July 12, 2019

A Good Time to Visit Pskov


A Good Time to Visit Pskov
Pskov Fortress under a full moon. Oleg Tokarev (CC)

The cozy town of Pskov in Western Russia received world-wide recognition this weekend, as its ancient churches were inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage. The so-called Pskov school is renowned for its simple, asymmetrical forms that inspired the centuries of architecture that followed: Le Corbusier once called the style "medieval constructivism."

The city's oldest buildings date to the twelfth century, but the style was at its peak after Pskov became a political and economic force as an independent republic. Meanwhile, its builders were renowned all over Rus. Some were even invited to build the cathedrals in the Moscow Kremlin, alongside Italian architects.

Here is what UNESCO said about Pskov's churches:

Characteristics of these buildings, produced by the Pskov School of Architecture, include cubic volumes, domes, porches and belfries, with the oldest elements dating back to the twelfth century. Churches and cathedrals are integrated into the natural environment through gardens, perimeter walls and fences. Inspired by the Byzantine and Novgorod traditions, the Pskov School of Architecture reached its peak in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, and was one of the foremost schools in the country. It informed the evolution of Russian architecture over five centuries.

Here are the ten churches now recognized as part of our global cultural heritage.

Pskov's churches have had various fates. Some are now museums, while some are functioning places of worship, but all are in need of tender loving care. We hope the new inscription on the list will instill a new sense of responsibility on the part of local authorities, while piquing the interest of tourists so as to generate needed finances for upkeep.

In more good news for Pskov tourism, the Pskov Museum, which unites the city's most notable landmarks, including the kremlin, is to be promoted from regional to federal status. While this sounds like just a bureaucratic change, it actually means more prestige and funding from Moscow, expanding its means beyond its current, tiny regional budget.

When visiting Pskov, you can use a handy free app to orient yourself, and, while there, don't forget to visit the nearby Pushkin Hills, Pechory and Izborsk!


You Might Also Like

The Battle on the Ice
  • March 01, 2006

The Battle on the Ice

Alexander Nevsky's victory over the Livonians on Lake Chudskoye (Peipus) has taken on the status of legend in Russian history. But Nevsky may not be the best of Russian heroes.
Pskov (and Pskovians)
  • July 01, 2003

Pskov (and Pskovians)

An arranged marriage put Pskov on the map (or so the Chronicle says). But, since then, for 1100 years, Pskov has been an important crossroads between Russia and Europe. For a millenium, Pskov has withstood countless attacks and seiges, while facilitating trade and commerce. Its biggest challenge today is integrating with the wider world, while preserving a hold on its historic past.
Alexander Nevsky
  • November 15, 2000

Alexander Nevsky

Controversial actions of the Russian leader during the Mongol domination of the 13th century.
Pskov
  • February 21, 2017

Pskov

Accomplished photographer Dmitry Markov takes us on a tour of Pskov, "Where Russia Begins."
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955