Pskov is an ancient city, which is a monument of ancient Russian architecture with more than 2000 years of history. It is famous for ancient fortresses, architectural ensembles and cathedrals all over the world. Pskov absorbed all the traditions of the Russian land and became one of the main spiritual centers of all of Russia. Therefore, any tourist who comes to the city should pay attention to the sights of Pskov.
History of the city
The first mention of the city dates back to 903. But archaeological excavations showed that the first Slavic settlements in the Pskov Kremlin were already in the ninth century. Scientists are inclined to think that the age of the city reaches 1500-2000 years.
Pskov from the tenth to the twelfth century was part of the Old Russian state, and a little later it was part of the Novgorod lands. Officially, Pskov separated from Novgorod in 1348. And in 1510 the city became part of the Moscow state, which later became a single Russian principality.
The Pskov Kremlin played a very important role during the Livonian War. But during the Second World War, the whole city was badly damaged. In 2010, he was awarded the title of "City of Military Glory."
Kremlin
Thanks to its rich history, the city is literally filled with attractions. Pskov in this regard is incredibly interesting. Here you can see a lot of interesting objects. The main attraction of the city can be called the Pskov Kremlin.
It is he who is the heart of ancient Pskov. Its history goes back over a thousand years. The Kremlin is also called Krom. It is located on a hill near the junction of the Velikaya River and Pskov. The area of the entire complex is about three hectares.
Krom is the largest fortress in Europe, which is fenced around the perimeter with high stone walls. On its territory there are many ancient outstanding architectural monuments: veche square, towers, bell towers. And also the main pride of the city is Trinity Cathedral.
Many structures that exist from the very foundation of the city have survived to our days. The walls of the Pskov Kremlin are white stone. During the day they are reflected in the water surface of the river, and in the evening they are beautifully illuminated by lanterns. To appreciate the greatness of the complex, you should know that the height of the walls is from six to eight meters. And they stretched almost a kilometer.
Dovmontov city
To get to the heart of the fortress, you must go through Dovmontov city, which is also a landmark of Pskov. Its territory is located on the territory of the second ring of fortifications, attached from the south to Krom.
The city received its name from the surname of the Lithuanian prince Dovmont, who fled from his homeland to glorious Pskov around the 13th century. Here he was baptized, and was later even elected a prince.
By the way, this moment distinguishes Pskov from other Russian cities. Indeed, in all of Russia, princely titles passed by inheritance. And only in Novgorod and Pskov were these elected posts.
Dovmont proved himself in the military field. He repeatedly skillfully fought with the Livonian knights. Later, the prince even ranked saints. But his relics still lie in the Trinity Cathedral.
The first fortifications and structures of the Dovmont city were erected back in the days of the prince. Some walls and towers date from the sixteenth century. On the territory of the city, the remains of the foundations of ten cathedrals were found, which were located very close to each other. Now archaeologists are engaged in excavations and restoration work. Soon new four temples will be opened for visitors. An interesting fact is that during the period of the existence of the Dovmont city, seventeen temples were built on its territory.
Following the route of the sights of Pskov, it is worth seeing not only the walls and towers of the historical complex, but also the museum’s exposition, which has a model of Kroml with the Dovmont city.
Trinity Cathedral
What to see in Pskov? There are a lot of attractions in the city. However, it is certainly worth a visit to Trinity Cathedral. This is the only large temple in the city that has survived to this day. It is also called the heart and soul of the Pskov Kremlin. The cathedral is an excellent example of religious Russian architecture.
Many experts believe that the cathedral is the main building of the fortress. Currently, we can see the temple, which is the fourth version of the building. The first cathedral was built by decree of Princess Olga. It was built of wood, and therefore did not survive during the fire. In 1138, a stone temple was erected in the same place. However, the new building did not last long.
In 1363, its vaults collapsed. Two years later, the construction of a new temple began in its place. The building stood for more than two hundred years, until it was destroyed by another fire. It is surprising that at the same time the relics of Prince Vsevolod and Dovmont remained unharmed. After that, in 1699 the construction of the fourth temple began, which has survived to this day.
Kremlin walls and towers
It is simply impossible to tell briefly about the sights of Pskov. There are so many of them and they are all so interesting. I want to say a few words about the towers of the complex, which survived to this day. It is worth noting that a total of seven towers are located around the entire perimeter. Tall stone buildings are equipped with defensive sites. Some of them have the status of the country's cultural heritage, such as Kutekroma. This is the northern and oldest tower of the Kremlin. There are also the Middle, Rybnitskaya, Vlasyevskaya, Dovmontova, Troitskaya and Flat towers.
The Pskov Kremlin suffered from another fire in 2010.
The walls of the historic complex stretch for nine kilometers. They surround historical buildings from all sides. Their thickness reaches from 2.5 to 6 meters. On top of each wall are running pads. The easternmost wall (435 meters) is the longest. And the shortest wall - “Persian” is only 88 meters.
Toadstool Chambers
The sights of Pskov include the Pogankinsky Chambers. This is a monument of Russian medieval architecture, the history of which began back in the seventeenth century. The chambers were built by order of the then-famous merchant Ivan Pogankin. It was by his last name that the complex was named. As conceived by the merchant, the chambers were to be a large building, inside which there were utility rooms, workshops, living rooms, warehouses. Currently, the complex is part of the Pskov Museum-Reserve.
The Pogankin chamber is interesting in that it now houses a large exposition of objects of the Pskov icon painting from the 14-17th centuries. Also here is a rich collection of Russian silver.
Temple of Alexander Nevsky
The temple is one of the brightest sights of Pskov and its environs. It is located next to the Great River. The temple was erected in 1908. For a long time, the church belonged to the Omsk regiment. And now the temple is actively working to assist the military and their families. The building is built of red brick. The roofs are green and the domes are blue. The main wealth of the temple is its many icons. The iconostasis of the church was granted by Patriarch Alexy II.
The temple even has its own museum, in which a copy of the Old Testament is preserved, notes in which were put by Nicholas II himself. Here you can see the icon of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the icon of the Mother of God.
Sights and excursions in Pskov
Pskov is an amazing city, on the territory of which there are a large number of objects worthy of the attention of tourists. In fairness, it is worth noting that the sights of Pskov and the region are of interest. Near the city there are interesting places that guides offer guests to see.
Local travel agencies offer a variety of excursion programs. Among them, the following can be distinguished: a sightseeing tour of Pskov, Izborsk, a trip to Pechery and a visit to the Pskov-Pechersky monastery, the secrets of the Gremyachaya Gora, Pushkinskiye Gory, lakes of the Pskov Region, the Pskov Kremlin, city parks and much more. We have given only a few programs, but this list is far from complete.
It is worth noting that inspection of the city and its environs is possible not only in the warm season. Sights of Pskov in the winter are no less beautiful.
The old fortress in the snow decoration looks even more fabulous, as if left the pages of children's fairy tales.
Pechora
The sights of Pskov are not limited to just viewing the ancient monuments of the city. There are many interesting places in the region that will be interesting to visit for guests. One of these places is the city of Pechory. A small town is located very close to Pskov. The main attraction of Pechora is the Pskov-Pechersky Assumption Church. The man’s monastery dates back to the 15th century. It was by his name that the city was named in due time.
It is worth saying that the monastery is far from the only attraction of the town. Here you can also see a lot of stone and wooden buildings of different eras, preserved to this day. In addition, tourists are attracted by natural beauty. At one time, famous personalities such as Karl Bryullov, Nikolai Kostomarov and Igor Severyanin were looking for inspiration in these parts.
The history of the monastery itself began with two inconspicuous buildings in its place. But at some point, for unknown reasons, the clerk Munekhin began to invest his money in the monastery. By the way, he was a man of wealth and influence. Therefore, over time, the spiritual status of the monastery has grown. The prince himself brought water from him to Moscow, and the monastery economy gradually grew and expanded. By 1528, the monastery had already become an impressive defensive structure, since powerful walls were erected. Fortification was very helpful since clashes with Lithuania took place regularly. The Pskov-Pechersky monastery found support from Moscow. Since then began a period of prosperity.
Izborsk
A visit to Izborsk is one of the excursion programs that allows you to see the ancient fortress of the city. It is located on Mount Zheravia. The defensive structure was erected in the century. And to our time the fortress is very well preserved. Historians suggest that it was from this fortress that the whole history of the town began. For centuries, the fortification stood on the defense of the western borders of the country. In the nineteenth century, by decree of Nicholas II, the walls were repaired and a new bell tower was erected. And after a long time, the fortress was ignored by people.
The project for its restoration was developed much later and work began in the 1960s. Repeated attempts were made in 2010. At the moment, the fortress is only partially reconstructed. It covers an area of about 2.5 hectares. Historians believe that Izborsk was founded in about 7-8 centuries, as there are written testimonies in the annals.
Pskov in one day
Seeing the sights of Pskov in 1 day is not an easy task. There are a lot of interesting places in the city, but still in one day you can appreciate the greatness of the ancient city and understand a lot about it.
A good option may be a sightseeing tour of Pskov, which will allow you to find out its history and the most interesting facts. It is definitely worth a visit to the Pskov Kremlin. Here you can appreciate the scale and power of the ancient complex, as well as visit the Hometown, Trinity Cathedral, look at the towers and Pogankinsky Chambers.
One day is enough to inspect the fortress to have a lot of impressions. In winter, the sights of Pskov are no less attractive. Snow-covered towers and walls look incredibly romantic.
Winter Pskov
What to see in Pskov in the winter? Sights of the city and its environs are quite accessible in the cold season. Local guides claim that winter Pskov offers guests enchanting landscapes. It was at this time that it was pleasant to stroll along the snowy old walls. Tourists are offered the opportunity to visit not only the fortress, but also to visit the Mirozhsky monastery, see Pechory and its monastery, visit Izborsk.
Kaverina Museum
In addition to historical architectural monuments, the city has parks and museums. One of them, in our opinion, is worthy of special attention. This is the Kaverina Museum. If you love his famous work “Two Captains”, then you should look into it. The exposition of a small museum is dedicated to the history of writing the work.
Here you can learn more about the Kaverin family and about the first explorers of the lands of the Far North.
Sights of Pskov: reviews of tourists
Being in Pskov and not visiting the Pskov Kremlin is an unforgivable oversight. According to tourists, the magnificent building is really worthy of attention. It is especially pleasant that the complex is maintained in good condition and restoration work is underway. Children are especially interested in the fortress; here they can frolic and see a lot of interesting things.
In general, bright traces of the times of Princely Russia are found throughout the city. Visiting the sights of the city is really impressive. No less interesting is a visit to Izborsk, which now lives the life of a quiet provincial town. And once his fortress was the most powerful defensive structure of his time.
If you are interested in history or love the old days, then in Pskov you will find a lot of interesting things for yourself. Walking through ancient buildings and temples will leave in your memory a lot of pleasant impressions.