Smolenskaya Church

On the outside wall of the monastery stone kitchen, constructed in the 15th century by the eminent Russian architect V.D. Yermolin, there was an icon, "Our Lady of Smolensk", carved in stone. When in 1730 a monk whose arms had been twisted by rheumatism was ardently praying in front of it, a miracle took place — he was cured. In honour of this miraculous healing the Smolenskaya Church was erected on the kitchen site by Empress Elizabeth's order in 1746–8. The construction was sponsored by Duke Razumovsky. The richly decorated miracle-working icon stood in the gilded carved iconostasis right of the Royal Gate.

In 1920–30 the iconostasis was lost. Instead an iconostasis from a destroyed Moscow church was installed here in 1956. The iconostasis was designed by architect Uhtomsky. It's contemporary to the church and of the same style.

The Smolenskaya Church has no columns inside and all its inner space is open up to the dome. Murals were painted here in the 19th century. At present the miracle-working icon "Our Lady of Smolensk" is at the local museum. A plaster copy of it (bigger in size) is in the altar recess outside the church. The grave of Nicholas, a Petersburg Metropolitan, is in the church crypt.

Refectory and St. Mica Church

By the 18th-c. the monks had considerably grown in number and the old Refectory couldn’t satisfy monastery needs. Instead a new Refectory with a church dedicated to St. Sergius was erected by Peter's order in 1686–92. The church was consecrated by Patriarch Adrian, the last pre-revolutionary Patriarch of Russia, in memory of the 300th anniversary since St. Sergius’ death. 

The building of Moscow baroque style is 85 m long. Open galleries run along its perimeter, with long flights of steps leading up to these galleries. The church building catches the eye with a 4-color design of its façade, creating an illusion of faceted relief-work, as well as with the richness of its elaborate colorful stucco and carvings. They make a perfect match for the Refectory architecture. Although rather spacious (510 m2), its vaults don’t need any intermediate support. The Refectory walls were painted and renovated several times. Last time the church was painted in 1911.

The veneration of the Mother of God was central in the life of St. Sergius. Every night he sang hymns in honour of the Holy Virgin and at the end of his life he and his disciple St. Mica had a privilege of Her visit. She came to his cell with the apostles Peter and John by her side. The Holy Virgin promised to protect the monastery and watch over it. In memory of this appearance a small gem-looking church was constructed in 1734. People connect it with the name of St. Mica, as the church stands above his grave. On the commemoration day of St. Mica, May 6/19, a liturgy is celebrated here.

Trinity Cathedral

The Trinity Cathedral (1422-3) is a rare remaining sample of early Moscow white-stone construction. The traditional cross-building church with 4 internal pillars features a modest size, carved decor, multitiered finishing, gables (zakomara) and corbel arches (kokoshnik). 

The Trinity Cathedral hosts Sergius' relics. It boasts several works by Andrey Rublev, Russia's best icon painter. Many pilgrims come to Sergiev Posad just to see his iconostasis masterpiece, Old Testament Trinity. The monastery's version is a copy - the original now hangs in Moscow's Tretyakov Gallery. The cathedral started a trend with its use of kokoshniks, the pointed arches that became a defining feature of Moscow church architecture in ensuing centuries.