Pilgrimage

Saint Seraphim-Diveyevo Monastery is known to all those who are interested in the history and culture of Orthodoxy: the monastery is considered being the fourth abode of the Holy Mother, under the special protection of the Mother of God. This is why pilgrims from all over the world come to the monastery. Believers come to Diveyevo to venerate the relics of Seraphim of Sarov and to walk along the holy groove, the path along which the Mother of God herself walked. Seraphim of Sarov saw this place in a dream.

Murom still retains many marks of antiquity. The Savior monastery, one of the most ancient in Russia, was first chronicled in 1096, when Oleg of Chernigov besieged it and killed Vladimir Monomakh's son Izyaslav, who is buried there. In 1552, the monastery was visited by Ivan the Terrible who commissioned a stone cathedral, which was followed by other churches. The Trinity convent, where the relics of Sts. Peter and Fevronia are displayed, features a fine cathedral (1642–1643), Kazan church (1652), a bell-tower (1652), a wooden church of St. Sergius, and stone walls. It is rivaled by the Annunciation Monastery, founded in the reign of Ivan the Terrible to house the relics of local princes and containing a cathedral from 1664. Two last-mentioned cathedrals, being probably the works of the same masters, have much in common with the Resurrection Church (1658) in the downtown. Quite different is the tent-like church of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, built in 1565 on the bank of the Oka to commemorate the Russian conquest of Kazan.

The Kremlin is one of the oldest part of Moscow and its political, spiritual and historical center. The tour includes entering the Cathedral of the Dormition, where the Russian emperors were buried, The Cathedral of the Archangel, and a visit to the Patriarch's Palace. Seeng the Tzar Bell and the Tzar Cannon is a part of the tour as well.
Duration: approx. 1,5 hours

Donskoy monastery is one of the most famous Russian monasteries. Founded in 1593 it commemorates the Don Icon of Mother of God which saved Moscow from being destroyed by one of Tatar khans. The monastery was built on the exact place where Russian army was waiting for the begging of the battle.

Arbat is a pedestrian street about one kilometer long in the historical centre of Moscow. The Arbat has existed since at least the 15th century, which makes it one of the oldest surviving streets of the Russian capital. Originally the street formed part of an important trade-route and was home to a large number of craftsmen. In the 18th century, the Russian nobility came to regard the Arbat as the most prestigious living area in Moscow. In the 19th and early 20th centuries it became known as a place where petty nobility, artists, and academics lived. In the Soviet period, it housed many high-ranking government officials.

The State Tretyakov gallery is an extensive museum complex, where masterpieces of Russian art of the 11th - early 20th century are kept. The gallery was founded in 1856 when the Moscow merchant Pavel Mikhailovich Tretyakov acquired works by Russian artists of his day with the aim of creating a collection, which might later grow into a museum of national art. The Gallery's main building is on Lavrushinsky lane where merchants traditionally settled in the 19th century, and the district itself is also worth visiting.
Duration: approx. 2 hours

Sretensky monastery is one of the main centres of the Russian Ortodox church. It was built to commemorate the miracle that saved Moscow from khan Timur. According to the legend, he saw a dream about the Mother of God and was so scared of her that decided not to enter the battle.

Intercession (Pokrovsky) Monastery was named after the Intercession of the Theotokos. The monastery has been known since 1635 and long remained a poor monastic abode outside the city proper, neighbouring a large cemetery for commoners. Much of the monastery is Neoclassical in design and dates from the early 19th century. The Soviets disbanded the brethren and had some walls torn down. The monastery was revived in 1994 as a Stauropegic nunnery. It derives much of its popularity from preserving the relics of St. Matrona of Moscow.

Danilov Monastery is a walled monastery on the right bank of the Moskva River. Since 1983, it has functioned as the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox church and the official residence of the Patriarch of Moscow and all the Rus'. Danilov Monastery is claimed to have been founded in the late 13th century by Alexander Nevsky's son Daniel. Shortly before his death in 1303, Daniel is supposed to have taken monastic vows and been buried there. The Russian Orthodox church venerates him as a saint. Daniel's successors had this monastery relocated to the Kremlin. All that remained at the original location was a graveyard.

The Novodevichy Convent was part of a chain of monastic ensembles that were integrated into the defence system of the city. The convent was directly associated with the political, cultural and religious history of Russia, and closely linked to Moscow Kremlin. It was used by women of the Tsar's family and the aristocracy. Members of the Tsar's family and entourage were also buried in its cemetery.