Solovetski Monastery

Obverse

the two-headed eagle designed by artist I. Bilibin. The inscriptions along the rim: at the top — «3 РУБЛЯ 1997 г.» (3 RUBLES 1997), at the bottom — «БАНК РОССИИ» (BANK OF RUSSIA). The letters below indicate the metal sign, the fineness, the fine metal content and the mint trademark.

Reverse

the view of Solovetski Monastery. The inscriptions at the top along the rim: «СОЛОВЕЦКИЙ МОНАСТЫРЬ» (SOLOVETSKI MONASTERY) and the date «XV в.» (THE XV TH CENTURY).

Authors

The artists: T.A. Drozdova, A.A. Kolodkin, A.V. Kudin
The sculptors: A.A. Kolodkin, A.V. Kudin
Moscow Mint (ММД)
The edge: 300 corrugations

Solovetski (Transfiguration) Monastery, located on Great Solovetski Island in the White Sea, was founded in the 30th of the XVth century by monks Zosima and Savvati. Its territory is surrounded by massive walls that are 4-6- meter thick and 8-19-meter high. They have 7 gates and 8 towers built in the end of the XVIth century of enormous unpolished boulders. The Monastery comprises Transfiguration Cathedral (1556-1564), the Annunciation Church (1596-1601), the refectory with Assumption Cathedral (1552-1557), a water-mill, a bell tower (1777), and the Church of Nikolai (1834).