Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Moscow Government – Moscow Government –
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In Moscow, the restoration of a collection of objects discovered on the grounds of the Simonov Monastery (4 Vostochnaya Street, Building 5) is nearing completion. Among the artifacts are approximately 200 ceramic fragments, including ancient kitchenware. These include shards of black-glazed jugs from the late 15th and 16th centuries and a smooth red clay vessel dating to the late 15th century. Also notable among the finds is a fragment of a conical lid from a white clay jug with a teardrop-shaped pattern. Similar pottery was produced by Moscow potters at the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries.
The findings indicate that pottery making in medieval Moscow was highly developed, and clay products were particularly popular among the townspeople.
Experts painstakingly restored each ceramic fragment. The fragments were cleaned, secured, and those that belonged to the same vessel were glued together. Each fragment was drawn and described. In addition to the ceramic fragments, archaeologists discovered brass badges with enamel from the Soviet era. Among them were round badges with the inscriptions "All-Union Board of Sports Judges" and "1962 Spartakiad. Winner," a five-pointed badge with the inscription "Champion of the Avangard Sports Complex," two triangular badges with the inscription "Moscow," and others.
The discovered artifacts have been compiled into a collection. It will be donated to the Museum Fund of the Russian Federation.
The total area of the site where archaeological research was conducted in 2023–2024 was 42 square meters. The site is located opposite the entrance to the building known as the "palace." It is the tallest monastery structure. It was erected in the last third of the 17th century, presumably according to designs by Parfen Petrov. The building consists of three stories under a gable roof.
There are several theories about the origins of this monumental structure. According to one, it was a royal palace; another, the building was used as a storage facility. Food could be stored here, as well as grain dried, hence the structure's second name—a "dryer."
"The Simonov Monastery is a unique architectural monument, founded in the 14th century. Several buildings dating from the 16th and 17th centuries have survived on its grounds. During archaeological excavations conducted on the monastery grounds, specialists also discovered stonework dating back to the 17th century. It is believed to be a fragment of the foundation of a staircase that led to a promenade gallery adjacent to the palace façade," explained the head of Moscow's Department of Cultural Heritage.
It was decided to preserve the excavation site containing the 17th-century stonework for further research. Using geotextiles and sand, specialists preserved the structures. They then reclaimed the remaining sections of the excavation site. They also replaced the concrete blocks that served as a pathway to the modern staircase, made of the same material and leading to the entrance to the lower level of the drying room.
In 1812, the palace was damaged by fire. In the 1830s and 1840s, the ground floor was converted into stables, and the other floors remained unused. In 1924, the palace underwent renovation and conservation under the supervision of specialists from the Central State Restoration Workshops. In the 1930s and 1940s, the building was converted into a dormitory: new floors were installed, the rooms were divided by partitions, and wooden staircases were installed both inside and outside. During the Soviet era, restoration work was started several times, but never completed. In 1990, the building was handed over to the Russian Orthodox Church.
The Simonov Monastery is considered to have been founded in 1370. In the second half of the 15th century, the monastery was part of a system of guard monasteries that protected Moscow from nomads. Between the 1620s and 1640s, brick monastery walls were erected, complete with four gates and five battle towers: the Salt Tower, the Blacksmith Tower, the Dul Tower, the Taynitskaya Tower, and the Watchtower.
From 1677 to the 1680s, extensive construction work was carried out on the monastery grounds: a new three-story building with a refectory and a church dedicated to St. Sergius of Radonezh was erected. The Dormition Cathedral, other churches, and outbuildings were also rebuilt.
In 1788, the Simonov Monastery was abolished. However, seven years later, by decree of Empress Catherine II, it was restored to its former status, along with all the property previously transferred to the Epiphany Monastery. During the Patriotic War of 1812, the monastery was captured by French troops and devastated, but the complex was subsequently restored. Significant changes to the ensemble's appearance occurred between the 1830s and 1850s.
In 1920, the monastery was abolished again, and a decade later, most of it, along with the Assumption Cathedral, was blown up. The monastery's necropolis was completely destroyed at that time, with only a few graves being moved to the Novodevichy Cemetery. The ZIL Palace of Culture was built on the site of the destroyed portion of the monastery.
In the 1930s, a third of the monastery's buildings were destroyed. Of the six churches, only one remained—the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God. Services are currently held there. Of the five towers of the fortress wall, three remain. Today, a community for the deaf and hard of hearing operates on the monastery grounds at the parish of the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God.
Over the past five years, Moscow archaeologists have donated over 50,000 historical artifacts to the Museum Fund of the Russian Federation.
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