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The Alexander Nevsky Monastery

Founded by Peter I in July 1710, it was given the official title of "The Alexander Nevsky Monastery of the Holy Trinity" in 1797. At the turn of the century there were 16 churches in the monastery complex, of which five still survive: Holy Trinity Cathedral, the Church of the Annunciation, St. Lazarus' Church, St. Nicholas' Church and the Church of the Holy Mother of God "the Joy of all Mourners" which is over the monastery gates.

In addition to the monastery itself, there are three cemeteries on its grounds: the Lazarevskoe, the Nikolskoe, and theTikhvinskoe.

The Lazarevskoe cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in St. Petersburg. Its history started in 1717, when Peter the Great buried his wife Natalia Alekseevna and his son Peter here. Next to their graves the small church of Saint Lazar was erected, hence the cemetery was called Lazarevskoe. During the time of the emperor Peter the Great a person had to have special permission to be buried here. Later the cemetery became one of the most privileged ones in the city, and aristocratic families as Apracsini, Beloselskie-Belozerskie, Golitzini, Dolgorukie, and Stolipini had their loved ones buried there. Duke S.U. Vitte was the last to be interred there, in 1915. In 1919 the cemetery was closed for further burials and became a museum.

The Tikvinskoe cemetery was founded in the first quarter of the 19th century, when the Lazarevskoe cemetery became overcrowded. It is located in the former church garden. At first the cemetery was called Novo-Lazarevskoe (New Lazarevskoe), but after the Church of Tihvinskoi Mother of God was built on its territory it was called, not surprisingly, Tikhvinskoe. Here were buried Great Russian poets, writers and composers such as Karamzin, Gukovsky, Baratinsky, Dostoevsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, and.Tchaikovsky. There are also many people who were close to Pushkin – his sister Olga.Pavlisheva, aunt Natalia Goncharovoi, the maid of honor at the Pushkin’s wedding Irina Zapriagskaya, and Nikolai Kochubei, who is considered to be the prototype for Tatyana from Pushkin’s Evgeny Onegin.

The third cemetery appeared on the territory of Alexander Nevsky Monastery in 1877. The cemetery was situated behind the Troitsky Cathedral, where a garden and the main entrance to monastery were supposed to be. Later on the plans changed and this territory was just a wide road towards the church. In 1860’s individual burials took place behind the church, and from that moment the whole area was given over to the cemetery. It was named Zacobornoe and later, when the Church of Saint Nikolai Marlikisky was built, it was renamed Nokolskoe. The status of this cemetery was also extremely high and it was a privilege to be buried there. The historian Shegolev, the poet Milla Lohvitskaya, historian and sociologist Kovalevsky, the Russian singer Anastasia Vyaltseva and many other prominent people that lived at the end of the nineteenth and beginning of the twentieth century were buried here.

Three cemeteries at once-it is a splendid idea to spend your afternoon and to see a lot!

1 Nab. Reki Monastyrki
(812) 274-04-09
www.lavra.spb.ru/index.php?p=64
Metro: Ploshchad Alexandra-Nevskogo

9:00-18:00. Closed Thursday.

To Monastery and Cathedral 100R.

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