Peryn Skete
Перынский скит
An ancient hermitage on a small island at the outlet of Lake Ilmen, once a sanctuary of the Slavic thunder god Perun, with a very simple 13th-century chapel.
Perun was the most important deity of ancient Slavic paganism. This site was once a pagan temple of Novgorod, later converted into a monastery after Christianization. The surviving Church of the Nativity of the Virgin, built in the early 13th century, has a simple form and stands amid lake water and woodland in a tranquil setting, making it a good place to view Lake Ilmen. Admission is free. It is about a 20-minute walk from Yuriev Monastery.
Opening hours
Approx. 08:00–19:00
Nearby sights
- Yuriev Monastery
- Vitoslavlitsy Museum of Wooden Architecture
- Rurikovo Gorodishche
- Church of the Saviour at Nereditsa
- Kokui Tower
- Yaroslav's Court
- Pedestrian Bridge over the Volkhov
- Novgorod Museum-Reserve (Main Building)