In 1744 Empress Elisaveta Petrovna awarded to the Monastery the highest title of Lavra, increasing its paramount in Russian Church and State.
In 1746, a terrible fire broke out and most of the wooden structures were destroyed. As a result of large scale reconstruction works, the appearance of many of the buildings was changed.
Essentials:
While the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a popular tourist attraction, it is nonetheless still a sacred place that should be treated with respect. Everyone visiting orthodox churches or monasteries should wear proper attire.
For men: wear long pants. No shorts and hats.
For women: wear shirts and blouses with sleeves. Hair must be covered with a scarf. No short skirts.
Opening hours:
The Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is open daily from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm
During big religious holidays and memorial days of St. Sergius (5-18 of July, 25 of Sep – 8 of Oct) the monastery is open around the clock.
Churches are open only during services.
Entrance fee:
Entrance to the monastery is free.
You need to purchase permission to take photos inside the churches of the monastery that costs about 100 rub.
To Get to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius:
Krasnoy armii av.
GPS coordinates:
Latitude: 56°18′37″ N (56.310278);
Longitude: 38°07′46″ E (38.129444)
1. Sergiev Posad [Rus: Сергиев Посад] can be reached from Moscow by bus, commuter train, or car.
Buy bus
In Moscow tickets can be purchased onboard from the conductor short before departure.
Bus 388 leaves for Sergiev Posad from a bus stop near VDNKH metro station. To get to the bus stop: exit from the first carriage of the train heading from the city centre. Turn right in the underpass. On exiting the underpass, take a right, then cross the road at the crossroads. You will see the bus stop up ahead on your left.
Travel time is about 1h 30 min, depending on traffic. Buses depart every 10-15 min.
Bus is not recommended on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays due to traffic jams when people are leaving the city for their country houses.
At peak hours, taking a commuter train (elektrichka) can be a great alternative to a bus.
Take the suburban train from Yaroslavsky railway Station (Komsomolskaya metro station). Trains go about every 20-30 minutes. The journey takes an hour and a half.
The first train departs just after 5:00 am and the last train leaves Moscow just before midnight (see the train timetable). A ticket can be bought from ticket windows at the station (Rus: пригородные кассы [prigorodniye kassi]). Keep the ticket for the whole of your train journey!
Take the Yaroslavskoye highway (M8) and follow it for about 45 km (28 mi), then turn left at the sign to Sergiev Posad (Rus: Сергиев Посад). This road passes through the town.
Another convenient but pricier option is hiring a taxi. The cost of the trip might be negotiated.
Travel time is about 1 h and could be increased under traffic conditions, especially on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays when people are leaving the city for their country houses.
2. After arrival you have to walk about 1 km to get to the monastery. Follow Sergievskaya str. (Rus: Сергиевская) to Krasnoy armii av. (Rus: Красной Армии).
