Pskov region
General information
Above the quay walls of the Kremlin and see Pskov Cathedral. |
Today Pskov is known as a religious center and a popular place of pilgrimage because of its famous monastery Pechory. The monastery was built around the cave named Petschora. The place is still retaining the secrets of the old school icon painting. Anybody, who is interested in this rare craft and wants to witness Russia’s medieval flair, is strongly advised to pay Pskov a visit. The old fortress is still beautiful and boasts its many authentic churches, including The Kremlin of Pskov. The rarest samples of old Russian architecture have survived till nowadays: fortresses, housing, and churches, as well as monumental painting. The Our Saviour Transfiguration cathedral of Mirozhskiy monastery is called a gem of Russian culture, and UNESCO enrolled it into the list of the world heritage: It was built in the XII century and decorated by the Byzantine artists.
Ascension of Christ. Fresco in Mirozh Monastery. Mid. XII c. |
The climate of Pskov is moderate continental with influences of maritime climate due to the city's relative proximity to the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland; with relative soft but long winter (usually 5 months per year) and warm summer. Summer and fall have more precipitation than winter and spring.
Transportation
The wonderful network of Transportation in Pskov makes getting to and around the city easy. The region of Pskov is crossed by the rail networks connecting Moscow with Riga and Tallinn, St. Petersburg with Riga and Kiev. The city of Pskov is a transport point of international, domestic and local bus routes. The passenger transportation in Pskov region is done by the 23 large and small automobile companies and the 285 private entrepreneurs. There are various buses from Pskov to the other regions of the country. You will get many taxis running in the city and they form the most convenient mode of transportation in the city. Pskov airport is a 4th class international airport and is well decked for serving the domestic and international flights. The major airline operating flights in the airports in Pskov is Pskovavia. The Airports in Pskov are fully equipped with the standard amenities for the convenience of the passengers.Major sights
Pskov still preserves much of its medieval walls, built from the 13th century on. Pskov is exceedingly rich in tiny, squat, picturesque churches, dating mainly from the 15th and the 16th centuries.Ancient Pskov land with fortress in rivers crossing. |
The Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersky (Pskov-Caves) monastery is located 50 kilometers to the west of the city of Pskov, near the very border of Estonia and 340 kilometers from St. Petersburg. the oldest continually functioning monastery in Russia and a magnet for pilgrims from all over the country. The magnificent architectural ensemble of the monastery was formed over many centuries, and nowadays its extraordinary beauty makes a great impression on everyone who comes here for the first time.
The Holy Dormition Pskovo-Pechersky monastery. |
The date of the monastery's foundation is considered to be August, 15/28, 1473. It was on that day that the monastery's founder, St. Jonah (Shesnik) consecrated the church of the Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God — a church which was built into the hillside. The monastery has never been closed. Five centuries have passed, and the monastery has seen both glory and tragedy, but never have the holy lampadas gone out, nor prayer ceased in this blessed place. The perfectly preserved powerful fortress of the 16th century was an impregnable outpost in the western part of the Russian state. At the same time, the monastery was one of the largest cultural centers of ancient Russia. Chronicles and literary works were written here, as well as priceless samples of Russian painting, applied art and jewelry were made and collected by the monks. Now there are ten churches in the monastery. It is in the oldest gold-domed Dormition church that one can see and venerate the miracle-working icon of the Dormition of the Most Pure Mother of God and the relics of the Holy Martyr Cornelius. In 2003 the monastery marked the 530th anniversary of its existence and salvific work in the Orthodox Church. The years pass, governments and empires rise and fall, but the monastery remains a firm stronghold of Orthodoxy in a restless world.
The Krypetsky Monastery was founded in 1485 by St. Savva Krypetsky, a Serbian monk from Mount Athos, in what was then described as an impracticable mire. Two years later, the Pskov veche supported his establishment by granting a large plot of land to the monks. Prince Obolensky had a road for pilgrims built through the mire to the monastery. St. Savva died on 28 August 1495 and was interred in the timber cathedral, which was rebuilt in stone in 1547 and still stands.
A.S. Pushkin’s family estate, Mikhaylovskoye. |
Elizarovo Monastery, which used to be a great cultural and literary centre of medieval Russia. It is a small convent founded in 1447 to the north of Pskov, along the road leading to Gdov, by a local peasant named Eleazar. He constructed the wooden church of Three Holy Fathers, wherein he was interred upon his death on 15 May 1481. Eleazar was canonized at the Stoglavy Sobor in 1551. In the mid-16th century, the monastery was heavily fortified and attained a position of great importance and celebrity, owing to its learned hegumen, Philotheus of Pskov, who is credited with authorship of the Legend of the White Cowl and the Third Rome prophesy. It was during his hegumenship that the monastery became known for its school of icon-painters and its still-standing cathedral was built. Some scholars believe that the only known copy of the Lay of Igor's Campaign was created by one of local monks at the behest of Philotheus.
Old tower of Izborsk fortress, northern Russia. |
Slavonic springs |
Slavonic springs
There are a lot of springs near Izborsk, and all they have their own names: Talavskie, Ilinskie, Bogoroditskie, Slavonic, and Nicolskie. The biggest springs are located mostly in the western part of Izborsko-Malskaya valley. They are so called “Slavonic springs” or “The springs of the Twelve apostles”. The first mentioning of these springs refers to the XVII cent. But they exist more than thousand years. Going through the limestone and the layers of clay the water becomes clearer but it still has a lot of calcium and mineral elements in it. Slavonic springs are supposed to be healthy and to have miraculous power. There is a legend that every spring has its own power. One can give you health, another - happiness, the third one - love. That’s why you should try the water from every spring in order to have the full set.
History
Ruin of old tower in Pskov. |
During the Middle Ages, Pskov was a main stronghold on Russia's northwestern frontier, a capital of a wealthy principality, and one of the largest cities in Europe. It was repeatedly attacked by the Mongols, the Teutonic Knights, Lithuanians, Polish and Swedes. Later, in 1241, it was captured by Teutonic knights. Several months later it was liberated by Alexander Nevsky.
Alexander Nevskij's sword in the Pskov's Kremlin. |
From the 14th century sovereign Pskov Republic was functioning with capital in Pskov city. From European point of view it was Russian western outpost. That’s why Pskov city was the subject of numerous attacks and sieges through all its history. Only in the 15th century Pskov city citadel was under siege dozens of times. Pskov is a city where a lot of Russian architecture features were introduced for the first time.
Pskov city was taken over by Moscow state in 1510. That time it was the second largest city of Moscow state. Pskov city was still an attraction for various invaders. The most known siege happened during Livonian War in 1581-1582 when the Polish army of about 50,000 soldiers were trying to capture the city numerous times but without success.
Later, at the beginning of 18th century, after Russian Tsar Peter the Great had captured Estonia and Latvia states Pskov city role as the border citadel of Russia ended. So the importance of Pskov city reduced greatly.