It is an orthodox monastery, which was founded in 1361 by Methodius, the follower of St. Sergius of Radonezh.

There are six churches on the territory of the monastery:

• St. Nicholas Cathedral, built in the XVI century;

• Sergius Church, built in 1732 over the tomb of St. Methodius Peshnoshsky, which replaced the previous one;

• Candlemas Church;

• Church of the Epiphany (early XVI century);

• Transfiguration Over-the-Gates Church (1689) over the Holy Gates (1623), facing Yakhroma;

• Church Dmitry Donskoy (1811-1829).

In 1812 the monastery escaped devastation: the French, who were only some 130 away from it, were too afraid to go to it through the swampy roads.

After the October Revolution a number of buildings of the monastery were passed to a branch of the Dmitrov Museum of History of the Native Land. In 1927 both the monastery and the branch of the museum were closed, and a home for the disabled was organized in these rooms. In the 1960s — early 1970s under the direction of Igor Ivanov some of the churches as well as part of fortifications of the monastery were restored.

Since 1966 the monastery is housing Psychoneurological hostel #3 of the Department of Social Protection of Population of Moscow. The question of removing the hostel out of the historic architectural complex was first raised back in 1975.

In 2007 a part of the monastery was returned to the monks.