38 sights of Pskov recommended for visiting

The best attractions in the vicinity of Pskov:

Smolinskoe Lake

The flowing lake with clear blue water covers an area of 134 hectares. Its maximum depth is slightly more than 10 meters. A large stream flows into the lake.

The lake is located in the picturesque surroundings of the Pskov region; white swans fly here every year for the summer. The birds are almost tame; local residents and tourists feed them with pleasure. Clean air in the lake area is good for health.

Address: Palkinsky district, Pskov region

Opening hours: daily

The entrance is free

Official website: https://vk.com/wall-191076647_400

Izborsk Fortress

Izborsk is one of the oldest Russian cities; it was first mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years. The city fortress was built to protect the Russian state from attacks from the West.

On the territory of the fortress there are several fortified towers - typical examples of medieval fortress architecture. Also here is the Cathedral of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, built in the 14th century.

Address: Izborsk, Pechorskaya st., 39

Working hours: 10:00 – 18:00

Entrance : 300 rubles

Official website: https://www.museum-izborsk.ru

Truvorovo settlement

Truvorovo settlement is a historically significant area on the site of an ancient settlement; Subsequently, the city of Izborsk was founded here. First, the Izborsk fortress was built here, and only then it was moved to where it is now.

At the entrance to the site there are remains of ancient graves with limestone stone slabs. Truvor's cross is installed on one of the graves; According to legend, it is here that the ancient Russian prince Truvor from the Varangian family is buried.

Address: Izborsk, Pskov region

Working hours: 10:00 – 20:00

Entrance : 50 rubles

Official website: https://www.museum-izborsk.ru

Pushkin Mountains

There are several museums dedicated to the life and work of A. S. Pushkin. The architectural and memorial complex is located against the backdrop of picturesque nature.

In the Pushkin Mountains you can visit the museum of A. S. Pushkin and the museum of the famous Russian writer S. Dovlatov, who once worked here as a guide. Those who love active recreation should stay at the Pushkinogorye tourist center.

Address: Pushkinogorye, Pskov region

Opening hours: Wed – Sun, 10:00 – 18:00

Entrance : 100 rubles

Official website: https://pushkinland.ru

Monument to the 6th company

The memorial complex was erected in honor of the Sixth Company, which died in 2000 while performing a combat mission in Chechnya. Now the Pskov air assault regiment is located in the village of Cherekha.

The monument, built according to the design of the architect A. Tsarik, is a snow-white parachute dome resting on a symbolic mountain peak - a pedestal. On memorial days, local residents lay flowers at the monument.

Address: Cherekha village, Pskov region

Opening hours: daily

The entrance is free

Official website: https://pleskov60.ru/pamiatnik-pogibshim-voinam-desantnikam.html

Museum "Honey Farm"

The museum is located on a working apiary. The current exhibitions tell about beekeeping and the life of a Russian peasant estate in the 20th century. The apiary is located among picturesque nature.

Here you can try and buy honey made at Glazov’s apiary. Tourists can watch the life of bees in a hive through glass and learn what happens to a person after a bee sting, using the example of a guide.

Address: Dubrovka village, Pskov district

Working hours: 10:00 — 18:00

Entrance: 400 rub.

Official website: https://pasekaglazova.ru/

Zapskovye

Old Zapskovye is an area where the historical buildings of the city have been completely preserved. The area is located across the Pskovaya River, the Trinity (formerly Sovetsky) bridge leads there.

From the Trinity Bridge you can admire the picturesque view of the ancient Pskov Krom, or the Kremlin. On Zvanitsa Street there are several churches built in the characteristic Pskov style of religious architecture, all churches are working.

Address: Staroye Zapskovye microdistrict

Opening hours: daily

The entrance is free

Official website: https://kraeved1147.ru/pskov-4/

Where to stay in Pskov

In preparation for the trip, we selected several good hotels in advance where we could spend the night, which we are sharing with you. Karkushin House and Hotel 903. Remarkably, in terms of room rates and location, these are some of the best places in the city.

We also recommend reading our articles about housing in Pskov:

Pskov hotels in the city center - a selection of the best
How to rent an apartment in Pskov for daily rent without intermediaries for up to $35

We ourselves stayed at Hotel 903 and, when we entered the city, we found it very quickly, because it is located practically on the Olginskaya embankment. From the windows there is a beautiful view of the Velikaya River and the Pskov Kremlin. We were also pleasantly surprised that the reviews and the real picture coincided, and we really liked it there.

What to visit in Pskov for free:

Snetogorsk Monastery

The monastery was founded in the 11th century. The pearl of the architectural ensemble is the white stone Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Now services are held in the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

The monastery houses the miraculous icon of the Snetogorsk Mother of God. It is believed that this image gives believers healing from illnesses and fulfills all requests. There is a refectory on the territory of the monastery.

Address: Snyatnaya Gora, 1

Opening hours: daily

The entrance is free

Official website: https://snetogor.ru/

Church of St. Basil the Great on Gorka

The single-domed church in Russian style was built in the 14th century. They tried to destroy it several times, but the unique architectural monument has survived to this day. The temple is located on a picturesque hill.

Morning and evening services are held in the temple every day, and there are several miraculous icons. Employees accept church requests. Fragments of ancient church paintings have been preserved.

Address: Oktyabrsky Prospekt, 5

Working hours: 8:00 – 19:00

The entrance is free

Official website: https://hramnagorke.ru/

Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker from Usokha

The 15th century architectural monument was included in the UNESCO Golden Fund for Cultural Heritage in 2021. The church received the name “So Usohi” because it was erected in the 13th century on the site of a shallow and dried-out swamp.

This church is a typical example of Pskov religious architecture of the 16th century. In the 1960s, restorers recreated the northern belfry of the temple. Outstanding Soviet architects B. Skobeltsyn and Yu. Spegalsky worked on the restoration of the temple in the 20th century.

Address: Sovetskaya, 19

Working hours: 08:00 – 19:00

The entrance is free

Official website: https://nikolasousohi.cerkov.ru/

Mirozh Arboretum

The park is located where the Mirozha River flows into the Velikaya River and was founded in the 1960s. It was at this time that the first trees were planted here by local residents. In 2013, the park was landscaped according to a joint project of Russian and Baltic masters.

This is a great place for a walk. Here you can walk among the trees along pedestrian paths, walk along shady alleys and sit on a bench. There is an artificial island on the pond with a house for wild ducks.

Address: Park of Culture and Leisure

Opening hours: daily

Free admission

Trinity Cathedral

This is the main temple of the city, located in the center of the local Kremlin, or Krom. According to legend, Princess Olga herself chose the site for the cathedral at the beginning of the 10th century. Here, before the Battle of the Ice, Alexander Nevsky himself prayed.

The cathedral houses the relics of the Pskov prince Vsevolod (baptized Gabriel). The cathedral has five chapters - symbols of Jesus Christ and the evangelists. The paintings done by Archimandrite Zinon have been preserved inside.

Address: st. Kremlin, 2/1, Pskov

Working hours: 08:00 – 20:00

The entrance is free

Official website: https://www.soborpskov.ru/

Traveling through ancient Russian lands

The sights of Pskov are included in the Russian heritage lists. Beautiful streets with ancient buildings, fortress walls, chambers of famous families and a stylized embankment - we offer a route that will not allow you to miss the most important thing.

If you want to get to Pskov from Moscow, it is best to choose air travel. In 1 hour 20 minutes you will fly to the place, and in another 15 minutes you will find yourself in the center. The airport is located in close proximity to it.

Flights Moscow – Pskov and back – from 2400 rubles*.

View flights

It is more convenient to get from St. Petersburg by Lastochka. Travel time is 3.5 hours.

Railway tickets St. Petersburg - Pskov - from 750 rubles*.

Select train

For accommodation, we have selected several cozy options in different price categories:

Hotel "Transit" - from 1000 rubles per night for two*.

Hotel Edem - from 2400 rubles per night for two*.

Guest house near Pokrovka - from 6,000 rubles per night for two*.

Where to go in Pskov and what else to see:

Vlasyevskaya Tower

The tower was built at the end of the 14th century, when the large defensive complex of the Middle City was erected. Nearby was the Church of St. Blaise on the market, hence the name of the tower.

On the wooden tent of the tower there is a tower - an observation deck, from here a picturesque view of the Kremlin and the city opens. The tower has the official status of a local cultural and historical monument.

Address: st. Kremlin, 7

Opening hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 11:00 – 18:00

Entrance: 100 rubles

Official website: https://museumpskov.ru/locationsslug=vlasevskaya_bashnya_smotrovaya_ploshhadka

Great Gate

The gate was built of stone in the mid-15th century for entry into the Kremlin. Usually, great princes from Moscow and rulers from Veliky Novgorod entered the city through them.

From the wall at the Great Gate there is a beautiful view of Victory Square (in the Middle Ages, Alekseevskaya Sloboda was located there). To the right of the wall is the local botanical garden, where rare species of trees grow.

Address: Pskov Kremlin, Pskov

Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 11:00 – 18:00

Entrance: 350 rubles

Official website: https://museumpskov.ru

Olginskaya chapel and observation deck

The date of construction of the chapel is unknown. According to legend, at the site of its construction, Princess Olga saw how the cloudy weather changed to sunny, considered this a good omen and decided to found the city of Pskov here. In 1960, the ancient chapel was destroyed, and in 2000 it was restored.

The temple was built in the classical Old Russian style, with a high drum and a helmet-shaped dome. The semicircular wall of the observation deck leads to the river, and two staircases on the sides lead to a niche with blessed water. Pilgrims come here from all over Russia.

Address: Olginskaya embankment, 4 A

Opening hours: 10:00 – 20:00, daily

Entrance: 200 rubles

Official website: https://museumpskov.ru

Pskovsky Krom

Krom, or the Kremlin, is a unique architectural ensemble that was built in the 11th – 12th centuries and served a city-forming function in medieval Pskov. There were defensive structures and the main temples of the city here.

On the territory of the Kremlin there are church and secular stone buildings. Several buildings inside the Kremlin house local museums, permanent and temporary exhibitions.

Address:

Opening hours: daily

Entrance: free, for museums on the territory of the Kremlin the fee is 50 – 500 rubles

Official website: vk.com/pskovkreml60

Bird yard

The Bird Yard is a petting zoo. Here, representatives of local flora and fauna live in conditions as close to natural as possible. Animals live in comfortable enclosures and cages.

You can watch the animals, you can pet non-predatory animals and birds. Ferrets, peacocks and even wolves live here. Children will certainly enjoy watching the zoo's inhabitants being fed.

Address: st. Lev Tolstoy, 43

Working hours: 10:00 – 18:00

Entrance: 300 rubles

Official website: https://www.pskovkid.ru/2014/09/blog-post_12.html

Kaverin Museum “Two Captains”

The famous Soviet writer V. Kaverin, author of the adventure novel “Two Captains,” was born and raised in Pskov. The local library has a museum of this work.

Here you can see exhibits related to the life and work of V.I. Kaverin, as well as his closest relatives. One of the sections is devoted to interpretations of the novel in art - music, painting, architecture.

Address: Profsoyuznaya, 2

Opening hours : 11:00 – 17:00, Friday – closed

Entrance: 200 rub.

Official website: https://www.kaverin.ru/dva-kapitana/muzej

Spaso-Preobrazhensky Mirozhsky Monastery

This is one of the oldest Orthodox monasteries in Russia. According to legend, it was here that the city of Pskov began to settle. The monastery arose on the site of the 12th century Transfiguration Cathedral.

In the Transfiguration Cathedral, 80% of the unique paintings of the 12th century, made by Byzantine masters, have been preserved. The architectural ensemble of the monastery is included in the UNESCO Golden Fund of Cultural Heritage.

Address: Mirozhskaya Embankment, 2

Opening hours: daily, 10:00 – 20:00

Admission: 250 rubles adults, 150 rubles students

Official website: mirozhsky-monastery.ru

Order chambers

This is the only surviving civil building in Pskov from the 17th century. The chambers of orders were built at the end of the 17th century for the work of the order - the main government institution.

Here you can visit the exhibitions “Order Chamber” and “Mr. Pskov”, telling about the life and everyday life of the ancient city in different historical eras. There is also an ethnographic exhibition and an exposition dedicated to the outstanding statesman A. L. Ordin-Nashchokin.

Address: st. Kremlin, 4, Pskov

Opening hours: daily, 10:00 – 18:00

Entrance: 250 rub.

Official website: https://museumpskov.ru/locations?slug=prikaznaya_palata

Pskov Museum-Reserve

The museum complex was opened on the basis of a local history museum and in 1979 received the status of a nature reserve. There are permanent and temporary museum exhibitions on the territory.

The museum exhibitions of the reserve are dedicated to the culture and art of Ancient Pskov, and also tell about the role of Pskov in the Great Patriotic War. The museum has several branches - the Kremlin, the Vlasevskaya Tower, and the executive chambers.

Address: st. Nekrasova, 7

Opening hours: Tue – Sun, 10:00 – 20:00

Entrance: 300 rub.

Official website: https://museumpskov.ru/home

Planetarium

The planetarium is located in a historical building of the 19th century; the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was previously located here. The star hall is designed for 60 people.

The planetarium conducts interactive educational and entertainment programs for children and adults with visual special effects. Lectures, conferences and master classes are held, and for schoolchildren there are elective classes in astronomy.

Address: Sovetskaya, 64 A

Opening hours: 9:00 – 18:00, Sat – closed

Entrance: 70 rubles

Official website: https://planetarium-psk.ru/

Mason's House

This building in the Art Nouveau style is a residential building that was built for himself by the Scotsman Ludwig Mason, a historian and collector who lived in Pskov. The building was built in 1910.

Here you can view the collections of open museum funds. The Heraldic Hall exposition is constantly on display, displaying the coats of arms of the cities of the Pskov province. For children there is an exhibition of folk toys “Fairy Tales and Memories”.

Address: Komsomolsky lane, 6

Opening hours : Tue – Sun, excursion times are agreed upon in advance

Entrance : 100 rubles

Official website: https://museumpskov.ru/locations?slug=dom_masona

Pskov Blacksmith's Yard (House of the Father)

The priest's house is a two-story building, with a small tent attached to it on the north. The building was built in the 17th century; in the 19th century, priest Witkovsky lived in it. Since 2008, the center of history and ethnography “Kuznechny Dvor” has been located here.

The building is currently undergoing restoration. New exhibitions will soon be opened here, telling about ancient crafts and the most common occupations of the inhabitants of ancient Pskov.

Address: Komsomolsky lane, 7

Working hours: 10:00 – 21:00

Entrance: 200 rubles

Official website: https://museumpskov.ru/locations?slug=dom_ksendza

Pogankin chambers

Pogankin Chambers is the largest monument of Pskov secular architecture of the 17th century. The building is built of limestone and has an enfilade layout. The chambers were built by the famous merchant S.I. Pogankin.

The building is currently undergoing restoration. A collection of paintings and church utensils, which was previously located in the Pogankin Chambers, is now available for viewing at the exhibition “Art and Culture of Ancient Pskov”.

Address: st. Nekrasova, 7

Opening hours : 11:00 – 18:00, Mon - closed

Entrance: 200 rubles

Official website: https://museumpskov.ru/page/working_hours

What to see and where to go in Pskov?

Pskov Kremlin

The inaccessibility of the walls is still noticeable, and together with the harmony of the architectural ensemble, it is very impressive. Be sure to appreciate it by walking around. On the territory itself you need to see the defensive towers, the Order Chambers, the Trinity Cathedral and the ruins of Dovmont's Castle near the southern wall.

Pogankin chambers

Monument of medieval Russian architecture. Narrow windows, hipped roofs, a porch with a steep staircase, a complex system of internal corridors. Now there is a rich museum here, divided into two exhibitions. You can look at dishes, church utensils, household items, paintings, jewelry, ancient icons and much more.

Entrance ticket - 100 rubles*.

Blacksmith's yard

Pskov was famous for its masters of artistic iron forging, who carried out orders even for Peter I. Nowadays, intricate exhibits are exhibited here right in the open air. And in the forge itself you can learn the basics of blacksmithing or watch the craftsmen at work.

Entrance ticket (to the kitchen) - 800 rubles*.

Golden embankment

On the banks of the river there is an ensemble of hotel complexes - mansions in the architectural style of the 19th century. Walking here, you can admire the colorful facades of buildings, as well as the majestic structures of the Kremlin. The promenade will lead you to the High Tower with excellent views of the cape and the Kremlin.

October prospect

One of the central streets, where almost every building is an architectural monument. For example, here is the Zemsky Bank and various apartment buildings - Geldat, Kerber, Potashev and others. The buildings were erected at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, so a walk here will also take you back in time.

Menshikov Chambers

They are located on one of the oldest streets and look very elegant compared to other centuries-old buildings. Previously, this was the family nest of the richest merchant of the Pskov lands. Now inside the buildings there is an art gallery of contemporary artists and souvenir shops - stop by to buy gifts.

Sights of Pskov in one day

Monument "Battle on the Ice"

The memorial complex in honor of the victory of the Russian army over the Swedes in 1242 was erected in 1968, the authors of the project are architect P. S. Butenko, sculptor I. I. Kozlovsky.

The monument made of bronze and copper depicts the Russian army, which is preparing to go to war against the Swedes. The pedestal is decorated with a bronze plaque “In gratitude to Alexander Nevsky from descendants.”

Address: Pskov district, Mount Sokolikha

Opening hours: daily

Entry: free

Official website: https://pleskov60.ru/pamiatnik-ledovye-poboishche.html

Church of Varlaam Khutynsky on Zvanitsa

The temple was first mentioned in chronicles of the 13th century. It was restored and rebuilt several times. This is a typical Russian style temple.

In the temple you can see unique ancient icons of the Pskov school. In the Nikolsky chapel there is a wooden iconostasis of the 17th century of three tiers. On the doors of the iconostasis there are picturesque paintings of the academic school depicting the holy evangelists and the Annunciation.

Address: st. Leona Pozemsky, 53

Working hours: 08:00 – 18:00

The entrance is free

Official website: https://pleskov60.ru/leona-pozemskogo-53.html

Cathedral of the Nativity of John the Baptist of the Ivanovo Monastery

Until 1925, the cathedral was the main church in the convent of John the Baptist. The temple was built in the mid-12th century from limestone slabs and plinth. It was restored in the 1950s.

In the church you can attend the liturgy and evening service, order a prayer service or memorial service, and also submit requests for commemoration at the Indestructible Psalter. There is a holy spring on the territory of the monastery.

Address: st. Maxim Gorky, 1A

Opening hours: daily, 09:00 – 19:00

Entry: free

Official website: krypetsy.ru

Menshikov Chambers in Pskov

The Menshikov Chambers is a unique monument of Pskov civil architecture of the 17th century. The complex of residential and commercial buildings was built by the head of an ancient merchant family.

There are souvenir shops on the territory of the chambers, where you can buy souvenirs and ceramics. In the museum you can see unique ceramic dishes and attend a master class on working on a pottery wheel.

Address: Sovetskaya, 50

Opening hours: 11:00 – 18:00, Sun and Mon – closed

Entry: free

Official website: https://vk.com/club23464126

Temple of Alexander Nevsky

The temple was consecrated in 1908. During Soviet times, a club was located here, and in 1991 the building was returned to the Orthodox Church. Now it is the official temple of the 76th stormtrooper and paratrooper division.

The temple contains a unique icon “The Life of Alexander Nevsky”, which was made by artists from the village of Palekh, Ivanovo region. Divine services are held daily, you can order a prayer service for health or a memorial service.

Address: st. Mirnaya, 1

Working hours: 06:00 – 22:00

The entrance is free

Official website: https://pskov.pobeda.ru/