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SPASO-ANDRONIKOV MONASTERY

Micha Jelisavcic
John Sloan

The metropolitan Alexei founded this monastery overlooking crossings of the Yauza River. It was built as a fortification covering Moscow's eastern approaches in 1360. It covered the area between the Yauza and Moscow. Its name combines that of the Savior (Spaso) with that of its first abbot (Andronik), who took over when Alexei was called away to heal the favorite wife of Khan of the Kypchak Horde at Sarai. As a reward Alexei also received land the Khan owned in the Kremlin on which Alexei built the Chudov Monastery. The monastery's Cathedral of the Savior was built in 1427 and is now the oldest stone building in Moscow. It is adorned with frescoes painted by the master icon-painter Andrei Rublev; Rublev is thought to be buried in the monastery's crypt and a museum dedicated to his work adjoins the building. The Church of the Archangel Michael, built in the baroque style, was commissioned by Peter the Great's mother-in-law in honor of her grandson's birth, although Peter sent her to Siberia soon afterward. The monastery became a popular base for the Old Believers, a schismatic religious sect created when the Patriarch Nikon attempted to reform the Russian Orthodox Church under Peter's father, Tsar Alexis Mikhailovich The monastery also has the Rublev museum of early Russian art, which, however, has none of Rublev's own icons. The master icon painter Andrei Rublev was born around 1360, and is considered one of the greatest Russian artists who ever lived. In a 17th-century text, one can read: "...The revered Andrei of Radonezh, called Rublev, has painted many holy icons, all magnificent." His art, in contrast to the austere asceticism of his contemporary, Theophanes the Greek, reflects a spirituality born of love and understanding, uniting delicate colors and supple contours with a rare tenderness and majesty in his subjects. He decorated many of the Kremlin's structures, as well as various monasteries throughout the "Golden Ring"--the towns that surround Moscow.

Photographs and descriptions

 

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Description

  

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The Spasksy Sobor (Savior's Cathedral) is the oldest stone building in Moscow. It was built in 1420-27. Some say that the fresco painter Andrei Rublyov was buried there. The monastery was founded by Metropolitan Alexei to fulfill his promise to do so if saved from a storm on the Black Sea during his visit to Constantinople.

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Andronikov monastery, another view of the Cathedral after repairs to the outside were begun.
 

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Another view of the Savior's Cathedral. The inside still has hardly been touched. Originally it was covered by frescos created by Andrei Rublov and Daniel Cherni. These are all gone except for small fragments. During the Stalin Purges the monastery was a prison and wooden scafolding on which prisoner's bunks were placed filled the inside.

 
 

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Detail of door to the Savior's Cathedral.

 
 

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The Andronikov monastery was built on the high, left bank of the Yauza as part of the outer defense ring, and covered the approaches from the south and south-east. Here we see one corner tower and wall between it and the tower over the main gate, from outside. Along with the other fortifications of the time the monastery walls were originally a high earthen rampart with wooden palisade and blockhouses. The white stone walls we see today were built in the last half of the 17th century.

  
 

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View of one wall from the inside of the monastery showing how the ground level has risen significantly over the centuries.

  
 

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Another view outside the monastery of a corner tower and wall.

  
 

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View outside the rear wall that stands high above the Yauza River.

  
 

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View outside one of the side walls.

  
 

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The Trapezni Palace (16th century) was built on the model of the Granoviti (Faceted) Palace in the Kremlin.

 
 

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Another corner of the monastery.

 
 

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View from inside the monastery by the gate .

  
 

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View of gate and tower from inside the walls.

  
 

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The monastery is most famous because the master Icon artist, Andrei Rublyov was a monk here. Here is an icon depicting the Holy Trinity.

  
 

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The museum has original work of many famous artists of the Moscow school and copies of some of the monumental frescos created by Rublyov, Feofan the Greek, and Dionisii. Here is an icon depicting John the Baptist in the museum in the Andronikov monastery

  
 

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Icon depicting the Virgin Mary in the museum in the Andronikov monastery.

  
 

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Icon in the museum in the Andronikov monastery.

  
 

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Icon of our Savior in the museum in the Andronikov monastery.

  
 

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Icon of St George in the museum in the Andronikov monastery.

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