Holy Trinity Monastery
Why it's listed
Holy Trinity Monastery occupies about 750 acres of farmland and rolling hills on the northern edge of Jordanville, in Herkimer County. The Russian Orthodox community took shape in the 1930s and 1940s, when monks who had fled the Soviet Union settled here. The central campus is a quadrangle formed by the cathedral, a bell tower, the monastery building and the seminary. Holy Trinity Cathedral, built from 1946 to 1950 to designs by R. N. Verkovsky, follows the tent style of northern Russia and has pale yellow brick walls and nine gold onion domes. Monks carried out much of the construction, metalwork, carving and the icon painting that covers the interior. Other features include a convent, student and faculty housing, a guest house, two cemeteries, a lakeside fieldstone chapel and large wooden crosses. Together, 56 resources reflect a working religious community with a continuing role in the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the monastery as the center of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, founded by monks who fled the Soviet Union. The cathedral, designed by R. N. Verkovsky in the Russian tent style and decorated by monk-iconographers, is an important example of its type. The complex is also noted for its publishing work and its role as a home for church leaders.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 09000286, listed June 23, 2011. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1407 Robinson Rd., Jordanville |
|---|---|
| County | Herkimer County |
| Listed | June 23, 2011 |
| Reference number | 09000286 |
| Resource type | District |
| Architect / builder | R. N. Verkovsky, architect (Holy Trinity Cathedral); Fr. Kyprian, iconographer; much of the construction by the monks |
| Architectural style | Other: Russian Traditional Tent Style |
| Areas of significance | Performing Arts, Architecture, European, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a monastery, seminary, convent and cemetery. The land is no longer farmed by the brotherhood but is rented to local farmers. |
| Acreage | 750 |
| Coordinates | 42.93070, -74.94011 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 09000286.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5886790
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.