Ferapontovo is a small settlement in Kirillov municipality. This place is well known over Vologda Oblast and Russia thanks to Ferapontov monastery of Birth of Virgin with preserved frescoes by the work of the famous icon-painter Dionysius. The Ferapontovo settlement is situated on the opposite bank from the monastery.
The monastery was founded in 1398 by monk Ferapont from Moscow Simonov’s monastery. At the beginning of XV century stone construction started. In 1490 the oldest stone building of the monastery was built – the Church of Nativity that is the second stone temple in the Russian North.
Ferapontov monastery became a traditional center of pilgrimage and donations by many representatives of Russian feudal nobility.
In 1502 the most outstanding painter of that time, successor of Andrei Rublyov’s tradition – Dionysius – was invited to paint the Church of Nativity. The master together with his 2 sons worked during 34 days. And now these frescoes are the main value of Ferapontov monastery.
The whole XVI century was the period of flourishing of the monastery. At the beginning of XVII century several settlements, about 60 villages, 100 waste lands and more than 300 peasants belonged to Ferapontov monastery.
In the Time of Trouble in 1614 the monastery was captured and sacked by Polish detachments. The second rise the monastery experienced in 1640-s, after that time the economy declined again. During the XVIII century the monastery was close to bankruptcy, in 1798 it was abolished.
In 1904 the monastery was opened as a nunnery. In 1908-1915 first professional reconstruction works started. After the revolution in 1924 the monastery was closed again and the restoration was interrupted for 50 years.
In 1970-s Museum of Dionysius frescoes was opened in Ferapontov monastery.
In 2000 the ensemble of Ferapontov monastery with Dionysius frescoes was included in the UNESCO List of World Heritage.