Pskov Intercession Tower, the 16 th century. Churches and Cathedral.
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ancient fortresses and monasteries in Pskov city Intercession Tower, the 16 th century.Pskov churches and monasteries, civilian houses, merchant chambers

Intercession Tower, the 16 th century In the 17th century, when the city's fortifications, begun in the 10th century, took final shape, Pskov had approximately 40 towers, and its fortified walls ran for 9,5 kilometres between them.
Today we can see the remains of the Outer City's stone wall and several towers. Although they stand among modern buildings, these ancient monuments are carefully restored and protected by the state. 
It is one of the towers of Pskovian fortress, belonging to the fortifications of the Outer ("Okolny") Town. It is classical sample of the Pskovian fortification architecture. The mightiest out of the total 40 Pskov towers was the Intercession Tower and it was of great importance in the defence of the southern part of the Outer Town. It was here that the fierce battle with the detachments of the Polish King Stephan Intercession Tower, the 16 th century Bathory occurred on 8 September 1581. 
The defense of Pskov in 1581 - 1582 during the Livonian war (1558 - 1583) was of great historic and moral importance. The war was unleashed by Tsar Ivan the Terrible and his goal was to gain access to the Baltic Sea. The war resulted in the exhaustion of Russia. Having fought against Sweden and he Polish - Lithuanian Kingdom alone, Russia found itself to be very close to utter defeat and the disintegration of the country. A decisive battle occurred at the foot of Pskov's walls. 

On August 1581 a Polish - Lithuanian army 70 thousand strong with the Polish king Stephan Bathory at its head drew near to Pskov and laid siege to the city. The beautiful panorama of a large city embraced by four rings of fortification Intercession Tower, the 16 th century walls, with numerous churches and rich inhabitant yards took the enemy's breath away. The secretary of the Royal Chancellery Yan Piotrovsky wrote in his diary: "I found Pskov a staggering sight! Oh Lord, what a great city! What a beautiful  city! Like Parish! Help us, oh Lord, to conquer it!" ... But God helped to Pskovites.

The old legend.

One of the legends tells ...It was here that, on the eve of the battle, the blacksmith Dorophey saw a vision of Mother of God.
Before the decisive attack the blacksmith Dorofei from the Intercession Monastery had seen a vision of the Mother of God. She appeared in the sky from the Pskov-Pechory Monastery and, standing on the town wall, Virgin ordered to pray hard, the people to confess their sins, then She ordered the guns to be put in the pointed places. After saying that the blessed Mother of God disappeared.