We have received a gorgeous postcard from Istra,
Russia!
Thank you Yulia for having chosen such a wondrous view
of Istra's best-known landmark, the impressive Voskresensky
Monastery (New Jerusalem Monastery).
If you want to find out more about
this Russian town, 3,509 km from Ourense, visit our section EXPLORING PLACES!
WHERE IS ISTRA? Istra is a town and the capital of Istrinsky District in Moscow
Oblast, in Russia located by the Istra River, 40 kilometers west of Moscow, on the Moscow–Riga railway.
The New Jerusalem Monastery was
founded in 1656 as a patriarchal residence on the outskirts of Moscow. The monastery took its name from the New Jerusalem. This site was chosen for its resemblance to the Holy Land.
The River Istra represents the Jordan, and the buildings represent the 'sacred space' or holy
places of Jerusalem.
The New Jerusalem Museum is a
modern, state-of-the-art museum, located across the river from the eponymous
monastery. Exhibits draw on the hundreds of thousands of items in the monastery
collections, including weapons, icons and artwork from the 17th century to
modern times. Highlights include personal items belonging to Patriarch Nikon,
as well as 20th-century drawings and handicrafts from around the Moscow region.
Watch this video to take a look at
some of Istra's landmarks:
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