Founded in 1473, this monastery sits in a ravine full of hermits’ grottoes. With all the high ground outside, it’s an improbable stronghold, but several tsars fortified it and depended on it. A path descends under the 1564 St Nicholas Church (Никольская церковь) into a Disneyesque palette of colours and architectural styles, where several dozen monks still live and study. One of the highlights is the burial caves, where some 10,000 bodies – monks, benefactors and others – are bricked up in vaults.
The central yellow church comprises two buildings. At ground level is the original Assumption Cathedral (Успенский собор), built into the caves. Upstairs is the 18th-century baroque Intercession Church (Покровская церковь). Below the belfry on the left is the entrance to the caves. Taking photos of the buildings is acceptable if you make a contribution at the front gate, but photographing the monks is taboo. Women must wear skirts and cover their heads and shoulders (shawls and skirts to be worn over trousers are available to borrow at the entrance). Men should wear long pants.