One of Moscow’s oldest monasteries stands near the Moskva River and is distinguished by powerful walls, a tall bell tower and a calm inner precinct. It offers a quieter historical Moscow, far removed from the city’s more ceremonial tourist spaces.
Official websiteCheck current opening hours and visitor rules on the official website before you go.
An hour to an hour and a half is usually enough. Combine it with Krutitsy Metochion, which is nearby and forms a coherent historical route.
10 Krestyanskaya Square. The nearest metro stations are Proletarskaya and Krestyanskaya Zastava.
A few more Moscow attractions with a similar kind of visit.
Krutitsy is a rare pocket of old Moscow with brick chambers, churches and the richly decorated Krutitsy Terem. Its compact historic scale feels very different from the ceremonial spaces of the Kremlin and Red Square.
District: Tagansky
A landscaped walking area along the western Kremlin wall, connecting Manezhnaya Square, the Kremlin entrances and Borovitskaya Square. Memorials and close views of the Kremlin sit beside tree-lined paths, flowerbeds and places for a short rest.
District: Tverskoy
The ancient monastery contains one of Moscow’s oldest surviving stone churches, while the Andrei Rublev Museum focuses on medieval Russian icons and religious art. It is an important stop for anyone interested in Moscow before the imperial and Soviet periods.
District: Tagansky