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 Russia. Therefore, any tourist coming 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 have shown that the first Slavic settlements in the area of the Pskov Kremlin were already in the ninth century. Scientists are inclined to think that the age of the city reaches 1500-2000 years.
Pskovshchina 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 citysuffered very badly. In 2010, he was awarded the title of "City of Military Glory".
Kremlin
Thanks to its rich history, the city is literally filled with sights. Pskov is incredibly interesting in this regard. 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 and Pskov rivers. The area of the entire complex is about three hectares.
Krom is the largest fortress in Europe, which is surrounded by high stone walls around the perimeter. On its territory there are many ancient outstanding architectural monuments: Veche Square, towers, bell towers. And also the main pride of the city - Trinity Cathedral.
Many buildings that have existed since the founding of the city have survived to this day. 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 all the greatness of the complex, you should know that the height of the walls is from six to eight meters. And they stretched for almost a kilometer.
Dovmont city
To get into the heart of the fortress, you need to go through the city of Dovmont, 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 got its name from the name of the Lithuanian prince Dovmont, whoin the thirteenth century, he fled from his homeland to glorious Pskov. Here he was baptized, and later was even elected a prince.
By the way, this moment distinguishes Pskov from other Russian cities. Indeed, throughout Russia, princely titles were inherited. And only in Novgorod and Pskov were these elected positions.
Dovmont proved himself in the military field. He repeatedly skillfully fought with the Livonian knights. Later, the prince was even canonized as a saint. But his relics to this day rest in the Trinity Cathedral.
The first fortifications and structures of the Dovmontov city were erected in the time of the prince. Some walls and towers date back to 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 here. Soon four new temples will be opened for visitors. An interesting fact is that during the period of the existence of the Dovmont city, seventeen churches were built on its territory.
Following the route of Pskov sights, it is worth seeing not only the walls and towers of the historical complex, but also the museum exposition, which has a model of Kromlya with the Dovmontov city.
Trinity Cathedral
What to see in Pskov? There are a lot of attractions in the city. However, you should definitely visit the Trinity Cathedral. This is the only large church 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 Russianarchitecture.
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 order of Princess Olga. It was built of wood, and therefore did not survive the fire. In 1138, a stone church was erected on the same spot. 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. Surprisingly, 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.
Walls and towers of the Kremlin
It is simply impossible to talk briefly about the sights of Pskov. There are so many of them and they are all so interesting. I would like to say a few words about the towers of the complex, which have survived to this day. It is worth noting that in total there are seven towers around the entire perimeter. High stone buildings are equipped with defensive platforms. 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, Dovmontov, Trinity and Flat towers here.
Pskov Kremlin suffered another fire in 2010.
The walls of the historical complex stretch for nine kilometers. They surroundhistorical buildings all around. Their thickness reaches from 2.5 to 6 meters. On top of each wall are walking platforms. The eastern wall is the longest (435 meters). And the shortest wall - "percy" is only 88 meters.
Toadstool Chambers
To the sights of Pskov can be attributed Pogankin chambers. This is a monument of Russian medieval architecture, the history of which began in the seventeenth century. The chambers were built by order of the then famous merchant Ivan Pogankin. The complex was named after his last name. According to the idea of the merchant, the chambers were to become a large structure, inside which there would be master's premises, workshops, living rooms, warehouses. Currently, the complex is part of the Pskov Museum-Reserve.
The Pogankin's Chamber is interesting because now it houses a large exposition of Pskov icon-painting items from the 14th-17th centuries. There is also a rich collection of Russian silver here.
Church of Alexander Nevsky
The temple is one of the bright 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 provide assistance to the military and their families. The building is built of red brick. The roofs are painted green and the domes are blue. The main we alth of the temple is its numerous icons. The iconostasis of the church was donated by Patriarch Alexy II.
The temple even hasown museum, which preserves a copy of the Old Testament, notes in which Nicholas II himself put. 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. Not far from the city there are interesting places that guides offer to see guests.
Local travel companies offer a variety of excursion programs. Among them are the following: a sightseeing tour of Pskov, "Izborsk", a trip to the Pechora and a visit to the Pskov-Pechersk Monastery, the secrets of the Gremyachaya Mountain, the Pushkin Mountains, the lakes of the Pskov region, the Pskov Kremlin, city parks and much more. We have given only some programs, but this list is far from complete.
It is worth noting that exploring the city and its environs is possible not only in the warm season. The sights of Pskov in winter are no less beautiful.
The ancient fortress in snowy decoration looks even more fabulous, as if it came out of the pages of children's fairy tales.
Pechory
Sights of Pskov are not limited to the inspection of the ancient monuments of the city. On the territory of the region there are many interesting places that will be interesting for guests to visit. 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-Pechersk HolyAssumption Church. The monastery dates back to the 15th century. The city was also named after him.
It is worth saying that the monastery is not the only attraction of the town. Here you can also see a lot of stone and wooden buildings from different eras that have survived to this day. In addition, tourists are attracted by natural beauty. At one time, famous personalities sought inspiration in these parts - Karl Bryullov, Nikolai Kostomarov and Igor Severyanin.
The history of the monastery itself began with the fact that in its place there were two inconspicuous buildings. But at some point, for unknown reasons, deacon Munekhin began to invest his money in the monastery. By the way, he was a we althy and influential man. Therefore, over time, the spiritual status of the monastery grew. Water from it was taken to the prince himself in Moscow, and the monastery economy gradually grew and expanded. By 1528, the monastery had already become an impressive defensive structure, as powerful walls were erected. The fortification was very useful, since clashes with Lithuania occurred regularly. The Pskov-Caves Monastery also found support from Moscow. Since then, a period of prosperity has begun.
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 Zheraviey. The fortification was erected in the century. And to our time, the fortress is very well preserved. Historians suggest that it was from this fortressthe whole history of the town began. For many centuries the fortification stood on the protection of the western borders of the country. In the nineteenth century, by decree of Nicholas II, the fortress walls were repaired and a new bell tower was erected. And after a long time, the fortress was left without people's attention.
The project for its restoration was developed much later and work began to be carried out in the 1960s. Repeat attempts were made in 2010. At the moment, the fortress is only partially reconstructed. It occupies an area of about 2.5 hectares. Historians believe that Izborsk was founded around the 7th-8th centuries, as there is written evidence 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 all the greatness of the ancient city and understand a lot about it.
A good option would be a sightseeing tour of Pskov, which will allow you to learn its history and the most interesting facts. You should definitely visit the Pskov Kremlin. Here you can appreciate the scale and power of the ancient complex, as well as visit the Domontov city, the Trinity Cathedral, look at the towers and Pogankin's 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. The snow-covered towers and walls look incredibly romantic.
Winter Pskov
What to see in Pskov in winter? The sights of the city and its environs are quite accessible andcold season. Local guides say that winter Pskov offers its guests enchanting landscapes. It is at this time that it is pleasant to stroll along the snow-covered ancient walls. Tourists are offered the opportunity to visit not only the fortress, but also visit the Mirozhsky Monastery, see Pechory and its monastery, visit Izborsk.
Kaverin Museum
In addition to historical architectural monuments, the city has parks and museums. One of them, in our opinion, deserves special attention. This is the Kaverin 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 a work.
Here you can learn more about the Kaverin family and the first explorers of the Far North.
Sights of Pskov: reviews of tourists
Being in Pskov and not visiting the Pskov Kremlin is an unforgivable mistake. According to tourists, the majestic 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 Prince Russia are found everywhere on the territory of 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 its time.
If you are interested in history or love antiquity, then in Pskov you will find a lot of interesting things for yourself. Walking through ancient buildings and temples will leave many pleasant impressions in your memory.
