Odintsovsky District: Monastery History and Forest Trails

Odintsovsky District can be explored with different focuses: through the history of the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery or along a hiking route that includes a section through protected forests. Archaeological evidence and neoclassical church architecture add to these cultural and natural themes. When planning your trip, it helps to first decide whether cultural history or a hike will shape your stay.

Monastery History and Exhibitions

The Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva. Savva was a student of Saint Sergius of Radonezh; Prince Yuri Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod, a son of Dmitry Donskoy, requested and supported its foundation. This history brings together a named spiritual teacher-student relationship and princely patronage. For a cultural-history visit, it offers a concrete introduction to the region’s history.

Exhibitions in three rooms of the Tsarina’s Chambers on the monastery grounds present important periods in the history of the Zvenigorod area. They also reconstruct court life in authentic 17th-century interiors. Regional history and court life thus offer two different perspectives within the exhibitions. Check which exhibitions are open before your visit.

Hiking Route with a Forest Section

The 16-kilometre route “Along the Metropolitan’s Path through Maslovsky Forest” is suitable for experienced hikers. It begins in Aksinino in Odintsovsky Urban Okrug and continues to the Church of Saint Demetrios the Great Martyr of Thessaloniki in Dmitrovskoye, in the neighbouring Krasnogorsky Okrug. The starting point and destination give the hike a clear course across the district boundary.

A seven-kilometre section passes through protected forests, including young pine forest. The seven kilometres are part of the 16-kilometre route overall, describing a particular section rather than the entire trail. Check the route conditions and navigation before setting out.

Archaeological Traces in Podushkinsky Forest

The “Podushkinsky Forest” natural recreation complex lies in Odintsovsky Urban Okrug and includes the urban settlement of Odintsovo and the rural settlement of Barvikhinskoye. The “Odintsovskie Kurgany” archaeological group is located within this complex: it comprises 19 groups of burial mounds and individual mounds, with more than 300 earthworks in total. It also includes six contemporary open settlements and five settlements from the era of the Muscovite state.

For travellers interested in archaeology, this offers a different perspective from the hiking route: here, the focus is on groups of burial mounds and settlements; there, it is on the route and forest section. The figures refer to different elements of the archaeological group and make clear that it consists of more than just individual mounds.

Church Architecture and Getting Your Bearings

The Grebnevskaya Church of the Icon of the Mother of God is a stone church in the Neoclassical style, dating from the early 19th century. Its style and period provide concrete points of reference for exploring the history of its construction. Another detail about the area concerns Golitsyno: a park lies on the opposite bank from the Vyazyomy Museum Estate.

When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to decide on the main focus of your stay first. For the hike, Aksinino as the starting point and Dmitrovskoye as the destination are important location details; for a cultural itinerary, the exhibitions, the kurgany or the church may be the deciding factor. Check the specific accommodation address in relation to the attraction you prioritise.

Discover More Places

Discover more destinations: Barvikha, Romashkovo, Kubinka, Golizyno, Odinzowo, Novoivanovskoye, Nemchinovka, Dubki, Shikhovo, Khvoynoye, Khotyazhi, Sergiyevo, Perkhushkovo, Ussowo, Vyrubovo.

For the general travel overview: Moscow.