Spas-Andronicus monastery

Andronicus (St.Saviour) monastery located on the bank of Yauza river – flow of the Moskva river, about 3.5 kilometers east from the Kremlin. The monastery was founded in 1361 by metropolitan Alexis, and first abbot was Andronicus (the follower of Sergei Radonezhsky), whose name immortalized in the title of monastery.

The cathedral is a real gem of a white-stone architecture. It was built sometime in 1410..1427 with the participance of famous icon painter Andrei Rublev (be aware that he was a monk of this monastery).

At the end of 17 century the monastery refectory church was built – too high for the old cathedral, and at the end of 18 century – a huge bell-tower, compared to what already looked little refectory.

This Bolsheviks blew up the bell-tower in 1930, the remaining buildings were preserved, and since 1949 in the premises of the monastery situated the museum of ancient russian art named after Andrei Rublev. Cathedral restored in 1959 – 1960's, it now used as parish church.