Danilov Monastery, founded around 1282 by Prince Daniel in honor of Saint Daniel the Stylite, was moved to the Kremlin by Ivan Kalita half a century later. This was done to create a monastery next to his palace. Later, Ivan III transferred it to Krutitsy, leading to the establishment of Novospassky Monastery. The old site of Danilov Monastery fell into disrepair, but in 1560, by the order of Ivan the Terrible, the monastery was restored. At that time, the monastery cathedral in honor of the Seven Ecumenical Councils was built, which has survived to this day. The monastery wall, erected in the 16th century, has been rebuilt multiple times.

The main cathedral, built in 1560, was reconstructed in the mid-17th century and in 1729, when its facades were decorated in the Naryshkin Baroque style. Until the 20th century, the relics of Prince Daniel of Moscow were kept here. An important role in the design of the square in front of the monastery is played by the gate bell tower with the Church of Simeon the Stylite. The northern gates were rebuilt in 1681, and the church-bell tower above them was constructed in 1731-1732. Later, it became part of a hospital for monks of the Moscow diocese. The bells of Danilov Monastery were famous for their melodiousness and were considered among the best in Moscow.

From 1833 to 1838, with funds from merchants Kumanin and Shustov, architect O.I. Bove built the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity, which could accommodate up to 3,000 people.

In 1930, Danilov Monastery, the last in Moscow, was closed and turned into a children's isolation colony of the NKVD. The bell tower was demolished, the interiors of the churches were destroyed, and the monastery necropolis was looted. Only a few graves, including that of N.V. Gogol, were moved to Novodevichy Cemetery. The Danilov bells, intended for melting down, were sold to American diplomat Charles Crane and remained at Harvard University until 2007, when they were returned in exchange for exact copies.

In 1983, the complex was handed over to the church to create a patriarchal residence. Restoration was completed by 1988. A new church in honor of St. Seraphim of Sarov was built, along with the building of the Patriarchal residence with the Church of All Saints, as well as chapels on the site of the cemetery and in memory of the 1000th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus.