Kirillov (Russian: Кири́ллов) is a town and the administrative center of Kirillovsky District in Vologda Oblast, Russia, located on the shores of Lakes Siverskoye and Dolgoye, 129 kilometers (80 mi) northwest of Vologda, the administrative center of the oblast.

[3] It also helped that the Sheksna River was one of the most heavily used waterways connecting central and northern Russia.

[citation needed] At some point, the monastery was the second biggest landowner after the Trinity Lavra of St.

[citation needed] Vasili III of Russia, the Grand Prince of Moscow, and Ivan the Terrible, the Tsar, visited the monastery on several occasions.

[11] On September 23, 1937, Kirillovsky District was transferred to newly established Vologda Oblast.

In the 19th century, the canal was the main waterway connecting the Volga with the White Sea.

The canal is still in operation, serving cargo traffic and occasional cruise ships moving from the Sheksna to Lake Kubenskoye.

[13] Kirillov also preserved the historical center and the town hosts seventy-seven cultural heritage monuments, including buildings both in and outside of the monastery.