The Monastery is named Pokrovsky for the main temple – Cathedral of the Intercession of The Holy Virgin and Zverin – for Zverinets i.e. game preserve for princely hunting that existed here in 11th century.
The Monastery is first mentioned in the chronicles in 1148.
The whole monastic complex is a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO since 1992.
The most ancient temple in its territory is Church of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin that was built in stone in 1399. Later it was rebuilt and renovated several times. In 1899 – 1901 a big five-domed stone Cathedral of the Intercession of the Holy Virgin (currently functioning) was built in the place of western side-altar. A sanctuary of the Cathedral is the shrine with relics of Venerable Sabbas of Vishera.
Next to the Cathedral there is Church of Simeon the God Reciever that was built in 1467 in the place of mass graves of Novgorodians who died of the plague.