In the Pskov region there is a lake of the same name, into which a river flows under the name Velikaya. On it is the city of Ostrov, which is also the administrative center.
The value of Ostrov fortress in protecting the borders of the Russian state
If you are guided by chronicle sources, then around the 14th century on the island, which was washed by the Velikaya River on one side and Slobozhikha duct on the other, there was a fortress. At least, there is a mention of the battle of the inhabitants of Pskov with the knights of the Livonian Order. The defenders fought desperately with the invaders. It was unlikely that they would have been lucky if the warriors from the Island, who had Vasily Onisimovich as a lodger, did not come to the rescue. For the attackers, this was a real surprise.
The fortress with an area of 2 hectares on the island at that time was considered a rather powerful fortification stone structure. The main building material was gray limestone. Walls with five towers around the perimeter and a pothole were a reliable fortification protecting the northwest gate. The Island (Pskov region) has historical significance. Photos of the modern city can be seen in the article.
In 1542, the church of St. Nicholas was built on the territory, which from the point of view of architecture perfectly complemented the area, slightly changing its gloomy appearance. The fortress on the island was part of the suburban area of Pskov, reliably covering the borders of its lands on the south side.
Livonians repeatedly (in 1348, 1406, 1426) tried to capture part of Russian territory. But each time they met fierce resistance of the Pskovites. Attempts to seize the island by the Germans and Lithuanians were made in the 15th century.
The year 1501 was successful for the Germans, led by the experienced military commander Walter von Plettenberg. The fortress could not stand their pressure. The assault was accompanied by intense firing of fire arrows and guns. The fortress burned and could not withstand the onslaught. One part of the 4,000th garrison was destroyed, and the other captive. As a result of the fall of the fortress, the inhabitants were defenseless, were plundered and ruined. However, the city of Ostrov (Pskov Oblast) did not remain under occupation for long.
Russian lands
After almost 80 years, the fortress stormed the Polish army of King Stephen Batory, but a few months later the Russian kingdom and the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth signed the Zapolsky Peace Treaty (January 1582), according to which the city of Ostrov (Pskov Region) again turned out to be Russian territory.
Nearly half a century passed, when another military conflict arose between Russia and Poland (1632-1634), known in history as the Smolensk War. Enemies destroyed the island with fire. Until 1510, while the Island belonged to the Moscow kingdom, management was carried out by a posadnik, and a convocation was also convened.
Island - a county town
In 1700, Tsar Peter started a military company known in history as the Northern War. It was supposed to take away from Sweden the lands it had conquered in the beginning of the 17th century and thereby ensure Russia's access to the Baltic Sea. As it soon became clear, in 1708, as the Russian army successfully advanced, the need for the existence of the Ostrov fortress as such disappeared. Therefore, he actually began to turn into an ordinary county town.
In 1772 (or 1777), the Island (Pskov region) received the status of a county. By that time, 3 fortress towers remained intact. At the disposal of the parishioners there were 5 church churches. Only 71 buildings were stone of 521. On May 28, 1781, at the official level, the city emblem was assigned its own coat of arms.
Trade development
The governor of Novgorod Sivers in the second half of the 18th century noted that flax trade could have every chance of becoming a promising direction. And so it happened. Indeed, up to the end of the next century, the city of Ostrov (the Pskov region) was the leader in this industry. In 1864, a joint-stock company engaged in the sale of flax was formed.
The city's attractions
The chain bridge connecting the opposite banks of the Great River is one of the main attractions of the Island. With good reason, it can be argued that this brainchild of engineer of Krasnopolsky Mikhail Yakovlevich is a masterpiece in the field of domestic bridge building.
The structure of the structure is formed by two 94-meter spans, which occupy both branches of the river. Sag chains have an arrow equal to half the length of one span. For the construction of supports used selective lime slab. Cobblestone served as a facing material. Three rows of pillars are made of granite slabs. In November 1853, the chain bridge was commissioned. The grand opening took place with the participation of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I.
There are other attractions of the Island of the Pskov region:
- Military-historical museum-reserve.
- Monument to Claudia Nazarova.
- Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built in 1542.
- Fraternal burial.
- Church of the Myrrh Bearing Women.
All these places are magnificent and worthy of the tourist's attention.