Ascension St. David’s Hermitage monastery is on the bank of the Lopasnya river, not far from the town of Chekhov, Moscow region. Quite near it is the Melikhovo estate of Chekhov.
The monastery was established by Saint David of Serpukhov in 1515, so it was called St. David’s Hermitage. In a venerable age he and four monks settled in wooden huts. The original huts didn’t survive, and in the time of Ivan the Terrible they began to build stone churches and houses there.
David of Serpukhov became a monk of the Borovsk monastery of St. Paphnutius within the lifetime of the latter and was his disciple. In those times Joseph of Volotsk was also a monk of the monastery. David died at his monastery in 1529.
A bell tower of 70 meters is at the entry to the monastery. To the right of it is a small pond where the cathedrals and churches of the monastery are reflected. The Ascension Cathedral (white building) was erected in 16 century. It is the oldest surviving temple of the monastery. St. Nicholas Church is to the right of it. The church of beige color has a stucco work and mosaic panels. And in front of the cathedral is a small Znamenskaya church. Near it is the large Savior Cathedral of pink color with a big dome.
St. David’s Hermitage monastery is not far from the village of Novy Byt. And five kilometers from it, at the village of Talezh, is the St. David’s spring, which was discovered by Saint David.
