The territory of St. John the Baptist Monastery, founded in 1688, was fenced with strong wooden walls with towers in the corners. This allowed using it for defense against enemies. The monastery was rebuilt in the late XIX century, resulting in the appearance of brick buildings in the elegant Old Russian style. Some of them have survived up to this day. Now these buildings are monuments of architecture.
St. John the Baptist Monastery was closed in the twenties of the last century and was reopened in 1995. The monastic lands have been currently improved. The Sretensky monastery church, which during the consecration was renamed St. John the Baptist Monastery, has been restored and a temporary bell tower has been erected. The monastery is functional and open to the public. You can visit it to admire the rich interior decoration, evaluate the wall painting in the academic style and the impressive three-tier iconostasis. It is also worth strolling through the small but well-groomed territory of the monastery, view its architectural ensemble and listen to the melodic ringing of its nine bells.