The Rozhdestvensky Convent was founded by Feodor, the first Archbishop of Rostov and a nephew of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Even the exact date of the monastery's founding is known - 1391.
The monastery complex is situated on the shore of the picturesque Lake Nero. Until the end of the 17th century, all the buildings were wooden, but under Metropolitan Iona Sysoevich, who is known for large-scale construction of churches and the Kremlin in Rostov Veliky, the monastery was rebuilt in stone.
In the 17th century, a two-story cathedral was built, consecrated in honor of the Nativity of the Most Holy Mother of God. Its 1715 frescoes, encircling the church interior in two tiers, have been beautifully preserved. After the cathedral was erected, stone cell buildings for the nuns and refectories were built around it.
In 1810, the monastery was surrounded by a stone wall adorned with decorative turrets, and in the mid-19th century the Church of the Tikhvin Icon of the Mother of God was built. According to tradition, the Tikhvin Icon was painted by Archbishop Feodor himself. The icon is richly adorned with pearls, precious stones, and is the monastery's main treasure.
In 1926, the monastery was closed, an archive was placed in the Rozhdestvensky Cathedral, and laypeople were moved into the cell buildings. Unfortunately, the monastery became badly dilapidated and suffered heavy damage - the bell tower was demolished, and the domes of the Tikhvin Church were dismantled. It is now being gradually restored and reconstructed.
