The Nikolo-Uleiminsky Monastery Ensemble

Nikolo-Uleiminsky Monastery stands among dense forests on a low hill 12 kilometers from Uglich along the Rostov road at the confluence of two rivers Uleima and Vorzhekhoti. The monastery was founded in the 15th century by Elder Barlaam, who brought here an icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from the Italian city of Bari.

Legend has it that the Saint appeared to Barlaam, ordered him to buy an icon with his image and walk with it until he was told to stop. The elder followed the instructions: after buying the icon, he walked with it to Rostov. In May 1460, he arrived in Uglich. After resting for a few days, he set off again, but after walking no more than 12 versts, in a deserted and wooded place on the banks of the Uleima River, Varlaam suddenly felt weak and had to stop, and put the icon of St. Nicholas on a pine tree between the branches. When he woke up, he wanted to move on, but he couldn't pick up the icon in any way - they suddenly weakened, but the image remained in place. Soon Nicholas the Wonderworker appeared to him again and ordered him to settle here, promising to always intercede for God's mercy to this place and to be present at his image with miraculous signs.

In 1464, Archbishop Joasaph of Rostov, who visited this place, blessed the foundation of a monastery here.Its original buildings were wooden, but stone construction began here in the second half of the 16th century. A stone St. Nicholas Cathedral and a church with a refectory were built in the monastery. At the beginning of the 17th century, two thousand peasants and monks defended themselves behind the wooden walls of the monastery. The last defenders shut themselves in the cathedral, but it was undermined, and the temple collapsed, burying hundreds of people under the rubble. The monastery was revived in the second half of the 17th century.

Despite some destruction of the 20th century, this is the only fully preserved monastic ensemble on the Uglich land.

The ensemble of the monastery is a traditional composition of monastery complexes of the XVI - XVII centuries. The monastery's rectangular territory is surrounded by a low stone wall with eight towers of different shapes – round, four- and octagonal. In the center are St. Nicholas Cathedral (1677), the refectory with the Vvedenskaya Church (1695), and a multi-tiered bell tower. There are two gates leading to the monastery – the western one, the main one (Holy) and the eastern one (Water). The eastern ones face the Uleima River. In 1713, the Trinity gate Church was built with a "hanging stone" in the gate and a stone fence with towers was completed, imitating the fortress walls of the XVI - XVII centuries.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the Nikolo-Uleiminsky Monastery had become one of the most prominent spiritual and cultural centers of the Uglich region. He was greatly loved not only in the surrounding villages and villages, but also among the Uglich people for the miraculous icon of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker of Myra, for his solemn service, for exemplary farming, and for the thrilling wonderful ringing of bells heard in the city. But in 1930, by the decision of the newly created collective farm assembly, the monastery was closed. A new ruin of the monastery began, now by the inhabitants of the village and villages.

Systematic restoration and research work in the second half of the 20th century helped to restore and preserve the appearance of ancient buildings.

In 1992, it was transferred to the Russian Old Believer Church. Now it acts as a women's monastery. It has been open to the public since 2020.

Nikolo-Uleiminsky convent is located at the address: Uglichsky district, village of Uleima.