Raifa Virgin Monastery

Raifa Monastery is one of the most beautiful sites in the Tatar republic. The monastery was founded in 1613. The ancient cloister is located on the shore of a beautiful lake and is surrounded by virgin forests. Here everyone can feel a unique atmosphere of solitude and quite reigning, which is due to the primeval silence and remoteness of the place. Anyone approaching the monastery can contemplate a wonderful harmony of the architectural ensemble. Crenellated walls and white stones, the Gate bell-tower looking info the sky, golden crosses on the green and sky-blue temple domes.

The history of the monastery goes 300 years back. It was brutally plundered and then closed in 1928. In 1933 they organized a colony for juvenile delinquents. Later it became a technical school and temples and fraternity buildings housed workshops, a club and dinging room. The holly dwelling regained its function in the beginning of the '90s when its prior archimandrite Vsevolod took it upon himself to restore the monastery. 9 years later all the buildings were completely restores and repaired.

In the middle of the monastery there is a magnificent Trinity Cathedral built in 1904-10. It is a wonderful example of ancient Russian architecture viewed from a modern perspective. One of the oldest monastery cathedrals is located beside the southern wall of the monastery behind the graveyard.

Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia Alexi II visited the monastery of Raifa in September of 1997.

Every year of Epiphany (January 19) on the frozen lake there appears an ice-made city, one of Raifa's miracles.

While in Raifa, it cannot escape you eye that there are some children there busily walking in black monk's cassocks, They are orphans living in the monastery. The first boy came here in 1994. Now there are 18 on them aged from 7 to 17.

Come to Raifa to feel consolidation, to have opportunity to regain peace and the hope to find yourself.

Available all year round
Duration: 8 hours
Distance: 110 km from Yoshkar-Ola
Price: $82 (with a guide-interpreter)
$70 (without a guide-interpreter)

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