Know your native land. Trip to Pskov. Pskov Krom (Kremlin). The heart of the old Russian Pskov fortress

Address: Russia, Pskov region, Pskov
Date of construction: end of the 11th century - the beginning of the XII century.
Main attractions: Trinity Cathedral, bell tower, Order Chamber, towers, fortress walls
Wall length: eastern - 435 m, western - 345 m, southern - 88 m
Number of towers: 7
Coordinates: 57°49"20.7"N 28°19"43.1"E
An object cultural heritage Russian Federation

They say that without seeing the ancient Krom, you will not understand the soul of Pskov. The majestic fort near the confluence of Pskov and Velikaya is a real repository of historical memory. He knew the freemen of the veche republic and the raids of the enemy, popular riots and fascist occupation. Powerful gray walls encircle the veche square and the snow-white Trinity Cathedral, and while walking around the Kremlin, you seem to find yourself in the Middle Ages.

View of the Kremlin from a bird's eye view

How Krom Was Built

Archaeological research has made it possible to establish that the first settlement at the confluence of the Pskov River into the Velikaya River appeared in V-VI centuries. The elevated position allowed to control the surroundings and was strategically important, therefore, in X-XI centuries earthen ramparts and a wooden Trinity Church were built on the cape. Some scholars believe that at that time the first stone fortifications could already have stood on the site of the future Kremlin. Constant concern for defense has never been superfluous. Pskov occupied a border position in the north-east of Rus' and was repeatedly attacked by enemies.

During the existence of the Pskov Veche Republic, Krom was considered its spiritual and administrative center. Here stood the Orthodox Trinity Cathedral and there was a spacious veche square. The Kremlin territory was surrounded by powerful stone walls and reinforced with artillery.

View of the Kremlin from the Velikaya River

The city grew and military technology became more sophisticated. The constant threat from the west required new protection measures, so the Pskov Kremlin also changed. One line of walls was not enough, and in the 70-80s of the XIII century, another line of defense was erected from the south of Krom - the powerful Dovmont city. It got its name from the name of the Lithuanian prince who built it, who at baptism took the name Timothy. After that, the territory of the Kremlin began to be called Zastenye.

Years passed, and the medieval fortress continued to expand. At the beginning of the 14th century, Zastenye was surrounded by another stone ring, in 1375 a stone wall of the Old Town appeared, and at the end of the 15th century Zapskovye, a part of the city stretching north from the Pskov River, was surrounded by powerful walls.

At the beginning of the 16th century, Pskov became part of the Moscow principality, and fortifications were created on the river. Above and below the fortress, sections of walls appeared, thrown from coast to coast. There were gratings on them, so in the event of an enemy attack, Pskov turned out to be closed from all sides.

View of the Kremlin and the Trinity Cathedral from the Vlasievskaya Tower

At that time, the Pskov fortress was considered the best in Russia. It had five belts of powerful stone fortifications, stretching for 9 km and enclosing an area of ​​215 hectares. Between the walls were underground and wall passages. 40 towers were built for the defenders in the fortress, and 14 gates existed for entry. However, the heart of the medieval fortress was its most ancient part - Krom.

Kremlin walls and towers

The gray walls of the Kremlin impress everyone who sees them. They have a height of 6-8 and reach a thickness of 2.5 to 6 m. At the top of the walls there are platforms for passage, covered with a wooden roof. From the east is the most long wall, stretching for 435 m. And from the south - the shortest wall, which is also called "Percy". It is only 88 meters long.

The powerful towers of Krom were modernized along with the development of fortification art and military technology. Once there were 40, but military conflicts, and especially the Great Patriotic War, did not spare the fortress. Therefore, only seven towers have survived to this day.

View of the Flat Tower of the Kremlin

The oldest of them is the northern outpost of the Kremlin. This is Kutekroma or Kutniy bonfire (1400). Unusually, the name is made up of the old words "kut", which means corner, "krom" or kremlin and "bonfire" - tower, and means a tower standing "in the corner of the kremlin". The five-tiered round fort looks very picturesque, and the tower is often called the Red one, that is, beautiful. It rises to 30 m and has an average diameter of 10.5 m. An opening is opened in the wall near the fortification, through which you can go to the observation deck.

Kutekroma was destroyed in several raids, and was especially damaged during Northern war, which Russia led with Sweden at the beginning of the 18th century. Later, on the site of a dilapidated fortification, a gazebo was built, where A.S. Pushkin. And the old tower was restored in the 60s of the last century.

At the same time, the Trinity Tower appeared in Kutekromoy in the Kremlin. It is also called Lubyanskaya and Sentry. The tower was destroyed in 1787 and restored along with the Great or Trinity Gates in the 80s of the last century.

View of the Flat and High towers of the Kremlin at the mouth of the Pskov

The square squat Vlasiev tower was erected at the end of the 15th century. It got its name from the temple of Blasius of Sebastia that stood here earlier. The tower is covered with a tall wooden tent and has an observation attic at the top. It was intended to protect Krom from the Velikaya River. The ancient tower has a gate, through which for many centuries people got into the Kremlin from Zavelichye.

Once upon a time, in the center of Krom, there was the Old Market, and merchants and locals. And in the tower itself there was a customs office. At night, the gates were locked and armed guards were posted near them. The tower that we can see today was rebuilt in 1966, that is, it is a remake. In 2010, the wooden tent of the tower burned to the ground from a severe fire, but now it has been completely restored.

Another travel tower was built in the 15th century above the Holy Gates and is called Rybnitskaya. It led to the descent to the Pskov River, where at that time there was one of the shopping districts of the city - Rybniki. The old tower has not survived to this day, as it was dismantled due to dilapidation. However, in the 70s of the last century, through the efforts of builders and restorers, the Rybnitsa Tower was rebuilt. Like Vlasievskaya, it was badly damaged during a fire in 2010, but then it was restored.

great gate

The Dovmondov or Smerdya tower was restored according to the project of the architect Konstantin Andreyevich Ton. It happened in 1866, when the Pskov Kremlin was reconstructed once again. The multifaceted building is reminiscent of European medieval castles, and at the top of it there is an ensign-weather vane with the image of a Russian warrior.

The Middle or Snetnaya Tower stands above Pskovskaya. It rises to 35 m and has a diameter of 11 m. It is interesting that food for dogs was stored here, which guarded the adjoining part of the Kremlin. The modern Middle Tower is a remake built in 1973.

A squat round tower on a narrow cape at the mouth of the Pskov River is called Ploskaya. It has a diameter of 16 m and is interesting in that throughout long history Almost not rebuilt and preserved in its original form. Now the ancient tower is very well restored.

Trinity Tower, a memorial cross on the site of the Cathedral of the Annunciation

Temples and civil buildings on the territory of the Kremlin

The architectural ensemble of the Kremlin is very beautiful. Its center is occupied by the snow-white Trinity Cathedral, which today has the status of the cathedral church of the diocese. This is the fourth cathedral built in Krom. The very first wooden Trinity Church was erected in the 10th century by decree of Princess Olga. The cathedral that can be seen today took 17 years to build and was completed in 1699. It rests on six massive pillars and rises to a height of 78 m. Nowadays, church services are conducted within four limits. Not far from the cathedral rises a snow-white bell tower with a spire and a clock.

Of great interest is a visit to the city of Dovmont - stone buildings erected in the 13th century for greater protection of Krom. It's exposed as a result archaeological sites plots medieval walls and several temples. In the southern wall is the Order Chamber - a stone civil building that appeared at the end of the 17th century. The rectangular building has thick walls (2.3 m) and a hipped metal roof. The interior of the medieval voivodship chambers has been recreated here and exhibitions are held.

Trinity Cathedral with a bell tower

A powerful fortification - zakhab adjoins the gates of the fortress. Its name was formed from the old Russian word "okhaben", which means "sleeve". A long, walled corridor connects the outer gates with internal entrance in Krom. In European fortresses, such structures were called "zwingers". In addition, in the Pskov Kremlin you can see a guest house, a parable house and ancient powder magazines.

Kremlin Ensemble

History, legends and facts

When the fortress walls of Krom were laid, when its first tower was erected, the chroniclers did not record. In written sources, Krom, as an already existing fortress, was first mentioned in 1065. And in the absence of written sources, archaeologists come to the rescue.

People came to the shores of Pskov and Velikaya in the 1st millennium AD and lived quite peacefully - they hunted, fished, decorated themselves and their homes (bone arrowheads, fishing hooks and weights, bone needles and fine jewelry were found).

Tradition attributes the founding of the city to Princess Olga, a native of the village of Vybuty, 12 km from Pskov. But archaeologists attribute the beginning of the turbulent life of the settlement on Pleskov to 8th century- by this time Pskov was already an established city, pagan, of course. And since the city began from the very territory where Krom now stands, pagan temples were also located in the same place.

On the territory of Krom, archaeologists discovered "evidence" of typical urban life: a dice (VIII-XI centuries), a weight weight (VIII-XI centuries); bone overlays and among them - an overlay of fine workmanship (9th-10th centuries) with a crenate ornament resembling a runner, which later became the decoration of Pskov churches.

"Luxury items" were found - glass bracelets and beads, gilded, amber, carnelian jewelry. And the most interesting are the coins from distant countries, evidence of international trade relations: the Samanid dirhem of the 10th century and the 11th century coin of the Friesian count Egbert II.

A large, growing and prosperous city already had something to protect. The construction of the first wooden walls of Krom, set on a clay rampart, dates back to the 8th-10th centuries. Already in the 10th-13th centuries, stone walls grew up, built “dry” (that is, without fixing lime mortar), adjoining the rampart from the inside of the fortress. Stone walls, built on mortar, appeared in the 13th century, they adjoined the rampart from the outside. So in the presentation of archaeologists, the “pre-chronic” periods of the construction of the walls of Krom look like. Then the construction of new towers began, the walls were strengthened with “applied” ones and they were increased in height.

Cultural heritage sites federal significance

Historical reference

A narrow rocky cape at the confluence of the Pskov River with the Velikaya River, where the Kremlin is located, is considered the birthplace of the city of Pskov, which developed on the basis of an older Slavic settlement.

(Yu.P. Spegalsky believes that on Gorodets, where now there is the Church of Michael the Archangel, there was an ancient settlement at the same time, or even earlier than Kromskoye).

In the chronicle of the XII century. it is said: "... but about Pleskov city from the annals, it is not remembered from whom it was created and by what people; only uvedohom, as if he was already at the time when the Princes Rurik and his brother came, from the Varangians in Slovene princes."

Data from archaeological excavations in the northern corner modern Kremlin talk about the presence there in the VIII century. wood-and-earth fortifications along the western border of the cape, and about a stone wall dating back to the 10th-13th centuries.

The assumption about the presence of a stone wall is confirmed by the annalistic mention in 1065 of the unsuccessful siege of Krom by the Polotsk prince, who failed to destroy the wall with stone-throwing tools - "vices").

In the second half of the XII century. in the Kremlin, a stone Trinity Cathedral was built to replace the wooden one in the 10th century.

According to the logic and opinion of researchers (Yu.P. Spegalsky, S.A. Tarakanova, etc.), with south side Kremlin no later than the 12th century. there was a wall that protected Krom from the "outdoor" side, but in the annals until the beginning of the fourteenth century. data about the construction of the Kremlin walls is not available.

For the first time, under 1337, the chronicle mentions the construction of the Kremlin wall, Perseus: "Sheloga posadnik with the men of Pskov made Percy at the citadel." At the western end of Perseus, the Smerdya Tower was built at the same time.

From the south, at the base of the wall, a ravine ran, which was widened and deepened, forming a channel from the river. Pskov to the river. Great, called "rowing".

The “floor” side of the perseus was repeatedly washed away by hollow water during floods and crumbled, it had to be often restored.

The chronicle repeatedly mentions: under 1424: "beginning to make persi near krom"; under 1424: - "The same summer, the wall of stone, Persian Kromsky, was finished, and the husband did half a quarter of the year, and renting 1000 and 200 rubles; and then put a bell tower on the Persians, and hung the bells, and that year stood, decayed percy".

And, finally, under 1463: - "The same summer, the Persians made the month of August at the 30th of the month of Crimea ...; and put the bell tower on the wall on Persekh to St. Tgoitsi."

In 1399-1400. at the northern end of the cape, a "bonfire" was built - a tower "in the kutu of Kroma" (in the corner of the Kroma-Kremlin), at the same time a second fire was built - the Snetnaya tower above the river. Pskov "bonfire on Radchina rise" or "bonfire against Lubyanka rise": - "In the summer of 6908 ... Bishop Ivan arrived in Pskov and ordered Zakharya the mayor to hire hirelings to set a fire over Pskov, ... and the Pskovites of the same summer put another fire in Crom's coat on the strelitz."

Middle tower

Examination of the western and eastern walls of the Kremlin in kind showed that they were built simultaneously with the erected towers in the XIV-XV centuries. and subsequently the walls were only completed and strengthened until the 17th century.

In 1416-1419. The Middle Tower was built on the eastern wall of the Kremlin. Thus, in the fifteenth century. The Kremlin was surrounded by a ring of stone fortress walls with towers. In addition to the already described Smerdya, Kutekroma and Snetova (Middle) towers, in the inventories of 1644, 1655, 1699. it says about the Trinity (Clock) tower: "... and over those Trinity gates a corner was made Round Tower.., yes, the city clock was made on the same tower."

Pskov Kremlin. Clock Tower and Trinity Gate. Photo by A. Smirnov. 2001

But after 25-26 years, only 4 towers in the Kremlin are mentioned in the inventories: "The city of Krom is stone, and the city has four stone towers and three stone gates, Trinity gates go to the Domant wall, and other Trinity and Smerdya gates are locked, other Trinity and smaller gates locked up on the Pskov River. along the city of Krom along the wall and with towers 442 fathoms with an elbow and inside the city from the bell tower, which is on the city to another city wall along 170 fathoms, across 49 fathoms. Pskov, but also the entire Russian land from the west, kept the city on alert.

Since ancient times, Pskov, the most powerful northwestern outpost of Rus', successfully held back the onslaught of foreign invaders.

In 1240, the people of Pskov, hiding behind the walls of the Kremlin, selflessly defended themselves against the German knights, but the Germans seized the fortress by deceit and were driven out only in March 1242.

Pskovites successfully fought for their city under Prince Dovmont (Timofey). All Pskov chronicles begin with the story of Dovmont - the people of Pskov themselves associated the beginning of the independence of their land with the name of the prince-warrior. The last battle under the leadership of Dovmont was a battle with a detachment of German knights - near the walls of the Kremlin in 1209, which ended in the defeat of the invaders.

Zahab is a fortification in medieval fortresses, a fortification that protected the fortress gates. As a rule, it was a long, narrow corridor connecting the outer fortress gates in the tower with inner gate leading inside the fortress. Zakhabs of Russian fortresses were 20-40 meters long, 3-5 meters wide and could be located both outside the fortress walls and inside. Very often the zahab had one or more turns to slow down the movement of the attackers while passing the zahab.

The position of Pskov within the Novgorod Republic differed markedly from that of other suburbs of Novgorod.

In fact, even in the XII century. Pskov acted independently in solving internal and external issues. Paying tribute to the strength of Pskov, Novgorod recognized the right to independence for the "younger brother".

In ancient times, the Kremlin was the public and political center of Pskov: the main governing body, the Veche, gathered on Veche Square there.

Until the twelfth century there were also residential buildings on the territory of the Kremlin.

With the growth of urban settlements in the XIII-XIV centuries. residential buildings disappear from the Kremlin and it becomes only an administrative and social center.

The entrance to the Kremlin led through the Small Trinity Gate and a narrow "zahabnya" corridor between two walls to Veche Square.
To the south of the cathedral there was a veche platform, at the northwestern section of Perseus near the Smerdy Gates, the Church of the Annunciation and later the Metropolitan Court were built.

Layout ancient territory Kremlin

Outbuildings - cages with food, ammunition, goods, were located behind the Trinity Cathedral.

During the siege of Pskov by Stefan Batory in 1581, there were 1000 crates with bread and ammunition in Krom.

Thus, both secular and spiritual administration were concentrated in the Kremlin.
Civil and military affairs were decided at the veche, laws, trade agreements were approved, princes were invited.

The prince was a military leader and was in charge of the court, his power was limited. In the Trinity Cathedral, weapons were illuminated, Pskov princes were buried in the lower floor. Vsevolod-Gavriil, Dovmont-Timofei, Yuri, Daniil Rostovsky, Yaroslav Striga-Obolensky and others are buried here.

V.M. Vasnetsov. Veche in Pskov. To the left of the zahab is Veche Square. In Pskov, there was a veche similar to the Novgorod one, although, apparently, there was more centralization here

Despite the democratic form of government, power in Pskov practically belonged to a narrow circle of boyar families (gentlemen), who skillfully led a poorly organized veche.

Veche Square (13th–16th centuries) - political center medieval city.

The southern part of the fortifications of Pskov - Persi (Pershy), on which the veche bell tower towered. There was also a chamber where the Council of Boyars met and the archives of the veche republic were kept.

In the southern part, under the backfill, preserved ruins of the Metropolitan's Court, 16th–18th centuries

In the 19th century, the warm Annunciation Cathedral of classical forms stood here.

The degree (tribune) of Veche was located near the walls of the Trinity Cathedral. Now the veche square is hidden by later stratifications of the cultural layer and is located several meters below the modern surface level.

Metropolitan courtyard. A mighty wall and a high cliff with a channel at the bottom separated the Kremlin from the city of Dovmont located at its foot. Spegalsky's drawing

The people of Pskov hurried here at the call of the veche bell, which hung on the belfry, standing on Persia. The veche meeting was attended by those who had a court in Pskov - Boyars, merchants, artisans. They represented the ends, self-governing districts of the city, which had equal rights at the veche.

Each end also had its own veche, connected with two suburbs of Pskov, i.e. fortresses protecting the approaches to the city from all sides. Posadniks were appointed there from Pskov, governors of the Pskov prince were sent there.

All the important issues of the life of the Pskov state were decided at the veche - about war, peace, the calling of the prince, the election of posadniks, taxes.

In 1397, at the Veche, they adopted the Pskov Judicial Charter, a code of laws,
on which the republic lived.

The last time the veche bell rang on January 13, 1510, when the period of the Pskov veche republic ended and the history of Pskov as part of the Russian state of Moscow Rus' began.

However, history knows of cases when the veche "shoved from the degree" of Prince Vladimir, appointed by Moscow "not according to the Pskov old days, the Pskovites are not called, and the people are not good" (1462).

In 1483, the Pskovites "with all Pskov at the veche" killed the posadnik Gavrila and drew up a "death letter" (death sentence) to three other posadniks who fled under the protection of the Moscow Tsar, because the posadniks and Prince Yaroslav took out a stink letter from the "chest" and replaced it with another, fixing smerdov in complete dependence
from the boyars.

The Bolotovsky Treaty of 1348 legalized the independence of the Pskov Republic.

The abolition of the veche republic and the annexation of Pskov to the Muscovite state took place in 1510. The veche bell was removed and sent to Moscow.

Pskov Kremlin. Towers of the Lower Lattices - High and Flat. Photo by A. Smirnov. 2001

Meaning Pskov Kremlin, How military fortress in the XV-XVI centuries. remained very significant. Despite the fact that by this time Pskov was surrounded by a ring of fortified walls of the Round City, the walls of the Middle City and mighty watch battle towers were rebuilt.

The people of Pskov successfully repulsed numerous attacks by the knights of the Livonian Order, the troops of the Polish king Stefan Batory, detachments of the Swedes, Lithuanians, and Germans.

The walls of Krom grew in height, thickened. In 1537, at the mouth of the river. The Pskovs built the wooden Lower Lattices, which closed the riverbed.

Lattices were located between the towers. In 1631 the walls of the lattices were laid out of stone.

In 1615, despite the significant superiority
weapons and the number of troops, the army of Gustavus Adolphus could not take the Pskov fortress, and after 2 unsuccessful assaults, the siege of the city was lifted. The artillery of Gustav-Adolf caused great damage to the fortifications: in the Kremlin, the Kutekroma and Smerdya towers suffered from it.

By the end of the XVII century. the Snetnaya tower collapsed. The middle tower (1419) was in ruins.

In 1701, preparing for the war with the Swedes, Peter I ordered to strengthen and modernize the Pskov fortress.

In the Kremlin, horseshoe-shaped earthen ramparts were erected, at the top of which was the Kutekroma tower. The upper tiers of the tower were brought down to the level of the bastion.

Large sections of the eastern and western walls were covered with earth to the level of the walking platforms. Wooden coverings were removed to prevent fire; cannons were erected on earthen bastions.

The headquarters of the Russian army was located in Pskov, a garrison was kept, and the wounded were brought here. But there were no direct hostilities during the Northern War.

After the Treaty of Nystadt, the western borders of Russia
moved away from Pskov. The fortifications of the Kremlin and the whole city became outdated, and those that were no longer supported began to be intensively destroyed.

In 1787, Pskov was excluded from the active fortresses. The sections of the eastern and western walls of the Kremlin covered with earth from the Kutekroma tower were gradually destroyed. In 1701, the remains of the Metropolitan Court were filled up, and in 1835 the dilapidated Church of the Annunciation was dismantled, and a cathedral was built in its place, which stood until 1930.

In the 80s of the XVIII century. the Rybnitsa tower was dismantled, in 1787 the top of the cathedral bell tower burned down, collapsed Clock tower standing above the Trinity Gate.

In 1824, part of the western wall fell from the porch of the cathedral to the Smerdya Tower, in 1928 the central section of the western wall collapsed. The eastern wall, rebuilt twice after the explosions in the Powder Cellars (in 1582 and 1609), also crumbled, and in the area near the Dark Gates (Troitsky) was equal to the roadway. stone building behind
The middle tower has lost completion, only the lower tier has been preserved.

In 1955-1959. the Low Wall up to the Kutekroma tower was restored, then the western wall was spun up to the Dovmontov tower; by 1961, the restoration of the Kutekroma tower was completed.

This was followed by the restoration of the eastern wall of the Kremlin, from the Kutekroma tower to the bell tower of the Trinity Cathedral.

In 1966-1968. the remaining stone rooms (the so-called Powder magazines) and the foundation of the Middle Tower were examined. The restoration of the Middle Tower was completed in 1972. The author of the project for the restoration of the Middle Tower and the "Powder Cellars" is Vorobyov A.B. (chief architect of the project of the All-Union Industrial Research and Restoration Combine - VPNRK).

The walls and towers were restored to a full profile with the installation of walking platforms and wall coverings; the towers were restored with tents, metal ensigns were placed on the tops.

The documentation is stored in the archives of the VPNRK and the PSRNPM.

In 1973, research was carried out on the remains of the eastern wall from the Dark (Trinity) Gates to the bell tower, the foundation of the tower at the Trinity Gates, the restoration of which began in 1973.

Main architectural features

The Kremlin is located in the center modern city on a narrow high rocky cape at the confluence of the river. Pskov in the river. Great and
occupies an area of ​​3 hectares with a shape resembling a strongly elongated triangle in the north-south direction.

The territory of the Kremlin is surrounded by stone fortress walls with walking platforms covered with a wooden roof 6-8 m high and 2.5 m to 6.0 m thick (Persian).

At the northern end of the Kremlin there is a 5-tiered Kutekroma tower 30 meters high, its average diameter is 10.5 meters.

The tower ends with a wooden tent with a watchtower, on a skate
which has a metal ensign. The length of the eastern wall of the Kremlin is 435 m; western - 345 m.

In the center of the western wall, on the outer facade, an ornament (triangular depressions - "runner") has been preserved.

Kutekroma Tower

The eastern wall goes around the Kremlin along a parabolic curve from the side of the river. Pskov, following the relief of the Kromskaya Upland.

At a distance of 268 m from the Kutekroma tower, the wall protrudes inward at 5 m.

In this place there is a 5-tiered Middle Tower 35 m high, with an average diameter of 11 m.

The tower ends with a tent with a watch tower, on which a metal ensign with a stylized image of a cross is fastened - an ornament with a cross, located on the wall of the Staro-Izborsk fortress, was used for the ensign.

At present, it is a 2-tier building made of limestone slabs; lower, ancient, vaulted floor, tripartite in plan. Top floor with flat ceilings. Window openings at the level of the 2nd floor are rectangular openings 50x50 cm in size. The size of the building in the plan is 30 x 15 m.

Behind middle tower a 92 m long section of the fortress wall up to the bell tower was restored.

A paved cobblestone road leads from the Dark Gate to the square in front of the cathedral.

Despite the fact that many unique architectural monuments are concentrated in the Pskov region, when I planned a trip to these places, Pskov Krom was my main goal.

Phenomenon of the Pskov Kremlin

Pskov and its fortifications today are one of the main points in most routes along Silver ring, and among all the surviving kremlins I single out Pskov especially. There are several reasons for this.

Firstly, he is perhaps the most Russian of them. The fact is that Moscow, Tula, Novgorod and other surviving fortresses were built under the strong influence of Italian architecture, a prime example which are teeth of the "dovetail" type.

If you want to get to the Kremlin, the Olginsky Bridge and Lenin Square, where the bridge passes on the right bank of the Velikaya River, will serve as a guide. The Pskov fortifications adjoin the bridge from the north.

Buses 1.5, 8, 11, 14, 15 and 17 stop directly at the Kremlin. The ticket price for one trip is 20 rubles.

The official address of Pskovskiy Krom is Kremlin street, 2.

Dovmontov city

The path to the entrance to the very heart of the Pskov system of fortifications lies through the city of Dovmont. This is a territory located within the second ring of fortifications, which is attached to Krom from the south.

The city received its name Dovmontov in honor of the Lithuanian prince Dovmont, who fled to Pskov in the second half of the 13th century, was baptized and was subsequently elected a prince. A curious fact, but if in most cities ancient Rus' the princely title was inherited, then in Pskov and Novgorod it was an elective position. If we talk about Europe as a whole, then such a commercial republic took place in many trading cities and states. You don’t have to go far for examples: Croatian, where the prince was elected every month, and, of course,.

As for the personality of Dovmont, he showed himself especially brightly in the military field, repeatedly repelling the attacks of the Livonian knights advancing from the west. Subsequently, the prince was canonized, and his relics rest in the Trinity Cathedral.

Despite the fact that the first fortifications of the Dovmontov city were built during the reign of the legendary prince, the current walls and towers date back to the 16th century, and when I saw them, at first I was very surprised. Covered with plaster, they are strikingly different from the bare limestone walls and towers of Krom.

According to the guide, this has already been done by modern restorers, and once the whole system of Pskov fortifications was so snow-white.

And many people call Dovmontov the city "Pskov Pompeii". When I saw the foundations of numerous temples, the events associated with visiting the city actually mothballed as a result of the eruption of Vesuvius really surfaced in my memory. Some of the monuments of Dovmontov city are planned to be restored.

But there are buildings in this part of the Pskov fortifications that are much better preserved.

Order chambers

They were built at the end of the 17th century, and initially the Pskov administration represented by the governor was located there.

The building is made in a rough manner, typical for Pskov architecture in general, and under the white plaster hides the same gray-brown limestone from which the Pskov city Kremlin is built.

Today, interiors of the 17th-18th centuries have been recreated in the halls of the Order Chambers, telling us about the everyday life of the Pskov governors. The exposition is open from 10.00 to 18.00, except Monday and Tuesday, and the cost of an adult ticket is 100 rubles.

Spiritual Consistory

This building was built already in the 19th century, and against the backdrop of massive, roughly hewn buildings of earlier periods, at first it seemed somehow inconspicuous to me. Today there is a souvenir shop where you can buy a standard set of tourist trinkets like magnets and dishes with views of Pskov.

Although personally I am practically indifferent to souvenirs of this kind at the present time, I also found a reason to go into this building on the way to Pskov Krom - excursions. The fact is that the bureau is also located in the building of the Spiritual Consistory.

Excursion service in the Pskov Kremlin

Cost of 45 minutes sightseeing tour on the territory of Dovmontov city and Krom with a visit to the Trinity Cathedral costs 600 rubles for a mini-group of up to 4-5 people (in my case there were three). The order, as a rule, is as follows: you pay for the tour, after which the administrator contacts the free guide and you negotiate the start time. In my case, I had to wait only about half an hour, after which we went to see the city of Dovmont first, and then the Pskov Kremlin.

The address of the Spiritual Consistory is Kremlin street, 6.

In the same bureau, you can arrange to see the whole of Pskov with a guide. The Kremlin, excursions around which are especially popular with tourists, is far from the only attraction of the city. The cost of excursions is also 600 rubles for a mini-group, and the routes involve traveling by car.. At the same time, if you did not come to Pskov by car or simply do not want to act as a driver, the guide can call a taxi, which operates at a rate of 400 rubles at one o'clock.

Rybnitsa tower

It is remarkable, first of all, in that it has a square section, unlike most Pskov towers, in which it is round.

The tower owes its name to the fact that there were fish trading rows nearby.

Unfortunately, what we can see now is a remake, and the original tower was dismantled back in the 18th century.

Walls and towers of the Pskov Kremlin

If the fortifications of the Dovmontov city with their relatively strict forms may well evoke associations with the walls of some monastery of the Golden Ring, then the walls of the Pskov Kremlin are difficult to confuse with any other Russian fortress that has come down to us.

The shape of the Kremlin is a curvilinear quadrangle, and its towers are significantly higher than all the other Pskov fortifications included in the system.

To get inside, I had to go through the Great Gate, above which is laid out the same mosaic icon of the Holy Trinity, which I mentioned at the beginning.

At the same time, the entrance to the territory is absolutely free. This is true for those who do not like excursions and want to explore the Pskov Kremlin on their own.

The working hours of the fortress suggest that it is open to the public daily from 06.00 to 22.00.

flat tower

It is located at the very confluence of the Pskov and Velikaya rivers, and its shape is strikingly different from its taller and more slender predecessors. Thick and squat, it provided the defenders of the fortress with the opportunity to fire at the enemy at the widest possible angle, actually playing the role of a bastion.

It is connected to the main perimeter of the Kremlin by a passage, otherwise called the "curtain wall", along which you can now walk.

And it is the Flat Tower that is depicted in popular photographs of the Pskov fortress, where the Pskov River flows between two towers. On the opposite bank begins the section of the fortifications of the Okolny city in the Zapskovye region.

Kutniy bonfire tower, or Kutekroma

It is with it that the Flat Tower is connected by a curtain. Kutekroma stands out, first of all, with its name. I already mentioned what “krom” means above, and the prefix “kute-” is nothing more than a derivative of the word “kut”, that is, “angle”. Generally unaccustomed to hearing modern man the name means only that the tower stands in the corner of the Kremlin. Indeed, the corner in which it is located is the northernmost and sharpest within the Kremlin quadrangle.

As for the name “Kutny bonfire”, towers were called bonfires in the old days, so in translation into modern language it means "corner tower".

Bell tower

It also stands out against the background of rough limestone walls, and at the first glance at it, I immediately wondered why the practical Pskovites should take the bell tower to the wall, where it becomes especially vulnerable. The answer turned out to be simple: the current bell tower was built already at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century, and until that time one of the towers had been in its place.

Buildings on the territory of the Pskov Kremlin

The practicality of the people of Pskov also manifested itself in the development of the territory located within the fortress walls. There are no fanciful palaces and luxurious chambers, and there is only one church - in a word, only the most necessary for defense and maintaining morale.

Powder cellar

Despite the fact that it was built from the same limestone as the walls with towers, this building is at least a hundred years younger than the fortress itself, which was finally completed in its current form in the 16th century. The powder magazine, which we can see now, was founded after 1636 on the site of an old building that exploded in 1608 as a result of a fire. At the same time, the second floor was built no earlier than the second half of the 18th century. Unfortunately, the cellar is currently officially closed to the public.

Trinity Cathedral

This main and one of the oldest Pskov churches seemed to me, however, more elegant than most of the churches in the city of Pskov. It is noteworthy that in the place where it stands, one of the first Christian churches in Rus' was originally built by order of Princess Olga, who was the grandmother of St. Vladimir - the one under whom Kievan Rus officially converted to Christianity in 988. The church was wooden, like the first system of fortifications, on the site of which the current Pskov Kremlin was later built.

The opening hours of the Trinity Cathedral are from 08.00 to 20.00, and today the entrance is free, and in addition to the rich iconostasis, inside there are burial places of Pskov saints, including the repeatedly mentioned Dovmont.

House Prichta

This building adjoining the cathedral was originally intended for the residence of priests. Since the cathedral is still operating today, today it houses a guest house for pilgrims and a Sunday school.

Summing up, Pskov Krom seemed to me a truly unique example of a native Russian fortress. Yes, there is Izborsk, which you can read about, Porkhov, which is written about, and the walls of the Pskov-Caves Monastery, but it is Krom that is the most striking embodiment of Pskov defensive architecture.

Cult, historical architectural ensemble in Pskov, located within the walls of the Pskov fortress. The whole complex occupies about 3 hectares. It attracts tourists, first of all, with its architectural heritage. The Pskov Kremlin or, as it is sometimes called, Krom is included in the version of our site.

According to some reports, Pskov Krom is the largest fortress in Europe. The length of its walls is about 9 km. Its history began in the 10th-12th centuries, when earthen fortifications were erected on this site. They were called upon to protect the pagan settlement that existed on the territory of modern Pskov from 1000 AD. At the same time, the wooden Trinity Cathedral was erected.

Until the 16th century, the military-strategic significance of this fortress was preserved, and Veche Square served as the political center of the medieval city. In 1701, by order of Peter I, the wall was strengthened, and the fortifications were modernized. The entire architectural ensemble today occupies two parts of the city at once, which arose in different time. On one side is the five-domed Trinity Cathedral with a bell tower, and on the other - Dovmontov city (an additional fortification of Krom).

Trinity Cathedral is of particular importance in the Kremlin ensemble. It is the so-called dominant of the complex and the current temple. It was built in 1699. The seven-tiered iconostasis of the cathedral is undoubtedly one of the main shrines of the city. Entrance to the territory of the Pskov Kremlin is free. If you come to Pskov by train, then next to the station you can take a direct bus to your destination.

Attraction photo: Pskov Kremlin

The Pskov Kremlin (Krom) is one of the most famous sights of the North-West of Russia. He sheltered at the confluence of two rivers - the Pskov and the Great - and is impregnable fortress an area of ​​3 hectares with high stone walls, moats and watchtowers.

The history of the Pskov Kremlin goes back over a thousand years. According to very vague historical data, the first settlements on this land appeared around the middle of the first millennium, and the wooden walls of the fortress were erected somewhere in the period from the eighth to the tenth century.

The Kremlin in Pskov acquired stone walls and towers during the dawn of the Pskov Republic (fourteenth - sixteenth centuries). At the same time, the Trinity Cathedral, the main decoration of the city, was erected on the territory of Krom. And now let's talk in more detail about the sights that await tourists who come to Pskov and go for a walk around the Kremlin, the entrance to which, by the way, is completely free

Even before entering the Pskov Kremlin, tourists see the first attraction - the city of Dovmont.

We will not dwell on it in more detail here, since a separate article is devoted to this archaeological monument of the Pskov land on our website -, - with detailed information and photographs.

Like other ancient fortresses, the Kremlin in Pskov has impregnable stone walls and tall towers defending the city from the enemy old times and admired by tourists today.

On average, the walls of the Pskov Kremlin are 12 meters high and 4 meters thick. These mighty fortifications protected the townspeople for several centuries until the Northern War, in which Pskov was of strategic importance.

The towers of the Kremlin connect the walls and serve as the main defensive structures. Unfortunately, in 2010, two of them were destroyed by a terrible fire, but now they have been completely restored. Tourists cannot get inside the towers, as well as climb the walls.

Trinity Cathedral

In the very center of the Kremlin stands its main decoration - the Trinity Cathedral.

This architectural monument deserves more detailed description And more photos, so a separate article is also devoted to it, which you can read at the link.

memorial cross

In front of the Trinity Cathedral, on a huge deserted square, a memorial cross was erected, telling us that the Annunciation Cathedral was located on this site until the 40s of the last century.

In general, the Pskov Kremlin is quite deserted. There are practically no buildings on its territory, unlike other similar complex ensembles. This gives it a special flavor, but makes the tour of the Kremlin not as intense as we would like.

Observation deck

If you pass the Kremlin diagonally, you can find yourself on observation deck, which breaks away beautiful view. Going down a little, you can walk along defensive structure, which served to protect the river and the city from the enemy

He told about all the most striking and memorable sights of the Pskov Kremlin, showed the photo, while finishing his story. Wish have a good trip on the Pskov land, unforgettable impressions and beautiful photos!