Church of Alexander Nevsky. Saviour Mirozhsky Monastery 12 century in Pskov.
Russia. History of old Pskov cityRussian ancient Pskov cityhistory, architecture, chuch, monastery, fortress, towers, trap. Russian.pskovfood, cooking, recipespoetry, poemsrussia, pskov

ancient fortresses and monasteries in Pskov city The Church of St. Alexander the Nevsky.Pskov churches and monasteries, civilian houses, merchant chambers

The Church of St. Alexander the Nevsky The Church of St. Alexander the Nevsky was built in 1907 - 1908 years. The Church of the Omsk`s regiment of the Russian army was built before the World War I in a so-called "Russian style". It has recently been restored and functions as a military church of Pskov.


About web-site.

I am happy to share with you this numerous pictures. For this photo gallery I selected the best pictures that reflect the quiet and solemn beauty of the Pskov area, its historical and cultural heritage and the spirit of its inhabitants.

This site describes one of Russia’s ancient cities, Pskov. (English and Russian).
It is also full of Russian Churches and monuments, Recipes of Russian cuisine and Fairy tales. There are many links to choose from and around every corner you will learn something new. There are old fortresses and monasteries to read about. I hope, the pictures are splendid and make the site interesting and fun to navigate.


In Pskov, a Russian city that is more than 1100-years-old, history is reflected in almost every piece of stone: old fortresses and a Kremlin, ancient towers and monasteries with churches, merchant's quarters and over 300 historical monuments

Pskov has been an attractive place for living since ancient times: fertile and rich in minerals, expansive hunting and fishing spots, and relatively safe, the city sits on a high rocky hill between two surrounding rivers, the Velikaya and Pskova. Originally, the town was a famous fortress and a protector of the Russian lands. It was also a trade, handicraft and architectural center with a vast number of churches. Finally, the town and its surrounding region was the birthplace to many masterpieces of art. A trip to this fascinating city is necessary in order to comprehend the importance of the place and its influence on Russian history.
A Guardian of the Russian Land

Pskov was first mentioned in historic chronicles in 903, when Olga, Russian's first Christian woman and wise governor founded it. The ancient walls and towers of Pskov's Kremlin were built on a cliff between the Velikaya and Pskova rivers. Until the beginning of the 18th century, Pskov was the center of historical events in Russia serving as a powerful fortress in the northwest of Russia. Pskov was an independent city-state (republic) with its own legislation and other laws. The town was defended by four rings of stone walls, and these were fortified by 39 fighting towers. The total length of the walls was 9,5 kilometers; the height - 12-20 meters and the thickness - 2-6 meters. The strategic mission of Pskov was to serve as a shield and protect Russia from enemies for ages. This is reflected in its monuments, especially in architecture (monuments in honor of Prince Alexander Nevsky and his victory over the Teutonic Knights at Chudskoye Lake in April 1242, two small churches in the corner of the fortress devoted to the heroic defense of Pskov against the troops of Stefan Batory in 1581, etc.). The history of Pskov includes many sieges and raids, and Pskov's continual struggle against foreign invaders led to the unification of Pskov with Moscow. In 1510, Pskov lost the republican rule. In 1701, Tsar Peter the Great ordered the reconstruction of the Pskov fortress, and many churches were hidden beneath the embankment of bastions and batteries. In the 20th century, Pskov suffered greatly during the Second World War. On July 9, 1941, it was occupied by German forces and largely destroyed. It was not until July 23, 1944, that Pskov was liberated.

Pskov is very ancient Russian city.
Trade, handicraft and architectural center.

The city of Pskov also served as a key point of Russian and even international trade. In the 9th to 10th centuries, silver arab currency - drakhm - appeared in Pskov, and West European money came to Pskov in the 11th to 12th centuries. Some of the commodities which the Pskovites exported were: furs, wax, honey, tar, flax, leather, fat and grain. They imported salt, herring, expensive cloth, wine and fruits, paper. The large quantity of construction materials - limestone slabs, for example - propelled progress in church and fortress constructing. The most brilliant samples of Pskov architecture are the Churches of St. Nicholas on Usokha (16th century), St. Basil on the Hill (15th century), the Pogankin House (17th century), and the Intercession complex (16th century). The Holy Trinity Cathedral must be especially mentioned as a masterpiece of Pskov secular architecture. It was founded by the aforementioned Olga on the right bank of the Velikaya River. All the streets in the town lead to this splendid church. The most famous figures of ancient Pskov still lie beneath Trinity Cathedral.

A place of inspiration

The region's picturesque nature, abundant forests, rivers and lakes neighboring white-walled churches create perfect conditions for contemplation. The brilliance of green silence and grand views strongly inspired artists, touching the very soul. Among them - two great Russian composers, Modest Mussorgsky (Boris Godunov) and Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (Sadko, The Tale of Tsar Saltan). The impressions they drew from the local folk songs, tales and sayings nourished their music as well as the poetry of the famous Russian poet, Aleksander Pushkin, who wrote a series of poems in the Pskov province. The wonderful estates of Trigorskoye and Petrovskoye were a source of delight and wonder for the poet. At Mikhailovskoye Pushkin wrote over 100 works including the country chapters of his major novel Eugene Onegin, the drama Boris Godunov, the lyrical poem A Magic Moment I remember... The famous poet is buried by the walls of Svyatye Gory Monastery. The place now is called Pushkinskiye Gory, or Pushkin Mountains, and includes a number of estates around, monastery and museums. Here, everything is devoted to the life of Aleksander Pushkin, his re-latives and friends. 

Aleksander Sergeevich Pushkin was born in Moscow on May 26, 1799 (Old Calendar). In 1811, he entered the Imperial Lyceum (Tsarskoe Selo), where he received the best education available in Russia at the time. After graduating from the Lyceum, he was given a sinecure in the Collegium of Foreign Affairs in Petersburg.
He reflected liberal views in 'revolutionary' poems, his ode Freedom, The Village, and a number of poems on Aleksander I and his minister Arakcheev. At the same time he was working on his first large-scale work, Ruslan and Liudmila. In 1820-6, Pushkin was exiled from the capital cities because of the Emperor's dissatisfaction with his conduct and poetry.

In 1825, the poet wrote Boris Godunov, and in 1828, the romantic historical epic Poltava. In 1833, Pushkin published Eugene Onegin, which he had worked on from 1823-31. In 1830, Pushkin married N. N. Goncharova.

In 1836, he finished the historical novel The Captain's Daughter and the travelogue parody Journey to Arzrum. In 1837, the poet died in a duel with d'Anthes, his rival and enemy. He was buried beside his mother at Svyatye Gory Monastery, near Mikhaylovskoe.

I live in Pskov city. For this photo gallery I selected the best pictures that reflect the quiet and solemn beauty of the Pskov area, its historical and cultural heritage and the spirit of its inhabitants.