This is an urban-type settlement located 120 km from Pskov. Previously, these places were called the Holy Mountains in honor of the Svyatogorsky monastery located here, founded in 1569 on Mount Sinichya, by order of Tsar Ivan the Terrible.
Around the monastery, the Tobolonets settlement grew, named after the lake located here. By the beginning of the XVIII century, it became the village of Holy Mountains. At the end of May 1925 it was renamed the Pushkin Mountains.
The village has a district administration building, a camp site and a hotel, the administration of the Pushkin Nature Reserve, Holy Assumption Monastery, where Alexander Sergeyevich, his grandfather I.A. Hannibal, grandmother Marya Alekseevna, father and mother of the poet, are buried.
Pushkin Mountains - excursions
From the village, several roads lead to the estates of the Pushkin Museum-Reserve. The main pedestrian road to Mikhailovskoye, Petrovskoye and Trigorskoye begins from the village of Bugrov. Between the Svyatogorsky monastery and Mikhailovsky there is a restored mill (1986), which is a museum. It was such a mill here during the time of Pushkin. On holidays, its solemn launch takes place here. As a souvenir, you can take home a souvenir bag with freshly ground flour.
Having crossed the bridge over the river, you can get into the complex of wooden architecture under the open sky "Pskov Village". It clearly shows how these places looked before. This is the only such museum in the Pskov region. Arriving in the Pushkin Mountains, excursions can be booked for a group of tourists as well as individual.
Mikhailovsky
The most famous estate of Alexander Sergeevich. Here his youth passed, he spent a lot of time in these places and in more mature years. Here since 1824, for two years, he was in exile.
The Mikhailovsky estate (Pushkin Mountains) belonged to the Pushkin family long before the birth of the poet. At first (from 1742), A.P. Hannibal, Pushkin's great-grandfather, then grandfather, O.A. Hannibal, and finally, the poet's mother, N.O. Hannibal, became the owner of the estate. The property was transferred to state ownership in 1899. The first Pushkin Museum was founded here in 1911.
The buildings that can be seen today in Mikhailovsky are twice restored. The estate was almost completely burned down in 1918. Then it was restored. But during the Second World War it was completely destroyed. The second restoration was carried out in the postwar years.
The museum complex "Pushkin Hills", the sights of which are of great value to historians, writers, art historians, is under the protection of our state.
Mikhailovsky Park
This is a favorite vacation spot of A.S. Pushkin. Here the poet drew inspiration for his most famous works.
There are two main alleys in the park. One of them is Spruce. It was planted by OA Hannibal. The second is Anna Kern Alley. Alexander Sergeyevich walked along with her lover.
Pushkin House-Museum
The historical facts concerning the life of the great poet are of interest to everyone who comes to the Pushkin Mountains. Tourists usually begin to see the sights from the Pushkin House-Museum.
The manor house is on a steep hill. Now there is an exposition dedicated to the work and life of the great poet.
The museum exhibits portraits of parents, sister and brother A.S. Pushkin. There are also portraits of his friends. Of particular interest is invariably a very rare miniature depicting the mother of Alexander Sergeyevich, made by an unknown author on an ivory plate.
Nanny house
Next to the manor house is a small nanny house. Its walls and roof are faced with tesa. The house is made of wooden logs. According to tradition, he is called the "house of the nanny of A. S. Pushkin." He received this name because in the summer Arina Rodionovna lived in it. The rest of the time, she had a room in the master's house.
The house is small, about 9 meters long and 7 meters wide. It is surrounded by lilac bushes. Inside, it is divided into two halves by a corridor. On the right is the bathhouse, and on the left is the light of Arina Rodionovna. The only thing the poet’s nanny “survived” to this day is a wooden casket, which served as a piggy bank.
On the way from Mikhailovsky to Trigorsky there is a place called Savkina Gorka. In ancient times there was a hillfort, when A.S. Pushkin lived in these places in this place was just a hill. Historians claim that Alexander Sergeyevich wanted to buy this land from his neighbors and build a summer house there, but did not manage to do this. On the hill there is a mass grave of soldiers and a wooden chapel, which was recently restored.
Petrovskoe
The Pushkin Hills Museum, whose attractions are concentrated in three estates, presents its expositions in the Petrovskoye estate. This estate, like Mikhailovsky, was granted to Pushkin's great-grandfather by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Then it passed into the possession of the poet’s cousin Grandfather Peter Abramovich, Veniamin Petrovich - Pushkin’s cousin. He was the last owner of the Hannibal clan. Since 1839, other people became the owners of the estate. The estate Petrovskaya was included in the Pushkin ensemble in 1936.
Petrovsky is a fully restored estate (however, like Mikhailovsky). The houses of the Pushkin era in 1918 burned down. In 1977, the house of P. A. Pushkin was restored, and in 2000 the house of A. Hannibal appeared.
Today, the museum-estate consists of two restored houses and a park with a gazebo. The exhibits are especially valuable exhibits of the Pushkin era, most of which were found during excavations. In the park you can see the linden and two elms that "saw" Abram Hannibal.
Trigorsk
Another estate that is part of the Pushkin Mountains complex. The sights of this place are also associated with the life of Alexander Sergeyevich, although it never belonged to Hannibal-Pushkin. This is the estate of close friends of Alexander Sergeevich Osipov-Wulf. He was very friendly with them during his exile to Mikhailovskoye.
Like the two estates that we have already talked about, Trigorskoye was completely burned in 1918. Restored it in the postwar years. By 1978, the manor house and bathhouse were restored on the estate.
Around the manor house there is a park with "Onegin's bench" and "Tatyana's alley". There is an opinion that it is Trigorskoye that is the prototype of the Larin’s estate, and Pushkin “borrowed” the characters of the heroes of his famous novel from his friends.
Amazing sundials, in which ancient oaks, planted in a circle, are divisions of the dial, are considered by many to be the most interesting place in the park.
Holy Assumption Monastery
The beautiful and well-kept complex "Pushkin Mountains", the photo of which you see in our article, also attracts many connoisseurs of church architecture.
The Holy Assumption Monastery, located in the village of Pushkin Hills, was erected in 1569 by decree of Ivan the Terrible. He was one of the most revered monasteries in Russia. Since ancient times, he received many gifts. The most valuable of them is considered the bell, which was presented by Ivan the Terrible, as well as the Gospel - a gift from Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich. Unfortunately, today you can see only fragments of a bell cast in 1753 by order of Hegumen Innocent in Moscow.
Svyatogorsky monastery is also well known for the fact that A.S. Pushkin and his relatives are buried here.
In 1924, the monastery was closed. Later, a branch of the Pushkin Museum was organized here. Since 1992, it has been a male active monastery.
Kazan Church
The temple, located in the center of the village of Pushkinskiye Gory, was built in 1765. It was always a parish, never closed, despite the brutal repressions that affected priests. In 1924, after the closure of the Svyatogorsky monastery, its main shrines were transferred to the temple.
How to get to the museum?
Workers of the historical and museum complex invite all admirers of A.S. Pushkin’s creativity to visit the Pushkin Mountains, photos of memorable places can be seen in our article.
The easiest way to get here is by car on the route Petersburg - Pushkin Hills. This trip will take you about 6 hours (distance 399 km).
Pechora residents can get here even faster. The Pushkin Mountains are 138 km from it. The trip will take approximately 2.5 hours by car.
From Pskov to the museum you can get daily by bus from the bus station. The journey will last 2 hours 30 minutes.
And one more information that will be interesting to everyone who wants to see the Pushkin Mountains (sights). The working hours of the museum complex are very convenient. It works every day except Monday. On the last Tuesday of every month, the museum has a sanitary day. The museum awaits visitors from 10.00 to 17.00, tickets can be purchased until 16.30. In the summer, the operating mode is extended by an hour.