The history of the women’s Holy Cross Convent in Nizhny Novgorod began in the XIV century. Then it was called Zachatievsky and was famous for the fact that in 1478 after the rout of the Novgorod Veche (popular assembly in medieval Slavic countries) the famous posadnik (governor), the leader of the Rebellion to Moscow's domination Marfa Boretskaya was imprisoned. The first monastery burned down at the beginning of the XVIII century.
They revived the monastery after 1814 and simultaneously changed the name. It became known as the Cross Exaltation. The monastery ensemble was formed over several decades. The abode was considered the place of expiation of sins for women who were seen in crimes against morality. The nuns themselves worked here in the gold embroidered and icon painting workshops. In 1917 the monastery was closed and later a warehouse and a shaving sets plant were placed in its premises. Since the mid 90-ies of the twentieth century, the restoration work was going on at the monastery. And in 2004 the women's Holy Cross Convent revived and sisters started living here again, landscaping their territory. One can enter the territory of the convent, which has its own bakery, thanks to which there is a fragrance of freshly baked bread.