Serpukhov: Monastery, Museums and City History

Serpukhov combines historic architecture with a variety of museum and park themes. The Serpukhov Vysotsky Monastery was founded in the 14th century; the Kremlin is part of the city’s historic landscape. The museums introduce you to city history, art, ethnographic themes and the history of breadmaking. Craft classes and Pitomnik Park round out these highlights with activities and experiences that may also be of interest to families.

Monastery, Kremlin and Preserved Architecture

The Serpukhov Vysotsky Monastery was founded on December 2, 1374, on Vysoky Hill, from which it took its name. The exact date provides a specific historical reference point, while the name also points to the hill. The Serpukhov Kremlin is also part of Serpukhov’s historic cityscape. The Pokrovskaya Old Believers’ Church offers a different architectural perspective: it is a rare monument in the Russian style, preserved without alterations or loss. Those interested in architecture and history will find a range of themes here—from the monastery’s precisely dated origins and the Kremlin to a remarkable, well-preserved monument.

City History, Art and Ethnography

The Serpukhov Museum of History and Art is housed in a 19th-century mansion that belonged to the local Marayev merchants and textile manufacturers. Its Russian collection includes nine paintings and more than forty graphic works by Natalia Goncharova. The history of the museum building and a clearly defined collection focus come together here.

The city’s only local history exhibition is titled “Serpukhov—Key City of Muscovite Rus.” Its subject is Serpukhov’s history; the title itself places the interpretation of the city as a key city at the center. The Serpukhov Museum and Exhibition Center offers a different focus with its permanent exhibition “The World of the Russian Village,” an ethnographic display. Thus, a history exhibition focused on the city and a look at Russian village life stand side by side as distinct museum themes.

Crafts, Bread and Park Life

At the Museum and Exhibition Center, the craft school offers children and adults handicraft classes and workshops. If you would like to attend a particular session, check its availability directly with the center. The classes add a practical dimension to the exhibitions and offer a different way to engage than viewing exhibits.

The Bread Museum combines a visit to its exhibition with a guided tour and a tea break. Guests are offered a variety of baked goods to taste, including serpez, a ring-shaped pastry considered a Serpukhov gastronomic specialty. The exhibition includes historic equipment and tools for kneading and baking bread, old household items and models. A visit therefore includes both objects related to bread and a tasting.

Pitomnik Park has a squirrel enclosure next to the fountain, where you can feed the animals by hand. Family events are also held in the park, which has a stage. If you would like to plan your visit around an event, check the schedule in advance.

A children’s walking tour of the grounds of the Serpukhov Kremlin is aimed at the youngest visitors. Check with the provider for current availability. The Doll Museum and the Ice House opened in Serpukhov in autumn 2020.

Discover more destinations: Babkino, Balashikha, Pushchino, Lozhki, Boltino, Myshetskoye, Bogorodskoye, Grigorchikovo.