Old Pskov

9 points0 km0 hours

Pskov is one of the oldest cities in Russia. And of course that means the Krom, churches with unique frescoes, merchant chambers, and walks along the rivers. This route introduces you to the city's main landmarks, its history, and its inimitable old-world atmosphere.

Route author

Susanin Team

Things to do

🚶 Stroll along the waterfront
📜 Learn the city's history

Route points (9)

Holy Trinity Cathedral in Pskov

Point on route “Old Pskov”

Point 6

Holy Trinity Cathedral

🕍 Place of worship • 🕵️ Urban legend • 📜 Historic site

Historical Background

The Holy Trinity Cathedral is the main church of the Pskov Kremlin. The site for the first wooden church was chosen in the 10th century by Princess Olga, who saw three rays of light on the cape at the confluence of the rivers. This legend has tied the cathedral closely to the city's history. Over a thousand years the church was rebuilt four times: after fires and destruction new buildings went up, so the present cathedral, built in 1699 on the old foundations, is the fourth.

Architectural Features

The present building is an example of 17th-century Moscow architecture. The cathedral rises to a height of 78 meters (256 feet). In composition it is an elongated six-pillared cube crowned with five domes, symbols of Christ and the Evangelists. Inside, a unique seven-tiered gilded iconostasis from the 17th–18th centuries has survived, along with the ancient wonder-working 16th-century icon of Our Lady of Chirsk. The church has several side chapels: the one on the first level is dedicated to St. Seraphim of Sarov, and the rest are on the second level.

Relics and Legends

The cathedral holds the relics of the Pskov princes Vsevolod and Dovmont, as well as those of the holy fool Nikola Salos, who, tradition says, saved Pskov from the wrath of Ivan the Terrible. The Holy Trinity Cathedral was not only the spiritual but also the administrative center of the medieval city: in front of it lay the Veche Square, where posadniks (mayors) were elected and important decisions made, and the cathedral's own treasure, the Pskov Judicial Charter, became one of the oldest legal documents of Rus.

Impressions of a Visit

From outside the cathedral seems imposing, but inside the space is more intimate: light comes in only through the windows of the domes and from the candles by the icons. A special view of the cathedral opens from the observation deck of the Vlasyevskaya Tower, from where you can see the Kremlin, the river, and the city from a new angle.