The Knyaginin Convent was first mentioned in 1200 and was founded around this time by Maria Shvarnovna who was the first wife of Grand Prince Vsevsolod the Big Nest of Vladimir. Its name is derived from the Russian word for princess ('knyagina') and the Russian word for the Dormition ('Uspenie') of the Virgin Mary, to which is it dedicated. Maria Shvarnovna was laid to rest in the convent and later other princesses were also buried here. The convent was sacked during the Tatar raid of 1411/1412 led by Talych. In the 16th and 17th centuries it continued its connection with Russian princesses when Pelagia Mikhailovna, the wife of Ivan the Terrible's son Ivan, lived here for some time. In 1923 the convent was closed and was later used to house a museum of atheism. It was reopened as a convent in 1992.

Dormition Cathedral

The convent's main cathedral is the Dormition Cathedral which was built in the late 15th - early 16th century to replace an earlier version which dated from the foundation of the convent. It form it is rather simple with a single dome surrounded by three rows of kokoshniks. Inside it houses the relics of Grand Princess Maria Shvarnovna among other princesses, as well as those of St Abraham (Avraami) of Bolgar. It also holds the convent's most revered relic - the Our Lady of Bogolyubovo Icon which was returned to the cathedral in 1992 after being held at the Vladimir-Suzdal Museum Reserve. The cathedral's interior is decorated with frescos, some dating from the 17th century.

Our Lady of Kazan Church

The Our Lady of Kazan Church was built in 1789 using the fundament and walls of St John Chrysostom's Church which was built in the 17th century or perhaps even earlier. In 1849 a new side chapel was built on. Before it was closed by the Soviets the church was also used as the convent's refractory and housed ancient icons on a carved wooden iconostasis.