The gate church of the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, located above the Holy Gates, was built at the end of the 17th century with funds from the local merchant and patron Grigory Stroganov.
The stone church, consecrated in the name of John the Baptist, replaced the dilapidated church of St. Sergius, which had stood on this site since 1513. Strictly speaking, the church is not now located directly above the gates, as the monastery wall was moved when the territory was expanded, but still, this is the structure you will see immediately upon entering.
The Church of St. John the Baptist was built in the Baroque style popular at the time. The quadrangular main building was crowned with five domes, with one large central cupola and four smaller ones. In 1806, the four small domes were dismantled, citing the disproportion between such a large number of domes and the small size of the church. The original five-domed composition was restored only during restoration work in 1974.
In 1746, the gate church suffered a severe fire, and its interiors were redecorated in 1753-60. The wall paintings continued to be restored in both the 19th and 20th centuries.
The Church of St. John the Baptist stands as a vivid symbol of its era thanks to its graceful forms, luxurious carved decoration on the red walls, and the overall lightness of the structure. It is undoubtedly a worthy adornment of the main entrance to the Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius.
