Nerekhtsky District: Monastery History in Troitsa

• The Troitsa-Sypanovsky Pachomius of Nerekhta Convent is located in the village of Troitsa.
• With support from residents of Nerekhta, Pachomius of Nerekhta had a wooden Church of the Holy Trinity built around 1365–1378.
• A stone Church of the Holy Trinity was built in its place in 1675–1676.
• The convent’s sacred treasures include relics, an icon, and a spring associated with Pachomius.

The monastery’s history can be traced through two construction phases. First, with support from residents of Nerekhta, Pachomius of Nerekhta had a wooden Church of the Life-Giving Trinity built around 1365–1378. In 1675–1676, a stone Church of the Holy Trinity was built in place of the wooden monastery church.

Another precisely dated milestone is May 6, 1675: during excavations that day, the relics of Pachomius of Nerekhta were found beneath the altar of the former church. The date of the discovery falls within the stated construction period of its stone successor; it marks a different event from the construction itself. The convent’s sacred treasures include the relics of Pachomius, the wonder-working Vladimir-Nerekhta Icon of the Mother of God, and the holy spring of Pachomius.

Troitsa therefore offers a local focus for travelers interested in monastery history and religious traditions. The sequence of construction, the discovery beneath the former altar, and the named sacred treasures provide different points of reference without needing to combine them into a single historical episode.

In the wider travel destination of Kostroma Oblast, the Susanino Local History Museum devotes its five halls to the nature, archaeology, history, culture, and everyday life of the Susanino region. Its renewed exhibition, “At the Crossroads of History and Legend,” preserves Ivan Susanin and Savrasov’s painting “The Rooks Have Arrived” as important regional motifs. The museum also offers walking and bus excursions to places associated with Ivan Susanin, including the Isupovo bog and the villages of Derevenki and Domnino.

In the city of Nerekhta in Kostroma Oblast, the Museum of Dreams tells the city’s history through the life stories of people who dared to dream big; original memorabilia bring these stories to life. The Natural History Museum in Kostroma offers a different perspective on the region: its permanent exhibition presents present-day animals, birds, insects, and fungi alongside the paleontological past of Kostroma Land. At Kostromskaya Sloboda in Kostroma, visitors can see historic wooden houses and churches, as well as ethnographic exhibitions about the lives of peasants in the Kostroma region.

The Shchelykovo estate in Kostroma Oblast is also among the region’s cultural highlights. It is associated with Russian playwright Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky. Each example has its own emphasis: Susanino explores regional nature, history, and everyday life, while the Museum of Dreams tells the city’s history through individual life stories.

The Kologrivsky Les State Nature Reserve comprises two sections that preserve different landscapes of the southern taiga, with zonal and provincial physical-geographical features. This provides a landscape-focused attraction for nature enthusiasts alongside the region’s museums and cultural offerings.

The “Journey into the Protected Forest” tour includes a visit to the ecological trail of the same name. It passes through a section of old-growth southern taiga forest. If you include this tour in your plans, check the current operating arrangements before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Kostromskoy District, Mytishchinsky District, Sharyinsky District, Kostromskoy District, Volgorechensk, Makaryevsky District.

What was found beneath the altar of the former church?

The relics of Pachomius of Nerekhta were found there during excavations on May 6, 1675.

What sacred treasures belong to the convent?

They include the relics of Pachomius of Nerekhta, the wonder-working Vladimir-Nerekhta Icon of the Mother of God, and the holy spring of Pachomius.

When are tours offered at Shchelykovo?

Tours of the park and A. N. Ostrovsky’s house are offered at 10:00, 11:30, 13:00, 14:30, and 15:30. They are available to groups of five or more, or for a fee covering five people. Check the schedule before making plans.

Go to the wider travel guide: Kostroma Oblast.