Ipatiev Monastery

Kostroma, Russia, Russia

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The Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma, Russia, sits on the Kostroma River opposite the city and is famed as the "cradle of the Romanov dynasty," founded around 1330 by Tatar nobleman Chet (later baptized as Zachary), who converted to Christianity after a miraculous healing vision.

 It played a pivotal role during Russia's Time of Troubles, serving as a fortress besieged in 1609 and the refuge where young Mikhail Romanov stayed when elected tsar in 1613 by the Zemsky Sobor.

Most structures date from the 16th-17th centuries, including powerful stone walls with towers up to 10 meters high, the ornate Trinity Cathedral with intricate frescoes, and the grand riverside entrance by architect Konstantin Thon; closed in 1919 under Soviet rule for use as barracks and a museum, it reopened for worship in the late 20th century and remains an active men's monastery today.