Kiev Pechersk Lavra

In the previous post I promised to write about Kiev Pechersk Lavra. My last visit there was a month ago on the 8th of March, so don't be surprised of the snow on the photos. It has already melted :)

So welcome to Kiev Pechersk Lavra! Take a walk with me.

Kiev Pechersk Lavra (Caves of the monastery) is one of the oldest Orthodox Christian monasteries for males. It was founded by Yaroslav I the Wise in 1051. Lavra or Laura (Greek: Λαύρα; Cyrillic: Лавра) originally meant a cluster of cells or caves for hermits, with a church and sometimes a refectory at the center. The term originates from the Greek for "a passage" or "an alley". The area of the monastery is 23,540 m² and it includes Great Lavra Belltower, Gate Church of the Trinity, Assumption Cathedral, Refectory Church, Church of the Saviour at Berestov, caverns, burials. Kiev Pechersk Lavra is in UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

Front yard of Lavra. You appear here just after entering the historical-cultural reserve.

On the right hand you'll see a seven-ton bell. It was produced by Donetsk metallurgists in 2005 according to original Lavra's scketches. That bell was destroyed during the atheistic persecution in Soviet Union. In the near future it will take its historical place on the third tier of the Great Bell Tower.

On the next photo you can see the front view of Assumption Cathedral - the main Cathedral of Kiev Pechersk Monastery. It was almost completely destroyed in the Soviet Union, but now its reconstructed.

And a closer view.

Back view. Part of the coverage is missing to show the original view of the Cathedral.

Near the Assumption Cathedral there is a big piece of its original brick wall.

Name plate near the brick wall piece.

Entrance to the Refectory Church.

Few more shots of the Refectory Church from the back yard.

From the back yard behind the Refectory Church you can see the river Dniper and a view on a part of Kiev.

Walking to the Far Caves we're getting to a nice souvenir alley with block pavement and cute street lamp. Here you can small icons, pictures with Lavra's views, etc., etc.

Wooden corridor from Near to Far Caves

View on the Lower Lavra from the corridor.

Cyril and Methodius monument.

View on the Lavra's wall, river Dniper and a left-bank part of Kiev.

An old linden on the territory of the Monastery.

Icon shop.

Small church in Lower Lavra

Old tablet on the Church. From pre-soviet time, I guess.

There is a graveyard near the church. Influential and respected people were buried here. We've found graves of generals, graphs, abbesses, monks, etc.

View on the Mother Motherland - a part of Museum of the Second World War - from the loophole in Lavra's wall.

Few more photos of the Lavra's territory.

Personally I like visiting this place in any time of the year. It is really very quiet, calm and peaceful place. And this feelling comes to you just after passing the entrance within the bounds of Lavra's walls.