Pskov

 Ancient Pskov

Ancient Pskov

Archaeologists have found traces of buildings dating back to the middle of the 1st millennium AD on the cape at the confluence of the Pskova into the Velikaya River. Ethnically, the Slavs, Balts lived here, there are Scandinavian finds.

Therefore, there are many conventions and legends in the history of ancient Pskov. The emergence of the city conventionally dates back to 903, when it is mentioned in connection with Princess Olga, who was given in marriage to Prince Igor. But apart from the modern monument, there are no places in Pskov that could be attributed to the ancient Russian «places of memory» associated with Olga.

In the 16th century a legend arises that the princess was standing on the bank of the Velikaya river, and she dreamed of light coming from heaven to the place of the future Pskov Kremlin. She predicted that a great city would be founded here. In the place where Olga, according to legend, was visited by this vision, in the XVI-XVII centuries a cross was raised. In the XIX century in its place was founded a chapel dedicated to St. Olga. It was closed in 1924 and finally destroyed in the 1960s. In 1999–2000 the modern Olginskaya chapel was erected opposite the Kremlin on the bank of the Velikaya river.

Many memorable places are associated with the name of Olga in the Pskov region. The exact time of their origin is not established, but they are of late origin (in the Pskov chronicles of the Middle Ages, «Olginskaya» toponymy is almost not recorded). An example is the village of Olgino pole, 24 km north of Pskov, in the Seryodkinsky volost of the Pskov district of the Pskov region, not far from the village of Verkholino. Here lies a tracker stone — according to legend, a trace on it was left by Princess Olga’s foot when she was driving through these places. A chapel was erected over the stone. Before us is a late legend, but the places are filled with the quiet beauty of Russian nature — which was the same under Princess Olga.

Another place is Vybuty churchyard near Pskov. Legend calls it «the homeland of Princess Olga». Olga was allegedly a carrier across the river, and here she met her husband Prince Igor. Shocked by the beauty of the carrier girl, he decided to marry her. There is no evidence of this in the early annals. In the 15th century in Vybuty, the Church of Elijah the Prophet was erected.

In the 19th century «places of memory» were recorded here: Olga’s cross, Olga’s stone, in 1914 a church dedicated to Olga was erected (today only the foundation remains). In 1993 a memorial sign with a memorial plaque was erected.

The village of Budnik is located 2 km from the village of Cherekhi in the Yadrovskaya volost of the Pskov district of the Pskov region. According to local legends (recorded since the 19th century), here that Prince Vladimir the Baptist was born. Today there is a memorial, a cross and a chapel dedicated to Vladimir.

Actually, the only ancient Russian monument of the pre-Mongol era in Pskov is the Cathedral of the Mirozhsky Monastery, dating from the first half of the 12th century. The temple is famous for frescoes of the 12th century, which have survived to our days.

Photos

A. I. Filyushkin

Tags: castles and fortresses, before 13 century, 13 century, By the route of Alexander Nevsky: Battle on the Ice, The struggle for the Baltic until the 13th century, North-West Russia