Spasskii Yaroslavl Monastery

(also Spaso-Preobra-zhenskii Monastery), a monastery in Yaroslavl founded in 1216 by Grand Prince Konstantin Vsevolodovich. By the 16th century the Spasskii Yaroslavl Monastery had acquired vast landholdings. In 1609 it withstood a 24-day siege by Polish interventionists. The monastery was closed in 1787 and converted into a bishop’s residence. The manuscript of The Tale of Igor’s Campaign was discovered in the monastery’s library by the last archimandrite, S. Ia. Ioil’ (Bykovskii).

The picturesque monastery complex, situated on the bank of the Kotorosl’ River, is among the main groups of buildings that determine the architectural appearance of the old section of Yaroslavl. Several of its structures are noteworthy architecturally. The fortress walls and towers date mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries. The three-domed Spaso-Preobrazhenskii Cathedral rests on a high substructure and has an open two-story arcaded gallery on the western facade. The cathedral was built from 1506 to 1516 and has undergone reconstruction work; its frescoes were executed in 1563 and 1564 by L. Leont’ev, T. Nikitin, F. Nikitin, A. Isidorov, and D. Isidorov. The single-pillared refectory dates from the early 16th century; additions to this structure include the chambers of the father superior (17th century) and a bell tower (16th century; completed from 1809 to 1823 by the architect P. Ia. Pan’kov).