Ust-Medveditskaya Transfiguration Monastery

Ust-Medveditskaya Transfiguration Monastery is a monastic complex in Serafimovich with a church dedicated to the Kazan Icon and extensive underground caves running beneath the main buildings. The site is defined by its network of stone-lined passages that visitors can walk through.

The monastery was established between 1652 and 1662 with the blessing of Patriarch Nikon and converted from a male community to a female one in 1785. This transition marked a significant change in how the site operated.

The monastery serves as a spiritual center where visitors and pilgrims come to experience religious life and witness the sacred underground spaces. Local people regard these caves as places of personal prayer and contemplation.

When visiting the underground caves, wear appropriate clothing since temperatures stay cool throughout the year, and move slowly as the passages have uneven surfaces. Local guides are available on site to help visitors navigate and understand the significance of the tunnels.

A limestone slab within the caves bears imprints believed by locals to have been left by Abbess Arsenia while praying. These marks are regarded by pilgrims as traces of her deep spiritual devotion.

Location: Serafimovich

GPS coordinates: 49.56639,42.69667

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:22