Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery

A fortified monastery about five kilometres north of the city centre, on a bend of the Vologda River — founded in 1371 and still functioning as an active Orthodox monastery. The main structures date from the 16th and 17th centuries: the Cathedral of the Saviour (1537), the Gate Church, the bell tower, and the substantial stone walls built to defend against raids during the Time of Troubles.

The monastery is the most impressive architectural ensemble in the Vologda region. The whitewashed walls of the cathedral interior carry fragmentary 17th-century frescoes. The monastic gardens along the riverbank are open to visitors and are a good place to walk in summer. The trip from the city centre takes about 20 minutes by taxi or by bicycle along the river path.

things to do sight
A story
The monastery was founded in 1371 by the monk Dimitry Priliutsky, a close associate of Sergius of Radonezh — the founder of the Trinity Lavra, the most important monastery in Russia. During the Time of Troubles in the early 17th century, Spaso-Prilutsky served as a supply point for the armies resisting the Polish-Lithuanian intervention; local tradition credits the monastery with significant donations to Minin and Pozharsky's liberation campaign. A large stone wall, built after the Polish raids, still encircles the complex.