The Svyatohirsk Assumption Zymne Monastery is one of the oldest monasteries in Ukraine, located in the village of Zymne near Volodymyr. The monastery stands on a hill above the Luha River and resembles a fortress: walls with towers, and inside—the Assumption Church and the refectory. Today it is a convent.
From Volodymyr the Great
According to tradition, the monastery was founded by Volodymyr the Great at the end of the 10th century—at that time Zymne was a suburb of Volodymyr. The first reliable mention dates back to 1062: the Kyiv-Pechersk Patericon records that Abbot Varlaam died here while returning from Constantinople. The first Volynian saints, Stefan and Amfilohiy, served as bishops in Zymne.
Tradition connects the monastery with the icon of the Mother of God, which, according to legend, Volodymyr received from the Byzantine Princess Anna. In the mid-15th century, Prince Fedir Chortoryyskyi built a stone fortress here instead of the wooden monastery due to frequent Tatar raids.
What to See
Defensive walls with corner towers form a closed courtyard. The Assumption Church once had a defensive tier above the vaults. During excavations, the foundations of the bell tower and a well-thought-out drainage system that diverted groundwater to the Luha were found.
How to Get There
From the center of Volodymyr it is a few kilometers. Read more about the region in the article about Volodymyr Raion.
