The Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra

The Holy Trinity-St. Sergius Lavra (Russian: Свято-Тро́ицкая Серги́ева Ла́вра) is one of the largest and most important monasteries in all of Russia. Founded in 1337, the Lavra is located in the town of Sergiyev Posad in Moscow Oblast, 66 km north of Moscow. The monastery serves as the headquarters of the Russian Orthodox Church, is home to the Troitse-Sergiyeva Lavra Study & Training Institute and is home to several important religious and cultural treasures. The complex consists of 19 buildings, several churches and three external churches, that have become popular tourist attractions, especially during the summer months. The most interesting places in the complex are the Preobrazhensky Cathedral which houses the iconostasis of Simon Ushakov and the Pokrovsky Cathedral. Visitors can also take in the views of the convent’s wall, the bell tower and finely ornamented golden-domed churches.