20 km from «Valday Eco Club» on the Mountain (Selevich) island is located Valdai Holy Ozersky bogoroditskiy men’s monastery founded in 1653 by Patriarch Nikon. Nikon claimed that when he has carried forward to Moscow from the Solovetsky monastery, the Holy relics of Metropolitan Philip, he is in the wonderful vision of the Philip indicated the place of Foundation of this monastery. The initiative was supported by Nikon, Tsar Aleksey Mikhailovich Romanov; he helped created the monastery and became its patron. The king’s letters patent for the new monastery was assigned to the vast land and the village of Valdai, Borovichi, Vishny, Yam. Valdai Holy Ozersky Bogoroditsky monastery is built on the exact plan of the Greek Athonite Iviron monastery, where dwelt and dwells the miraculous icon of the Iveron mother of God. In 1654, the main monastery Cathedral transferred the Holy relics of Iakov Borovichsky. In 1656, by order of Nikon was made a copy of the miraculous Iveron icon. This icon in Russia is soon praised as a miraculous list. By this time Nikon was consecrated Valdai lake, which became known as the saints (prior to that time, local residents believed that in this lake lives a monster and initially was afraid to go to the monastery located on the lake island).

Iversky Valdai monastery from the 17th century took a special place among the monasteries in Russia. First, it was especially revered list of the Iberian icon of the mother of God (patron Saint of Moscow); second, the monastery became a center for the production of high quality tiles, famous for exquisite carvings on wood and stone; thirdly, the will of Archbishop Nikon, it opened the first in Russian province printing house (Patriarch Nikon eventually transferred her to Moscow); in the fourth, he was famous for exemplary spiritual and religious life. At the Iveron monastery was erected and a very ornate, famous for the highest level of Church wealth all five temples. In the assumption Cathedral was the wonder-working icon of the Iberian mother of God, in a silver reliquary rested openly the power of Iakov Borovichsky, was in a silver ark of the relics of the saints 48, hung portraits of Patriarch Nikon and Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov. Sacristy had exceptional wealth. But in 1920 the monastery was closed, in the monastery walls opened the prison during the great Patriotic war it housed a hospital, in the postwar period, one after another it worked, Invalides, forest school for children. Tuberculosis patients, the sanatorium and rest home. In 1991, the Valday Iversky monastery was returned to the Russian Orthodox Church and began the restoration of its former greatness.

The conditions of the tour

Destination: Valday Iversky Holy Ozersky mother of God monastery.

Distance from the recreation center: 31 km.

Transport: the car.

The cost of a taxi: 1 machine (up to 4 persons) — 1000 rubles. *

* Tickets to visit the Museum and tour program in the Museum (guide) are paid separately.