Novodevichy Monastyr (Novodevichy Convent)

Founded in 1524 by Grand Prince Vassily III, with its distinctive golden onion domes and tiered bell tower dating from 1690. The cathedral itself was built in 1525 and features 16th-century frescoes, as well as a magnificent late 17th-century iconostasis. The convent, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, was a place of exile for noblewomen in mourning or disfavour. The adjacent Novodevichy Cemetery is equally interesting and contains the graves of many distinguished Muscovites, including Nikita Krushchev, Nikolai Gogol, Sergei Prokofiev and Anton Chekhov.