NOVODEVICHY CONVENT

The Novodevichy Convent (Convent of the New Maidens) is a dazzling architectural gem with walls of white brick, red-capped towers and gleaming onion domes.

Founded by Grand Prince Basil III in 1524 to commemorate the capture of Smolensk from the Lithuanians, the convent also served as an important link in the chain of fortified monasteries that surrounded Moscow. It was staffed almost exclusively by daughters of the nobility and even by members of the royal family.

When Napoleon arrived in Moscow in 1812 he gave orders for the now dilapidated building to be blown up but at the last moment an unknown hero managed to extinguish the fuses.

The oldest part of the convent is the white stone Virgin of Smolensk Cathedral dating from 1524-25.

Just outside the southern walls is the cemetery, final resting place of numerous illustrious Russians, including writers Gogol and Chekhov, the film director Eisenstein, the composer Prokofiev and others.