Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Boat Trip: Makaryev Monastery

Our last stop on the boat was Makaryev Monastery, one of the largest convents for Orthodox nuns founded in the 15th century. It was originally established for priests but in the 1800s they turned it into a convent for women which at one time housed 300 nuns. During communist times the monastery was turned into an orphanage, military hospital, and veterinary school. It was restored as a Monastery in 1992 and was featured in the film Salt with Angelina Jolie. I paid a very steep entrance fee to get a view inside but I felt like it was worth it and went to a good cause, helping the 22 nuns who live in this remote place along the Volga keep the monastery going. This is a view of the monastery from the river. 

The walk from the boat to the monastery.
 
The very thick walls of the monastery and the entrance.
 

Because it was a monastery we had to wear skirts long enough to cover our knees and head scarves to cover our hair. This is a very distant picture of me and the other girls who went on the tour.

 

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