# Sergius of Radonezh founds his monastery (1337)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/1337-sergius-of-radonezh-founds-his-monastery
Categories: main-event

Around 1337 the hermit Sergius of Radonezh founded a small wooden monastery in the forest north of Moscow. It grew into the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, the spiritual centre of Russian Orthodoxy. Sergius inspired a wave of monastic foundations across northern Russia. The Lavra became a UNESCO site and a symbol of Russian spirituality and national unity.

## Why it matters
The Lavra became a UNESCO site and a symbol of Russian spirituality and national unity.

Ruler at the time: [Ivan I Kalita](https://history-russia.com/rulers/ivan-i-kalita)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Sergius of Radonezh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergius_of_Radonezh)
- [Wikipedia — Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_Lavra_of_St._Sergius)
- [Wikipedia — Mongol invasion of Kievan Rus'](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mongol_invasion_of_Kievan_Rus')
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Sergius of Radonezh founds his monastery](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Sergius+of+Radonezh+founds+his+monastery)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)