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)

Mirozh Monastery in Pskov

Point on route “Old Pskov”

Point 1

Mirozh Monastery

🕍 Place of worship • 📜 Historic site

History of the Monastery

The Mirozh Monastery arose in Pskov in the mid-12th century. Its founding is associated with St. Nifont, Bishop of Novgorod. The cloister stood where the Mirozha River flows into the Velikaya, which gave it its name. From the very beginning the monastery was a cultural center: icon painters and scribes worked here, and it had a library where, tradition says, “The Tale of Igor's Campaign” was copied. Its location outside the fortress walls made the monastery vulnerable. In 1299 the cloister was burned by Livonian knights, who killed Abbot Vasily, later canonized as a saint. In the centuries that followed, the monastery suffered more than once during military campaigns. In 1581 the troops of Stephen Báthory set up a battery on its bell tower and shelled the city. After the secularization of the 18th century, the cloister lost most of its lands. In the Soviet period the monastery was closed, and an excursion center occupied its buildings. Its revival began in the 1990s, when monastic life returned.

Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior

The monastery's main church is the 12th-century Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Savior. It is famous for its extremely rare frescoes painted by Greek masters. These murals have no equal in Russia: for the quality of their execution they are compared with the 12th-century Byzantine mosaics preserved in Sicily. The frescoes cover the cathedral's walls and vaults, and restorers are gradually uncovering some of them. Inside, you feel as though you are encountering the art of another time and culture.

The Monastery Ensemble

The Mirozh Monastery has kept the atmosphere of an ancient cloister. Here are the monks' building, cells, a bell tower, and the working Church of St. Stephen. In the courtyard there are well-kept paths, an apple orchard, and the abbot's wooden house. Although it is an active monastery, visitors do not disturb the brethren's measured life. In 2019 the ensemble was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of “Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture.” Admission to the monastery grounds is free. A visit to the Cathedral of the Transfiguration costs 250 rubles; the cathedral is open every day except Monday, but only in dry weather. Services are held there on major feast days, while the Church of St. Stephen has regular services.