July 25 - Gortisy

Goritsy

We docked at the town of Goritsy and, after passing the various venders,  were transported by bus to the beautiful Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery.  

Kirillo-Belozersky Monastery was founded by St. Kirill (Saint Cyril) in 1397.

The monastery walls (about .5 mile long and 23 feet thick) were built in 1654-80. 

In 1764 the monastery was deprived of all it's peasants and lands by edict of impress Catherine II. The gradual decline of monastery began from that moment.  In 1924 the Bolsheviks secularized the monastery and turned it into a museum. 

Today, five monks live there.