow
he has decided (solved) again to visit the Pechory Monastery, but on that
place there was a huge fortress. King was in fury having seen it and his
suspicions there was no end. Under the information of the servants king
knew, that Cornelius corresponded with an enemy. Tsar (king) Ivan the
Terrible suspected of unfaithfulness of Russia Cornelius and ... And here
also a fortress around of a monastery has built up... what the is huge!
Angry king has seen Cornelius, which met by his bread and salt at a gate
of a monastery and fortress, both has pulled out sword and has chopped off
Cornelius a head. The head was rolled on a slope downwards, on a road,
which conducts to basic of monastery to buildings.... And tsar (king) have
repented of the mortal sin, has picked up a falling body of the dying
monk. But the man need not return! King has presented a monastery in
expiation of the mortal sin rich treasures, gifts, the bell (it and now
hangs on Large Belfry of monastery - this bell is largest - 4 tons weigh).
But life the man cannot to return!
And the body Cornelius was put in a sacred shrine and is buried in a
temple, here it is today. Cornelius was very talented hardworking and
enterprising. He very much loved the monastery, and Russia. The order of
king on construction of such fortress what will allow a skin of bull,
Cornelius has not broken, he simply has cut a bull's skin in very thin
strip and has rounded with these strips all constructions of a monastery
and all churches of a monastery. On them walls of a fortress with towers
also were under construction. So the legend tells!
28. 08. 1998 Monastery was 525 years.
The Cathedral of the Dormition (it is lower part is an ancient cave
church, sanctified in 1473. Nearly three hundred years later, in 1759, an
attractive baroque structure was built above it - the Church of the
Intercession. The two churches have a common facade. It is very crowded
inside the cave church. On especially solemn occasions the church service
is therefore celebrated outside, and the facade of the Dormition Cathedral
is turned into an iconostasis of sorts. The church does not have an
opposite facade - it seemingly merges with the hillside.
The stars on the decorative domes of the churches twinkle beyond the
monastery wall.
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