House of Father Superior | 1647-1648

The house of Father Superior was constructed in the middle of the 17^th century for the archimandrite and noble guests of the monastery. At first their cells were one-storeyed on the main eastern façade and two-storeyed on the western postern part. Cells with beautiful vaults were situated along the façade and behind them there were long and cold vaulted chambers, their windows facing the service yard. At the end of the 17^th century an additional storey was erected over the cells. The building acquired a complex structure with 2 stories on the main façade and 3 on the back. Numerous subsequent reconstructions considerably altered its look. Among repairing and rebuilding carried out in 1820-1900 we can mention arrangement of a monumental 4-columned portico with an attic above it, appearance of new larger doorways and window openings, construction of a wooden front staircase leading to the first floor, expansion of room area after some walls had been demolished. The house of Father Superior relate to the monuments of the Russian classicism in the architectural and stylistic respect. Long-team period of restoration work preceded the opening of an exhibition in this building. In June 1999 the main expositions of the museum, a central ticket-office and souvenir shops were placed there.