This 16-17 th century complex of 15 buildings, surmounted by golden domes, is one of the oldest religious complexes in Moscow . It was here that women from the royal family and top-ranking boyar families took the veil, thereby closely linking its history with the life of the Russian state from the 16 th to early 18 th centuries.
The Novodevichiy Convent, also known as the Convent of the Smolensk Icon of Our Lady, was founded in 1524 by Grand Prince Vasily III to commemorate the recapture of the city of Smolensk from the Lithuanians. It was called Novodevichiy (“New Maidens”) because it was situated not far from the older 14 th century St. Alexei convent.
The convent, built as a fortress at the intersection of three crossings of the Moskva River , became an important component of the capital's southern defence belt. It played an important part in the struggle against the Tatar conquerors and the Polish invaders. In 1591, when the Crimean Khan Kazy Girei tried to cross the Moskva River , the convent's cannon compelled the enemy to retreat. In 1612, the troops led by Dmitri Pozharsky defeated Hetman Chodkiewiez's detachments here.
Ravaged during the Times of Troubles, it was rebuilt in the 1680's by the Regent Sofia.
In 1702 Peter I issued an edict, which stipulated that the gates of the Women's Convents must always be closed, their watchmen should be old people and men must never visit the convents. Since 1724 an orphanage was opened at the monastery, and children were taught weaving laces and spinning threads.
In 1812, shortly before the retreat of the French from Moscow , Napoleon ordered the convent to be blown up. Trenches were dug and filled with powder kegs. The convent was saved by the valiant Sister Sana, the cloister's treasurer, who managed to extinguish the fuses.
Later, in 1875, a new school for orphans was opened. Graduating from that school, children became nursemaids and servants. In 1917 the school was closed.
As soon as the convent was founded, a cemetery was opened on its grounds, which subsequently became a traditional burial place for the church dignitaries and feudal lords of Moscow and later on, in the 19 th century, of the intelligentsia and merchants.
In 1898, the so-called New Cemetery was established behind the south wall of the convent. Surrounded by a wall in 1898-1904, it became the most venerated cemetery in Moscow .
In 1922 the convent was closed, and the buildings turned into a museum, such as the Museum of Women 's Emancipation which was opened here. After 1945 the convent was returned to the Church.
Mighty walls 870 metres long and 11 metres high, with 12 towers, surround the entire territory of the convent , covering about 5 hectares. Architectural and artistic composition of the convent ensemble is embellished by a very beautiful bell tower that is commonly called "the Bride of Ivan the Great".
