Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna. Old Bobrenevo
Mother of God Nativity Bobrenev Monastery- a monastery in the Kolomna district of the Moscow region, in the village of Staroye Bobrenevo, near Kolomna. Surviving churches: Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya.
Base
The Mother of God of the Nativity Bobrenev Monastery was founded with the blessing of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the 14th century with the contribution of the hero of the Battle of Kulikovo, an associate of the holy noble prince Dmitry Donskoy - Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok-Volynets.
In gratitude to the Lord for granting Russia victory over Mamai, on September 21, 1380, the holy Grand Duke, returning to Kolomna, vowed to build a holy monastery in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (victory day).
In 1381, Saint Dmitry Donskoy, according to his vow, founded the monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God with the name “Bobrenov” in memory of the culprit of the final defeat of Mamai, governor Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok, who was the main builder of the monastery.
At that time, the monastery was the “guard” of Kolomna and played a significant role in the defense of Moscow as a link in the defensive line in the southeast.
Heyday
By the beginning of the 18th century, the ancient temple had become quite dilapidated. Officers' inventories of 1763 report that the construction of a new brick cathedral began in 1757. The second monastery church - the Entry into Jerusalem - retained its ancient appearance as a refectory with a tented church in the 18th century. The same officer's inventory indicates another stone structure - the Holy Gate, everything else was wooden.
In 1790, under Bishop Afanasy of Kolomna, instead of the existing temple, a church of a new architectural form was erected on two floors with a refectory at the top - the church in the name of Alexy the man of God. Then the abbot's chambers and the bishop's house were built, which in the summer served as the dacha of the Kolomna bishop.
In 1795, the monastery was surrounded by a stone fence with towers at the corners according to the design of the great architect Matvey Kazakov.
In 1800, after the transfer of the Kolomna bishop's see to Tula, the remaining free bishop's house in Kolomna was converted by Metropolitan Platon into Trinity Novo-Golutvin monastery, to which the monks were transferred from the Staro-Golutvin monastery, and at the same time the Bobrenev monastery with all the adjacent lands was assigned to this latter.
In 1830, the church, built in 1790, was converted from a two-story one into a one-story one, the main altar being the Nativity Holy Mother of God moved downstairs, the upper floor was broken down and the windows blocked, the throne of Alexy the man of God was abolished. Since this temple was cold, for winter services two chapels were built in the refectory: on the right - in honor of the Kazan Icon, and on the left - in honor of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
The octagonal bell tower topped with a tent on a square base typologically dates back to the examples of the 18th century, but the interpretation of architectural forms and Baroque details allow it to be considered a contemporary cathedral.
The abbot's building is a two-story brick building. The first floor belongs to the bishop's house of the late 18th century, the upper floor was added in 1861. The two-story cell building is made of brick. The lower floor belongs to the abbot's cells of the late 18th century, the upper floor was built in 1861. The one-story cell and stable buildings are modest brick buildings, interesting in the shape of window and door openings with a triangular top.
The fence along the eastern and southern border of the territory with four round two-story towers at the corners was built in 1790-1795 in the form of pseudo-Gothic. The elegant white stone decoration of the towers against the background of red brick walls makes them more decorative.
The fence on the western and northern sides of the monastery was built in mid-19th century with character reproduction architecture XVIII century.
In 1850, the Bobrenev Monastery again gained independence.
In 1861, benefactor D.I. Khludov, with the blessing of St. Philaret, built on the spot where a residential building with a church inside the Entrance to Jerusalem existed and was destroyed over time, a separate warm church in the name of the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God with two chapels: the Kazan Icon Mother of God and St. David of Thessalonica. In place of the dilapidated fraternal building, two stone buildings with all the gate accessories were built, and on top of this, arable land was donated.
Probably, in the second half of the 19th century, outbuildings of the monastery appeared and the additional area of the site, donated by D.I. Khludov, was surrounded by a new stone fence, repeating the architectural forms of the fence of the late 18th century.
On July 29, 1865, the Bobrenev Monastery was elevated to the status of an independent monastery in order to have one abbot, one treasurer and 15 brethren.
By the end of the 19th century, in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, a three-tier carved iconostasis, an icon from ancient painting, was gilded.
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the monastery was known for its medical assistance to the surrounding population and Kolomna residents.
On April 14, 1903, Abbot Varlaam opened a parochial school at the Bobrenev Monastery.
From the day of its foundation until the closure of the monastery, prayers were offered here daily for the soldiers who fell on the Kulikovo Field.
Decline
In 1929, the monastery was closed, its buildings and structures began to fall into disrepair. The Nativity of the Mother of God Cathedral and the Feodorovskaya Church were used for many decades as warehouses for storing mineral fertilizers. By 1987, the entire complex was in disrepair, the stables and hay barns were dismantled, the fortress walls, the cathedral and two fraternal buildings were not completely preserved, nothing remained of the former luxury.
Renaissance
As soon as His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' blessed the opening of the monastery in March 1991, repair and restoration work began. The restoration of the monastery was undertaken by the community of the Church of All Saints on Sokol, headed by the elder Boris Sergeevich Kudinkin. A house church was built in the fraternal building, and restoration of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and Fedorovskaya Church began. The first abbot was Hegumen Ignatius (Krekshin), a student of Archpriest. Alexandra Me. Together with him, the brethren of the monastery were made priest. Ambrose (Timrot), priest. Philip (Simonov) and hierodeak. Demetrius, who was also a member of the priestly community. Kochetkova. On July 18, 1992, the first Divine Liturgy in the reviving monastery was performed by His Eminence Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna. On September 4, 1992, B.S. Kudinkin died, having left for Moscow in a car donated by the patriarch; the car was never seen again; the already meager funds allocated to them for the restoration of the monastery dried up. The monastery lived a unique life - its walls were visited by Nikita Struve, editor-in-chief of the YMCA-Press, Georges Neva, writer Alexandra Solzhenitsyn, Solzhenitsyn’s wife Natalya, members of the communities of Alexandra Borisov, Georgy Kochetkov, in particular, its leading catechist Viktor Kot, Valentina Tereshkova, Orthodox Christians of Great Britain and France. Hegumen Ignatius Krekshin believed that Christianity was elitist in essence and could not be fully accepted by the common people. As an example, he cited the fact that the English, the flock of the Sourozh diocese, were fluent in the Church Slavonic language, while their compatriots not only did not know liturgical texts, but were also, in his opinion, subject to ritual belief. Igum Ignatius maintained close and business relations with a number of famous Catholic figures, in particular with Joseph Ratzinger. An epochal event in the life of the abbot, according to him, was his communication with Cardinal Lustige in 1993.
At this time, the Bobrenev Monastery was often subject to night raids by local rural youth, who stole building materials to restore the monastery. The few novices of the monastery had to drive away thieves with improvised means. Large quantity Various construction and finishing materials brought by the late Kudinkin to provide construction services to local bosses, with which the territory of the monastery was filled, simply deteriorated and decayed. The funds previously allocated for the restoration of the monastery were either wasted or given to natural influences under open air, in particular, expensive oak wood.
The rector of the monastery, Fr. Ignatius was a member of the Synodal Commission for Canonization, and Father Ignatius’s friend, Hieronymus. Ambrose (Timrot), wrote images directly for some acts of glorification. Abbot membership. Ignatius in the canonization commission, by his own admission, was used by him to prevent the canonization of the Royal Family. In 1993, Fr. left the monastery. Philip, who disagrees with the renovationist position of the monastery brethren. Then, the previous abbot, Ignatius (Krekshin), who converted to Catholicism, was replaced, and Igumen Ignatius (Zhidkov) was appointed as a new abbot († April 7, 2013), who quickly changed both the external appearance of the monastery and its internal life. It was under him that the monastery began to quickly recover.
On the Day of the Holy Spirit, June 7, 1993, the monastery was visited by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II.
Legends and versions
Base. It is believed that it was founded by Voivode Bobrok (commander of the ambush regiment in the Battle of Kulikovo). According to another version, it was founded by the repentant robber Bobrenya.
Temple of the Singing Angels. Few people know that it is in this monastery. The monks rarely open this temple to tourists. However, they can be asked to do this. This church has unique acoustics: when one singer sings in the choir (even quietly), it seems as if they are singing from everywhere. It is impossible to indicate a clear direction of the sound source.
A breathtakingly beautiful view opens from the Kolomna Kremlin to the Mother of God-Rozhdestvensky Bobrenev Monastery, located on the left bank of the Moscow River.
The Mother of God of the Nativity Bobrenev Monastery was founded in the 14th century with the blessing of St. Sergius of Radonezh with the contribution of the hero of the Battle of Kulikovo, the associate of the holy noble prince Dimitry Donskoy - Dimitry Mikhailovich Bobrok Volynets.
In gratitude to the Lord for granting Russia victory over Mamai on September 21, 1380, the holy Grand Duke, returning to Kolomna, vowed to build a holy monastery in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (victory day).
In 1381, Saint Dmitry Donskoy, according to his vow, founded the monastery of the Nativity of the Mother of God with the name “Bobrenov” in memory of the culprit of the final defeat of Mamai, governor Dmitry Mikhailovich Bobrok, who was the main builder of the monastery.
At that time, the monastery was a “guard” on the approaches to Kolomna and played a significant role in the defense of Moscow as a link in the defensive line in the southeast.
By the beginning of the 18th century, the ancient temple had become quite dilapidated. Officers' inventories of 1763 report that the construction of a new brick cathedral began back in 1757. The second monastery church, the Entry into Jerusalem, retained its ancient appearance as a refectory with a tented church in the 18th century. The same officer's inventory indicates another stone structure - the holy gate; everything else was wooden. 
In 1790, under Bishop Afanasy of Kolomna, instead of the existing temple, a church of a new architectural form was erected on two floors with a refectory at the top - the church in the name of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and below - in the name of Alexy the man of God. Then the abbot's chambers and the bishop's house were built, which in the summer served as a dacha for the Kolomna bishop.
In 1795, the monastery was surrounded by a stone fence with towers at the corners according to the design of the great architect M.F. Kazakov. 
Temples of the monastery:
1. Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
2. Bell tower of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
3. Church of the Icon of the Mother of God Feodorovskaya
4. Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (in the fraternal building)
Other buildings of the monastery:
5.Brotherly Corps (XIX century)
6. Stable building (XIX century)
7. Holy Gate (XVIII century)
8. Walls of the fence tower (mid-19th century)
9. Walls and towers of the fence (mid-18th century)
10. Tower (mid-18th century) and the original territory of the monastery
11. Monastery Pond.
In 1800, after the transfer of the Kolomna episcopal see to Tula, the remaining free bishop's house in Kolomna was converted by Metropolitan Plato into the Trinity Novo-Golutvin Monastery, to which the monks from the Staro-Golutvin Monastery were transferred, and at the same time to this latter was The Bobrenev Monastery with all its lands was assigned.
In 1830, built in 1790, the church was converted from a two-story one into a one-story one, the main altar of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was moved down, the upper floor was broken down and the windows were blocked up, the throne of Alexy the Man of God was abolished. Since this temple was cold, two chapels were built for the winter service at the meal: on the right - in honor of the Kazan Icon, and on the left - in honor of the Feodorovskaya Icon of the Mother of God.
The octagonal bell tower topped with a tent on a square base typologically dates back to the examples of the 18th century, but the interpretation of architectural forms and Baroque details allow it to be considered a contemporary cathedral.
The abbot's building is a two-story brick building. The first floor belongs to the bishop's house of the late 18th century, the second was added in 1861. The two-story cell building is made of brick. The lower floor belongs to the abbot's cells of the late 18th century, the upper floor was built in 1861. The one-story cell and stable buildings are modest brick buildings, interesting in the shape of window and door openings with a triangular top. 
The fence along the eastern and southern border of the territory with four round two-story towers at the corners was built in 1790-1795. in pseudo-Gothic forms. The elegant white stone decoration of the towers against the background of red brick walls makes them more decorative.
The fence on the western and northern sides of the monastery was erected in the middle of the 19th century, reproducing the character of the architecture of the 18th century. 
In 1850, the Bobrenev Monastery again gained independence.
In 1861, benefactor D.I. Khludov, with the blessing of St. Philaret, built on the site where a residential building with a church inside the Entrance to Jerusalem existed and was destroyed over time, a separate warm church in the name of the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God with two chapels: icons of the Mother of God and St. David of Thessalonica. Instead of the dilapidated brethren's building, two stone buildings with all the gate accessories were built, and on top of this, arable land was donated. 
Probably, in the second half of the 19th century, outbuildings of the monastery appeared and the additional area of the site, donated by D.I. Khludov, was surrounded by a new stone fence, repeating the architectural forms of the fence of the late 18th century.
On July 29, 1865, the Bobrenev Monastery was elevated to the status of an independent monastery in order to have one abbot, one treasurer and 15 brethren.
By the end of the 19th century, the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary had a gilded three-tier carved iconostasis, an icon from ancient painting. 
Iconostasis of the Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya 
At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. The monastery was known for its medical assistance to the surrounding population and Kolomna residents.
On April 14, 1903, Abbot Varlaam opened a parochial school at the Bobrenev Monastery.
From the day of its foundation until the closure of the monastery, prayers were offered here daily for the soldiers who fell on the Kulikovo Field. 
In 1929, the monastery was closed, its buildings and structures began to fall into disrepair. For many decades, the Mother of God Nativity Cathedral and the Feodorovskaya Church were used as warehouses for storing mineral fertilizers.
By 1987, the entire complex was in disrepair, the stables and hay barns were dismantled, the fortress walls, the cathedral and two fraternal buildings were not completely preserved, nothing remained of the former luxury.
As soon as His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus' blessed the opening of the monastery in March 1991, repair and restoration work began. The restoration of the monastery was undertaken by the community of the Church of All Saints on Sokol, headed by the elder Boris Sergeevich Kudinkin. One and a half thousand trips had to be made by powerful KAMAZ trucks in order to remove garbage from the territory of the monastery (after long-term operation, the monastery was turned into a landfill, where dead animals were taken, broken glass, etc.)
A house church was built in the fraternal building, and restoration of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary and the Feodorovskaya Church began.
On June 18, 1992, the first Divine Liturgy in the reviving monastery was performed by His Eminence Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna.
On the Day of the Holy Spirit, June 7, 1993, the monastery was visited by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II. 
On August 29, 2005, the solemn Great Consecration of the restored Feodorovskaya Church took place, which was performed by Metropolitan Yuvenaly.
On September 8, 2005, His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II once again visited our monastery and performed a funeral service in memory of the soldiers killed on the Kulikovo battlefield. 
The rector of the monastery is Abbot Ignatius (Zhidkov).
Abbot Pimen (Leskov) was elected treasurer.
The brethren of the monastery pray for all benefactors and beautifiers of this ancient shrine of the Russian land.
Not everyone knows that in this ancient monastery there is a temple of the Singing Angels. Monks don't often show it to tourists. It is known for its unique acoustics: when one singer sings in the choirs (even very quietly), you get the feeling that everyone is singing everywhere. It is completely impossible to clearly indicate the direction of the sound source.
It is believed that the Nativity of the Virgin Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna was founded by the governor Bobrok, who served as commander of an ambush regiment during the Battle of Kulikovo. According to another version, it was founded by the repentant robber Bobrenya.
Where is the monastery
The Yegoryevskaya road goes from the north to Kolomna. In the past it was called Vladimirskaya or Pereyaslavskaya. It has been known since the 14th century, although historians suggest that it existed in earlier times. From here you have a stunning view of Old Kolomna. Many artists were impressed by the amazingly picturesque panorama of these places. It was here, near the lake, which today has turned into a small pond, that a monastic monastery appeared on a small hill at the end of the 14th century.
The Mother of God Nativity Monastery, better known as the Bobrenev Monastery of Kolomna, is a bright, intimate and very quiet monastery, which is located in the village of Staroye Bobrenevo, Moscow region, Kolomna district, in the suburbs of Kolomna. The Church of the Icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya and the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary have survived to this day.
The monastery is known by at least three names:
- Mother of God of the Nativity, since the Battle of Kulikovo, in honor of the victory in which the monastery was named, fell on the birthday of the Mother of God;
- Bobrenev - the monastery received this name in honor of the governor Bobrok;
- Votive, since the monastery was founded by vow.
A little history
The history of the Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna, a photo of which you can see in this article, is closely connected with one of the most revered Orthodox saints - Dmitry Donskoy and Sergius of Radonezh. The Monk Sergius blessed the noble prince for the construction of the holy monastery as a token of gratitude to the Mother of God for great victory over Mamai.
The Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna became not only a holy monastery, it played the role of a defensive facility on the approaches to Moscow. Despite the fact that no documentary evidence of the founding of the monastery was found, thanks to archaeological finds, scientists were able to prove its early appearance on this land. The remains of ceramics discovered during excavations are characteristic of the turn of the 14th-15th centuries.
Some modern researchers disagree with this statement and date the founding of the monastery to a later period - the 15th century. They justify their version by the peculiarities of stone processing. It is likely that the current appearance of the Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna is not the original one, and the cathedral once had a wooden predecessor. Heated discussions about the age of the monastery continue today.
The heyday of the monastery
By the beginning of the 18th century, the ancient monastery had fallen into disrepair. In the officers' inventories of 1763, information was preserved about the beginning of the construction of a brick cathedral in 1757. From the same inventory it is known that there was another stone structure in the monastery - this was the Holy Gate. The remaining buildings were made of wood.
On the site of the existing temple, a two-story building of a new architectural form was erected. The refectory was located on the second floor. In addition, at the same time the bishop's house and abbot's chambers were built. According to the design of Matvey Kazakov, a stone fence with towers at the corners was built around the monastery in 1795. In 1830, the two-story cathedral was rebuilt into a one-story one.
Since it was not heated in winter, it was decided to build two chapels, which were consecrated in the name of the Feodorovskaya and Kazan icons of the Mother of God. The abbot's building is a two-story brick building, the lower floor of which belonged to the bishop's house, and the upper one was built later (1861). Another brick building is the Cell Building. Its lower floor is reserved for the abbot's cells.
The stable and cell buildings have unusually shaped window and door openings with a triangular top. The fence of the monastery, built in 1795 along the southern and eastern border and having four two-story towers, attracts with the combination of snow-white towers against the background of red walls.
The fence on the western and northern sides, erected in the 19th century, is in the traditional style of the 18th century.
Monastery in the 19th century
In 1861, at the expense of the famous benefactor from the merchant family D.I. Khludov, an insulated temple of the Feodorovskaya Mother of God, as well as two chapels, were built. The old rooms where the cells were located were replaced with stone ones. In addition, Khludov donated arable land to the monastery. It was surrounded by a fence that stylistically repeated the fence of the 18th century.
At the end of the 19th century, new outbuildings appeared on the territory of the monastery. And in the spring, a parish school begins its work here, the opening of which was initiated by Abbot Varlaam.
Recent history
IN Soviet era, like most religious buildings in our country, the Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna was closed. Its buildings were used as warehouses for storing fertilizers.
After the blessing of the II opening of the monastery in March 1991, which returned to the fold of the Russian Orthodox Church, large-scale restoration work began. The restoration of the monastery began to be carried out by the community of the Church of All Saints, headed by the elder B.S. Kudinkin.
A house church was opened in the fraternal building, and restoration of the Feodorovskaya Church of the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin began. Hegumen Ignatius became the first abbot of the reviving monastery. The brethren of the monastery along with him were hieromonks Ambrose, Philip and hierodeacon Demetrius.
The first Divine Liturgy in the monastery was celebrated on September 12, 1992 by His Eminence. In 1998, Ignatius was appointed abbot, who managed to quickly change not only the external appearance of the monastery, but also its internal structure. It was under him that the monastery began to rapidly recover. On June 7, 1993, Alexy II visited the monastery.
Since 2013, the post of abbot of the monastery was taken by Abbot Peter. Currently, the monastery operates a Sunday school and conducts church and local history work. At the end of September 2016, the Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna celebrated its 25th anniversary since the revival of monastic life. Vladyka Metropolitan conducted the Divine Liturgy in the Feodorovsky Church. On this solemn day, honored guests arrived at the monastery - numerous pilgrims and parishioners, heads of districts of the Moscow region. After the religious procession, all those present were invited to a festive meal.
And already on October 3 of the same year, the ecclesiastical dignitaries of the Kolomna district gathered at the monastery and discussed many important issues of church life. For more than 6 centuries of history, the monastery has known periods of ups and downs, and today it is being revived after tragic oblivion and persecution during the years of Soviet power. And although restoration work in the monastery is still in full swing, those who wish can visit the main church of the monastery, consecrated in the name of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, which is famous for its amazing acoustics, and venerate the Theodore Icon of the Mother of God, which was especially revered by the Russian sovereigns.
What to see in the monastery
The Bobrenev Monastery, located on the banks of the Moscow River, fascinates with its elegant forms - the bell tower of the Church of the Nativity, the pseudo-Gothic walls, the pale blue Feodorovskaya Church are reflected in the quiet surface of the river and give an amazing feeling of peace and tranquility.
Upon entering the monastery through the Holy Gate, which is crowned with the image of the Star of Bethlehem, visitors find themselves in a small, well-kept and very cozy courtyard. They see right in front of them the Feodorovskaya Church, in which the main shrine of the monastery is carefully preserved - a copy of the icon of the Mother of God of Feodorovskaya. This image, judging by legend, was captured by the Evangelist Luke. Since 1613, the icon was recognized as the patroness of the House of Romanov. For this reason, foreign brides of Russian tsars and emperors who converted to Orthodoxy were given the patronymic name Fedorovna.
The snow-white Church of the Nativity of the Virgin Mary is the main cathedral of the monastery. Restoration work has not yet been completed, but visitors can look inside and appreciate its impressive heights.
Other shrines of the monastery include a cross with a piece of the Holy Cross, the slippers of St. Spyridon of Trimifunt, a piece of the relics of St. George the Victorious, as well as an icon of St. Sergius of Radonezh.
Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna: schedule of services
The monastery is open daily from 6:00 to 18:00. At the Bobrenev Monastery (Kolomna), the schedule of services is drawn up for a month. You can find out more about it on the official website of the monastery in last days current month. As a rule, morning prayers, confessions, and liturgies begin at 6:00, and evening services begin at 17:00. Saturday all-night vigils - at 16:00.
How to get there?
The monastery, located at the address: Russia, Moscow region, village of Staroye Bobrenevo, can be reached in several ways:
- To get to Kolomna, you can use intercity buses Ryazan - Kolomna or Moscow - Kolomna.
- By car, follow the Novoryazanskoye Highway to Kolomna; in front of the city, following the sign for Ryazan, after 300 meters you will see the sign “Bobrenev Monastery”.
- If you are interested in how to get to the Bobrenev Monastery in Kolomna by public transport, we recommend that you travel from the Kazansky railway station to the Khoroshovo station. After this, you should take bus number 43 or walk - a distance of 3 km.
Bobrenev played the role of not only a holy monastery, but also a defensive point and had a significant role in the defense of Moscow.
Heyday
By the beginning of the 18th century, the old monastery had become quite dilapidated. According to the officers' inventories of 1763, the construction of a new brick cathedral began in 1757. The same inventory says that there was another stone building - the Holy Gate. The rest of the buildings were wooden. In 1790, on the site of the existing temple, a structure of a new architectural form was erected, consisting of two floors, the refectory was located at the top. The abbot's chambers and the bishop's house were also built. According to the designs of the architect Matvey Kazakov, in 1795 the monastery was surrounded by a stone fence with towers in the corners. Upon the transfer of the Kolomna bishop's see to Tula, the vacated bishop's house was converted into the Trinity Novo-Golutvin Monastery. In 1830, the two-story temple was converted into a one-story one, the upper floor was removed. Since it was cold in the church in winter, two chapels were built: in honor of the Kazan and Feodorovskaya icons of the Mother of God. The rector's building is a two-story brick building, the lower floor of which belongs to the bishop's house, and the upper one was built on in 1861. The cell building is a brick building, the lower part of which is reserved for the abbot's cells, the upper part was erected in 1861. The one-story stable and cell buildings are interesting in the form of window and door openings with a triangular top. Built in 1795, the enclosure along the eastern and southern border with four two-story towers is in pseudo-Gothic form. The combination of white towers against the background of red walls adds decorativeness. Built in the 19th century, the fence on the north and west sides has the character of 18th century architecture. In 1861 D.I. Khludov built an insulated temple of the Theodore Mother of God with two chapels, which were erected on the site where there was a residential building with a church. The old fraternal buildings were replaced with new stone ones, and Khludov also donated arable land.
In the second half of the 19th century, new utility rooms began to appear on the territory of the monastery. The land that was donated by Dmitry Khludov was surrounded by a fence, which in its style repeated the stone fence of the 18th century.
On April 14, 1903, a parish school was opened in the cathedral. The initiator of its discovery was Abbot Varlaam.
Decline
With the advent of Soviet power, the Bobrenev Monastery, like many others, was desecrated. In 1929 it was closed, and the adjacent buildings and premises gradually fell into disrepair and neglect. Mineral fertilizers were stored in the Feodorovskaya Church and the Nativity Cathedral for many decades. During more than half a century of use of the monastery complex as warehouses, it fell into disrepair: the stable and hay barns, the cathedral, two residential buildings and the fortress walls were dismantled.
Revival.
The revival of the monastery began in 1991 after it was blessed by His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Rus'. From this moment, work begins on the repair and restoration of the Bobrenev Monastery. The costs of restoration were borne by the head of the community of the Church of All Saints on Sokol, Boris Sergeevich Kudinkin. However, the allocated money was mostly embezzled and did not find proper use.
Hegumen Ignatius (Kreshkin), a student of Archpriest Alexander Men, was appointed the first abbot of the monastery. In addition to him, the brethren included Hieromonk Ambrose (Timrot), Hieromonk Philip (Simonov) and Deacon Dimitri. In 1992, on June 18, the first Divine Liturgy took place here. It was conducted by His Eminence Metropolitan Juvenaly of Krutitsky and Kolomna. After the death of headman Boris Kudinkin on September 4, 1992, the influx of all funds stopped, and the monastery was left without care. At this time, many famous people and journalists visited him. Among the visitors were: the writer and wife of Alexander Solzhenitsyn, members of many communities (Alexandra Borisova, Georgiy Kochetkova), the editor-in-chief of the YMCA-Press publishing house, Valentina Tereshkova, and even Orthodox Christians from France and Great Britain. According to Abbot Ignatius Kreshkin, Christianity, being elitist in its essence, could not be adequately and fully accepted by ordinary people. After all, many of his compatriots are subject to ritual belief and have absolutely no knowledge of liturgical texts. While English, for example, believers are completely fluent in the Church Slavonic language.
Another significant difficulty that had to be faced during the restoration work was the barbaric attitude of the villagers. Local youth mercilessly stole building materials. The few novices of the monastery fought them as best they could and with whatever they could.
Further developments, unfortunately, did not bring any improvement. One after another, the abbots left the monastery. And only after the appointment of Abbot Ignatius (Zhidkov) as abbot, the monastery finally began to truly be revived and restored.
On June 7, on the Day of the Holy Spirit, the monastery was again honored by His Holiness Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Alexy II with his presence.
Legends and versions.
There are many legends associated with the name of the Bobrenev Monastery. According to one version, it was founded by governor Bobrok. According to another version, the founder was a robber nicknamed Bobrenya, who subsequently repented of his atrocities and thus decided to atone for his sins.
The monastery has a little-known temple of the “Singing Angels”. Even though it is open to visitors, tourists rarely visit it for this very reason. But this temple is truly worthy of unquenchable attention. And all because it has a completely unique acoustic system. It is designed in such a way that it creates the impression of many voices, even if only one person is singing.
