Ipatievsky Monastery, Kostroma

The main attraction of the city, Ipatievsky Monastery, is situated at the confluence of the Volga and the Kostroma. Its white stone walls with towers and the domes of the cathedral look very picturesque against the backdrop of amazing landscapes.

The church was founded in the early Middle Ages, the 14th century. According to the legend it was founded by the Tatar prince Chet, who adopted Christianity under the name of Zechariah. In 1613 the monastery was the place where Moscow boyars came to invite Mikhail Romanov to become the new ruler. As a result, the first prayer of thanksgiving was prayed in Trinity Church to mark the salvation of Russia from the turmoil the coming of the new ruling dynasty. After that event, the monastery became a holy place for the Romanov dynasty. There, for many years the Fyodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God, the patroness of the new royal family was kept.

The monastery still has the Trinity Cathedral (1652), the belfry (1603-1605), the episcopal house (18th century), the cells (18th century), and the Romanovs palace (16th century). Now it is the museum complex Ipatievsky Monastery.

Besides, the Godunovs, the ancestors of Chet, assembled a great library called Ipatievsky Chronicles, which is still one of the main sources of information about ancient Russia.