Blog about Urals

Last week we decided to go to Ganina Yama – that particular place where the Bolsheviks tried to hide dead bodies of Tsar Nicholai II and his family, leaving them in an abandoned mine. These events gave ill fame to new soviet authority and are related with one of the most frightening pages of russian history.

Map of the Ganina Yama complex

The mine is located in a pine forest and is now called Ganina Yama (in translation Ganya’s Pit). «Ganya» -  is the short name for Gavriel. In the era of the Urals “Gold Rush” (the middle of XIX century) a contractor Gavriel bought this plot of land hoping to find a gold in it. Soon it became clear that the mine doesn’t contain gold, but it contains iron ore. By the beginning of 20th century the mine got abandoned and became overgrown with a forest.

Early on the morning of July 17, 1918, Ganina Yama met remains of the Tsar, his family and their faithful servants. The bodies were thrown into the mine, after a while got dismembered, and then within two days destroyed by fire and sulfuric acid.

As we arrived at the place, we were amazed – how many people came here from different parts of Urals and Russia, despite the inclement weather. We left the car, took a breathe of the fresh crisp forest air and went to the very complex.

Upon entering the complex a young man, a monk from the adjacent monastery of the complex, offered to tell us about the complex and its history, reviewing the significance of the place for the Orthodox Church. So we gratefully accepted his proposal. And that is what we found…

It is known that in the Soviet times Ganina Yama was for the Urals like a “sinister place”. The same aura of mystery surrounded the Cathedral on the blood built in the place where the family was murdered. Despite the fact that the “royal theme” was under strict embargo, in the 70-ies of XX century first secret pilgrims began to appear who came to pray for the Tsar and his family.

Over time, the reverence for the sufferers markedly increased and on July 7, 1991 with the blessing of the Archbishop of Yekaterinburg and Verkhotursk at the Ganina Yama location the first cross was installed  by the admirers of the royal family.

In August 2000, it’s been accomplished what the Orthodox Russian people were waiting for so many years! At the Bishops’ Council Jubilee, held in Moscow, the royal family was canonized. After that solemn events a new turn in this fateful story took place.

September 3, 2000 during his visit to the Ural region patriarch Alexy II visited Ganina Yama and said that the best perpetuation of the memory in Russia has always been the construction of God’s temple or institution of the monastery. Speaking about the construction, he said: “The monastery will be made of wood, we set the basis for this construction with the idea a new Russia is built at this place. We need to start with a wooden temples, wooden cells. With a start of the construction the spiritual renewal of Russia begins.”

And indeed, the entire monastery complex is made of wood and looks like a little island “wooden kingdom” of old Russia, where the holy ideals of her were kept by tsar and russian people. Wood, paved paths, benches, all this is enclosed by a very impressive palisade.

The monk told us that there were many people who helped in the construction of the complex voluntarily. There have been cases when people came to worship the Martyrs and then remained for some time to work, to contribute to the construction of the monastery – to clean up, hide logs and perform many ancillary works.

Gradually 7 churches grew up – by  the number of the Holy Royal Martyrs:

1. “Temple in honor of the Iverian Icon of the Mother of God”
2. “Temple in the name of St. Nicholas,
3. “Temple of the Holy Yova-Suffering”
4. “Temple of the Holy Royal Martyrs”
5. “Temple in the name of Seraphim Sarokskogo”
6. “Church of the Mother of God” Reigning ”
7. “Temple in the name of the Reverend Sergei Radonezhskiy”.

Thus, abandoned mine rested the souls of those whose life was an example of Christian virtue. People, who come here, can see here not only the external beauty of the monastery church, but also can also feel a marvelous atmosphere, which strengthens, heals and comforts.

Temple in the name of St. Nicholas

The same temple closer

Temple of the Holy Royal Martyrs

Temple in the name of the Reverend Sergei Radonezhskiy

Memorial cross

Domes