Ferapontov Monastery
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How it came to be
The Moscow monk Ferapont founded the monastery in 1398 on a low hill between Lakes Borodaevskoe and Paskoe in northern Russia. Its fame grew under St Martinian, a disciple of Cyril of Beloozero, and it enjoyed the protection of Ivan III's family. In the 15th and 16th centuries it was a cultural centre of the region.
At its heart, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin was built of brick by masters from Rostov in 1490. Every interior wall is covered with frescoes by Dionisy, the greatest Russian painter of the late 15th century, working with his son. They are the only works by him to survive complete in their original form.
In the 16th century Ivan the Terrible granted the monastery privileges and came as a pilgrim. It later served as a place of exile, notably for Patriarch Nikon, and was abolished in 1798. It became a museum in 1975; its remoteness kept the ensemble much as it was in the 17th century. It was inscribed in 2000.
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