Cave complex of Trinity-Scanov Monastery description and photos - Russia - Volga region: Penza region (Topic)

Cave complex of Trinity-Scanov Monastery description and photos - Russia - Volga region: Penza region. Detailed information about the attraction. Description, photos and a map showing the nearest significant objects.

Photo and description

A few kilometers from the Trinity-Scanov Monastery (in the northeastern side) at the foot of Mount Plodskoy (formerly Gorodok) there is a three-level cave complex with a healing spring of the Kiev-Pechersk miracle workers - Feodosia and Anthony. The founder of the cave monastery was Arseny II, who retired to an underground cell in 1826. From 1866 to 1880, on the top of the mountain, several hermit monks, who joined Arseny, built a stone church and a chapel at the entrance to the cave. At the beginning of the century, the main entrance to the cave monastery was lined with ornaments, the walls and vaulted ceilings were whitewashed, candles burned in the niches in front of each cell, illuminating the passage, more than 2.5 km long. Deep underground, at the lowest level of the cave (according to legend, there were seven of them) a spring with clear water gushed.

In the thirties, the church and the chapel were completely destroyed, and over time, the cave was dismantled brick by bricks for the needs of the state farm by local workers, which resulted in blockages of the lower tiers. Currently, underground structures consist of labyrinths of caves and cells, more than 600 meters long on three levels. The height of the main connecting corridors is about two meters.

Over the past decade, restoration and strengthening work has been carried out on some parts of the cave, but, in fact, a unique historical object, surpassing the length of underground structures of the famous Kiev-Pechersk Lavra caves, remains not fully explored.

From the main entrance to the cave, a long staircase stretches up to the top of the mountain, which previously served to climb to the church, now offering amazing panoramic views of the picturesque surroundings. You can visit the cave monastery either in groups with a local novice or on your own.

Topic: Cave complex of Trinity-Scanov Monastery description and photos - Russia - Volga region: Penza region.