Epiphany-Anastasia Convent, Kostroma

White church with a dark dome by the convent wall, a tall tent-roofed bell tower on the left and the cathedral’s golden domes behind trees — Photo: Елена Нечипоренко, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

The essentials in 10 seconds

Entry: Free; candles and prayer notes by donation
Hours: Cathedral daily, roughly 7:30–18:30 (one source says until 19:30); the convent grounds are closed to visitors
Time on site A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes.: 40 min
With kids: Better without small kids
What’s open: The Epiphany Cathedral and a chapel, both entered from the street; the grounds are closed
verifying
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Cathedral hours: Daily, roughly 7:30–18:30; one guide says until 19:30
verifying
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Services: Weekdays 7:30 and 18:00; weekends and feast days from 9:00
verifying
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Dress code: Women: skirt and headscarf; men: long trousers, no hat inside
On foot: 7–10 min north of Susanin Square
verifying
From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go.
Payment: Visa and Mastercard issued abroad don’t work in Russia — bring a little cash for candles
Feodorovskaya icon: Since 5 November 2023 in the Epiphany Cathedral of the Kostroma Kremlin, not here
Address: Ulitsa Simanovskogo 26, Kostroma
Coordinates: 57.77245, 40.92502YesGo Map Google Apple Yandex

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Key facts

1426founded by St Nikita of Kostroma, a relative and disciple of St Sergius of Radonezh

3 sources

The convent’s official websiteOrthochristianRussian Wikipedia (15th century)

1559–1565the Epiphany Cathedral was built — the oldest surviving stone building in Kostroma

3 sources

Russian WikipediaOrthochristianRusmania

1991–2023the Feodorovskaya icon, Kostroma’s most revered, was kept here; it is now in the Kremlin cathedral

2 sources

Russian WikipediaOrthochristian

1863the men’s monastery became a convent and merged with the neighbouring Anastasia convent — hence the double name

3 sources

Russian WikipediaAzbuka PalomnikaRusmania

1608Polish-Lithuanian troops under Lisowski stormed the monastery and killed 11 monks

Source

English and Russian Wikipedia

1825the Smolensk Church was built at the south-west tower, around an icon painted on the tower wall

2 sources

Azbuka PalomnikaRusmania

1918closed by the Soviets; the cathedral later housed an archive

Source

English and Russian Wikipedia

1982a fire destroyed what was left of the cathedral’s 17th-century frescoes

3 sources

Russian WikipediaOrthochristianEnglish Wikipedia

1990revived as a convent; the first nuns arrived in 1991 from Pühtitsa Convent in Estonia

2 sources

Russian WikipediaAzbuka Palomnika

St Nikitathe founder’s relics rest in the lower church beneath the cathedral altar

2 sources

Azbuka PalomnikaTonkosti travel guide

4 more facts7 more factsShow less

Is it worth visiting?

Yes, if you’re already in the centre: it’s a 10-minute walk from Susanin Square and takes half an hour. The Epiphany Cathedral, begun in 1559, is the oldest stone building in Kostroma, and stepping into a quiet working church after the busy Trading Rows is a nice change of pace.

Don’t make a detour for the Feodorovskaya icon — many guides still place it here, but it moved to the rebuilt cathedral in the Kostroma Kremlin in 2023. And don’t expect to stroll the courtyard; it’s off limits. If you only have time for one religious site in Kostroma, choose the Ipatiev Monastery: open grounds, frescoes and the Romanov story.

What the convent is

The Epiphany-Anastasia Convent — Bogoyavlensko-Anastasiin Monastyr in Russian, listed in some guides as the Monastery of the Epiphany or the Theophany Convent — is a women’s community of the Kostroma diocese. St Nikita of Kostroma founded it as a men’s monastery in 1426. In 1863 it became a convent and absorbed the nearby Anastasia convent, which is where the second half of the name comes from.

From 1991 to 2023 its cathedral served as the cathedral of the diocese and held the Feodorovskaya icon of the Mother of God, the city’s great relic; tradition says Mikhail Romanov’s mother blessed him with it in 1613. On 5 November 2023 the icon was carried to the newly rebuilt Epiphany Cathedral in the Kostroma Kremlin, consecrated that September. The convent today is a calm place of prayer rather than a museum: no exhibitions, no tickets, no courtyard tours.

Opening hours and service times

The cathedral is open every day, roughly 7:30–18:30 according to the Orthodox pilgrim directory Azbuka Palomnika; one travel site says until 19:30. The same directory lists weekday services at 7:30 and 18:00, with the morning service at 9:00 on weekends and feast days. The convent doesn’t publish a timetable online, so treat these times as a guide.

For sightseeing, come in the middle of the day, between the morning and evening services. The cathedral is quiet then, and you can look at the iconostasis and go down to the founder’s relics without disturbing anyone. There is no weekly closing day.

What to see

The Epiphany Cathedral — a white-stone, four-pillar 16th-century church with five golden domes, joined in the 19th century by a red-brick extension in the Russian Revival style. Inside: blue vaults, icons in gilded frames and a tall iconostasis.
The lower church of St Sergius and St Nikita beneath the altar, where the relics of the founder, St Nikita of Kostroma, rest.
The relics collection — the pilgrim directory describes a reliquary cross holding fragments of many saints’ relics, and the relics of Elder Timon of Nadeevo.
The Smolensk Church (1825) at the south-west corner tower, built around an icon of the Virgin painted straight onto the tower wall; tradition says the image survived several great fires.
The 17th-century walls and towers, best seen by walking around the block along Ulitsa Simanovskogo and Ulitsa Pyatnitskaya.
The gate bell tower with its tall tent roof, visible from several streets away.
The monument to St Theodore Stratelates (2002), the saint the Feodorovskaya icon is named after.

Why is it called “Anastasia”?

The first half of the name comes from the Epiphany Cathedral. The second comes from a separate women’s convent that stood nearby; by tradition it was founded by Anastasia, a daughter of Grand Prince Dmitry Donskoy. It was attached to the Epiphany monastery in the 16th century and abolished in Catherine the Great’s church reform of 1764.

The Epiphany monastery itself was almost destroyed by fire in 1847. In 1863 the two histories were joined: a convent opened on the Epiphany site and took the name Epiphany-Anastasia. You may also see it spelled Bogoyavlensky-Anastasiin or Anastasyinsky — it’s the same place.

How to get to the convent from Susanin Square

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on footdestinationStreet view

Where are you starting from?

We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.

On foot

Kostroma Fire Tower is about 6 min away on foot.
Kostroma Guardhouse is about 6 min away on foot.
Susanin Square is about 8 min away on foot.

More tips

Start at Susanin Square by the Fire Tower. From Kostroma railway station (the bus station is in the same building), a bus or trolleybus to the Susaninskaya Ploshchad stop takes about 15 minutes.
Walk north, away from the Volga, towards Ulitsa Simanovskogo. The convent is less than a kilometre away — 7–10 minutes on foot. A maps app such as Yandex Maps works well in Russia.
Look for the white wall with towers and the golden domes. The cathedral entrance is on Ulitsa Simanovskogo, through a side porch — not through the main gate.
By public transport: trolleybuses 2 and 7 or bus 1 to Ulitsa Pyatnitskaya, or bus 2 to Fabrika-Kukhnya. Check current numbers in the app — routes change.
A taxi from anywhere in the centre takes 5–10 minutes.

Before you go: checklist

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Tick what is ready — your ticks stay in this browser.

Women: skirt below the knee and a headscarf
Men: long trousers; shoulders covered for everyone
Small cash in roubles — foreign Visa and Mastercard don’t work in Russia
Visit between services
Know that the Feodorovskaya icon is now in the Kremlin cathedral
Entrance is on Ulitsa Simanovskogo, not through the gate

Epiphany-Anastasia Convent vs Kostroma’s other churches


Epiphany-Anastasia Conventyou are here	Centre, 7–10 min from Susanin Square	16th-century cathedral, St Nikita’s relics	Free, cathedral only	30–40 min
Ipatiev Monastery	Where the Kostroma River meets the Volga, ≈ 3 km out	Frescoed Trinity Cathedral, the 1613 Romanov story	Paid museum; services free	≈ 2 h
Resurrection Church on the Debre	Near the Volga, in the historic centre	17th-century church with wall paintings	Working church, free	20–30 min

With one day: the Ipatiev Monastery in the morning, then a walk through the centre after lunch — the square, the Trading Rows, this convent and the Debre church.

Kostroma’s churches and monasteries compared

Every church and monastery in Kostroma rated by YesGo. Tap a column heading to sort.


Epiphany-Anastasia Conventyou are here	48	40 min	Free	—
Church of the Resurrection on the Debre	43	30 min	Free	41 min walk
Ipatiev Monastery	36	2 h	≈ 350–400 ₽, services free	33 min walk

Central Kostroma on foot in half a day

Susanin Square and the Fire Tower, the Trading Rows, then north to the convent and down to the Resurrection Church on the Debre by the Volga. YesGo fits in the timing and walks.

Susanin Square30 min · Free
3 min walk from the previous stopKostroma Fire Tower40 min · Free to see outside; no climb
5 min walk from the previous stopKostroma Trading Rows40 min · Free
12 min walk from the previous stopEpiphany-Anastasia Conventyou are here40 min · Free, cathedral only
41 min walk from the previous stopChurch of the Resurrection on the Debre30 min · Free

5 places · about 4 h 1 min with walks · 61 min on foot in total

Go · my route

Nearby — add to your day

Kostroma Fire Tower

Kostroma, Russia

40 min · Free to see outside; no climb · 7 min walk

Kostroma Guardhouse

Kostroma, Russia

45 min · 400 ₽, concessions 300 ₽ · 7 min walk

Susanin Square

Kostroma, Russia

30 min · Free · 9 min walk

Kostroma Trading Rows

Kostroma, Russia

40 min · Free · 12 min walk

How to do it right

Come around midday, between services, when the cathedral is quiet.
Bring your own headscarf and skirt rather than hoping to borrow one.
Walk around the outside: the walls and the corner Smolensk Church are only visible from the street.
Carry small rouble notes for candles and donations — foreign cards won’t work.
Here for the Feodorovskaya icon? Go to the Kremlin cathedral by the Volga instead.
Pair it with the Trading Rows and the Resurrection Church on the Debre — all walkable.
There are almost no signs in English; a guided tour fills in the history.

Questions

Where is the Epiphany-Anastasia Convent?

In central Kostroma at Ulitsa Simanovskogo 26, a 7–10 minute walk north of Susanin Square.

Can tourists go inside?

Into the Epiphany Cathedral and a chapel, yes — free, from the street. The convent grounds and buildings are closed to visitors.

Is it free?

Yes. There is no ticket; candles and prayer notes are paid for by donation.

What are the opening hours?

The cathedral opens daily from about 7:30 until 18:30; one source says 19:30. There is no closing day.

What time are the services?

According to the Azbuka Palomnika pilgrim directory, weekdays at 7:30 and 18:00, and from 9:00 on weekends and feast days.

Is there a dress code?

Yes. Women wear a skirt below the knee and a headscarf; men wear long trousers and remove hats. Shoulders covered for everyone.

Is the Feodorovskaya icon still here?

No. It was kept here from 1991 to 2023 and moved on 5 November 2023 to the rebuilt Epiphany Cathedral in the Kostroma Kremlin.

Why is it called Epiphany-Anastasia?

In 1863 the Epiphany monastery merged with a neighbouring Anastasia convent, said to have been founded by a daughter of Dmitry Donskoy.

Can I pay by card?

You don’t need to pay to enter. For candles, bring cash: Visa and Mastercard issued abroad have not worked in Russia since March 2022.

How long do I need?

30–40 minutes for the cathedral, the relics and a walk around the walls.

Have you been? Was it worth your time?

1 — no, 5 — absolutely

Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.

Sources and fact-check

The convent’s official website — address, phone, founding year
English and Russian Wikipedia: Theophany Convent, Kostroma; Wikidata Q4089836
Azbuka Palomnika (Orthodox pilgrim directory): cathedral hours, services, visitor rules, relics, transport
Tonkosti travel guide: visitor access, relics, transport
Orthochristian: transfer of the Feodorovskaya icon to the Kostroma Kremlin, November 2023; the convent’s 600th anniversary
Rusmania: Bogoyavlensko-Anastasiin Convent — building dates
Visa and Mastercard statements on suspending operations in Russia, March 2022

YesGo editorial team · facts checked 30.10.2026 ·

How we checked

Dates and history were checked against English and Russian Wikipedia, Azbuka Palomnika, Rusmania and Orthochristian. Founding year: the official website and Orthochristian give 1426, Wikipedia says “15th century”; we use 1426. The year it became a convent appears as 1847 in one part of Russian Wikipedia and 1863 elsewhere; we use 1863, when it took its current name. Many guides (and the convent’s own site) still say the Feodorovskaya icon is here, but Wikipedia and Orthochristian report its transfer to the Kremlin cathedral on 5 November 2023, and we follow them. Cathedral hours: 7:30–18:30 per Azbuka Palomnika, 7:30–19:30 per Sputnik8 — both shown. Service times come only from Azbuka Palomnika, since the official site publishes none, so the row is marked “verifying”. The closed grounds and street entrance are reported by both Azbuka Palomnika and Tonkosti. Bus and trolleybus numbers come from those two guides; walking times are our own map estimate.