Novodevichy Convent, one of the most famous in Moscow, although not the oldest, is the best preserved in its architectural appearance. Many heroes of the 1812 war rest here, including Mikhail Fyodorovich Orlov, who accepted the capitulation of Paris.

The convent, dedicated to the Smolensk Icon of the Mother of God, was founded in 1524-1525 by Grand Duke Vasily III in honor of the tenth anniversary of the conquest of Smolensk. At this time, a five-domed cathedral was built, reminiscent of the Assumption Cathedral in the Kremlin. The peak of construction occurred in the 1680s under Tsarevna Sophia: fortress walls with ornate finishes, two gate churches, a refectory with the Assumption Church, a tall bell tower, and new cells were erected. After her overthrow, Tsarevna Sophia was imprisoned and died here in 1704. Subsequently, the appearance of the convent changed little.

In 1812, the valuables of the convent, including the Smolensk Icon, were evacuated to Vologda, while the nuns remained. The French occupied the convent on September 8, placing Marshal Davout's corps in the cells. On September 25, Napoleon visited the convent and ordered the explosion of the Church of the Beheading of John the Baptist. Later, a church dedicated to the Holy Fathers of the Seventh Ecumenical Council was built in its place, which was destroyed in the 1930s. The French also attempted to blow up the convent itself, but, according to legend, rain extinguished the fuses, and the rest was put out by the nuns, saving the monastery.

The cemetery of the convent suffered greatly during the Soviet era, but the graves of participants in the 1812 war mostly survived. During the Soviet years, the convent was preserved, initially housing the 'Museum of the Emancipated Woman,' and later a branch of the State Historical Museum. The complex is now returned to the Russian Orthodox Church, and the Museum of the Moscow Diocese has also been established here.