Odintsovsky District: Monastery, Archaeology and Forest

• The Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery was founded in 1398.
• The “Odintsovskie Kurgany” archaeological group is located in the “Podushkinsky Forest” natural recreation complex.
• The 16-kilometer hiking route through Maslovsky Forest runs from Aksinino to Dmitrovskoye.

The Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva, a disciple of Saint Sergius of Radonezh. It was established at the request and with the support of Prince Yuri Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod, a son of Dmitry Donskoy. The story of its founding thus highlights both a religious teacher-disciple relationship and princely support.

The Tsarina’s Chambers are located on the monastery grounds. Exhibitions in three rooms present important periods in the history of the Zvenigorod area and recreate court life in authentic 17th-century interiors. The historical overview of the area and the depiction of court life offer distinct perspectives.

The Church of the Grebnevskaya Icon of the Mother of God offers another architectural point of interest: it is a stone church in the Classical style, dating from the early 19th century. It was therefore built considerably later than the monastery, which was founded in 1398. Those comparing historic sites can see two clearly distinct periods and different architectural styles.

The “Podushkinsky Forest” natural recreation complex is located in the Odintsovsky Urban Okrug and includes the urban settlement of Odintsovo and the rural settlement of Barvikhinskoye. The “Odintsovskie Kurgany” archaeological group is located within this complex. It comprises 19 groups of burial mounds and individual mounds, with more than 300 mounds in total. It also includes six contemporaneous open settlements and five settlements dating from the period of the Muscovite state.

The figures describe different categories: groups of burial mounds and individual mounds are listed alongside open settlements and settlements from a later period. The archaeological group therefore cannot be reduced to a single type of site. Another point of interest is the park in Golitsyno, which lies on the opposite bank from the Vyazyomy Museum-Estate.

The 16-kilometer hiking route through Maslovsky Forest begins in Aksinino in the Odintsovsky Urban Okrug and continues to the Church of Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki in Dmitrovskoye, in the neighboring Krasnogorsky District. The route therefore starts in the Odintsovsky Urban Okrug and ends in the neighboring district. It is suitable for experienced hikers.

A seven-kilometer section passes through protected forests, including young pine forest. The seven kilometers are part of the route’s total length of 16 kilometers. Both figures are useful for planning: the total length describes the route from Aksinino to Dmitrovskoye, while the shorter distance identifies the forested section. Check trail conditions and navigation before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Khvoynoye, Khotyazhi, Sergiyevo, Perkhushkovo, Ussovo, Vyrubovo, Nemchinovka, Dubki, Shikhovo, Odintsovo, Novoivanovskoye, Barvikha, Romashkovo, Kubinka, Golitsyno.

What do the exhibitions in the Tsarina’s Chambers show?

The exhibitions cover important periods in the history of the Zvenigorod area and recreate court life in authentic 17th-century interiors. Check the current visiting conditions before your visit.

What does the “Odintsovskie Kurgany” archaeological group include?

It comprises 19 groups of burial mounds and individual mounds, with more than 300 mounds in total, six contemporaneous open settlements, and five settlements dating from the period of the Muscovite state.

What should you check before hiking?

Check trail conditions and navigation before your trip. The 16-kilometer route is suitable for experienced hikers; a seven-kilometer section passes through protected forests, including young pine forest.

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