Pskov

Introducing Pskov

Situated 265km southwest of St Petersburg and close to both the Latvian and Estonian borders, Pskov is a pretty town with a long, proud history, which you'll be confronted with at nearly every turn. At the heart of Pskov lies a riverside kremlin with a beautiful cathedral inside, and from the old walls that still encircle the original settlement you can spot dozens of great-domed churches, most designed by Pskov's own school of architects and icon painters. Unfortunately, many of the churches are closed, with few marked for renovation. However, there is an excellent museum, the Pogankin Chambers, where a great deal of the iconographic art from these churches has been collected and displayed.

In addition to its cultural treasures, Pskov has some lovely parks and a riverside promenade along the Velikaya's east bank. These offer respite from the city's traffic-choked main streets.

As a border town (30km from Estonia), Pskov's history is saturated with 700 years of war for control of the Baltic coast. German Teutonic knights captured it in 1240, but Alexander Nevsky routed them two years later in a famous battle on the ice of Lake Peipus. The Poles laid siege to it in the 16th century and the Swedes wrecked it the following century. Peter the Great used it as a base for his drive to the sea, and the Red Army fought its first serious battle against Nazi troops nearby.

This is also Pushkin country. The poet's grave and Mikhailovskoe, his family's estate, are a two-hour drive away.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009