Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery

One of the largest monastic complexes in Russia. The monastery stands on the shore of Lake Siverskoye in the town of Kirillov. It was founded in 1397 and quickly became the most important spiritual and economic center of the Russian North. In olden times, tsars came here to pray. The majestic 17th-century fortress walls with towers make the complex look like a medieval castle. Today it functions as a museum reserve, and in the Church of St. Cyril rest the relics of the monastery’s founder, attracting pilgrims from all over Russia.