Istra

The new Jérusalem

Gate and Resurrection Cathedral.

The New Jerusalem Monastery was founded in 1656 by Patriarch Nikon as a patriarchal residence on the outskirts of Moscow. The monastery took its name from the New Jerusalem. This site was chosen for its resemblance to the Holy Land. The River Istra represents the Jordan, and the buildings represent the 'sacral space' or holy places of Jerusalem.The architectural ensemble of the monastery includes the Resurrection Cathedral (1656–1685), identical to a cathedral of the same name in Jerusalem, Patriarch Nikon's residence (1658), stone wall with towers (1690–1694), Church of the Holy Trinity (1686–1698), and other buildings, all of them finished with majolica and stucco moulding.

In 1918, the New Jerusalem Monastery was closed down. In 1941, the German army ransacked the New Jerusalem Monastery. Before their retreat they blew up its unique great belfry; the towers were demolished; the vaults of the cathedral collapsed and buried its famous iconostasis, among other treasures. The New Jerusalem Monastery was re-established as a religious community only in the 1990s.

In March 2009 Russian president Dmitry Medvedev signed a presidential decree on the restoration and renovation of the New Jerusalem Monastery.

As of June 2016, there has been great restoration done in the main cathedral, with much of the interior reconstructed and readorned. The monastery is open to visitors and is actively serving again. Many thousands of visitors come each day, especially on holidays.