Polotsk Epiphany monastery was founded in 1582 as a religious and educational center. The level of academic and spiritual training for students of Polotsk monastery of the Epiphany successfully competed with the Jesuit Collegium.

In the monastery he taught not only religious discipline. Here was taught the old Slavonic, Greek, Latin, singing, mathematics, and rhetoric. When monastic brotherhood school had a large library and even its own theatre. The monastery has invited the best of Orthodox teachers. Among them was Simeon of Polotsk.

The monastic complex was built of wood and burned down several times. After one of the fires in 1761 was built a new stone Church, and was later built and residential fraternal body. Presumably, the residential building was built by the famous architect Giacomo Quarenghi.

Holy Epiphany Cathedral is part of the monastery complex. This beautiful temple, built in the Baroque style, is located on the picturesque Bank of the river Western Dvina.

In Soviet times the monastery complex was closed. There was an art gallery, so the buildings not only suffered from the barbarous actions of Soviet officials, but have been restored and are kept in fair condition.

In 1991, Epiphany Cathedral was returned to believers. The Cathedral was reconstructed with funds from the faithful. Is a list of the Iveron icon of the Mother of God. In 2011, the Cathedral celebrated its 250th anniversary.

In the monastic buildings in our days there is a Museum-library and the Museum of printing.