Pskov is an ancient Russian city, situated near the border with Latvia and Estonia, on the shores of the river Velikaya. It was founded in IX century and soon became the center of a medieval feudal republic. It was a city of merchants and because of its agressive neighbors - Teutonic Order, Litva and Poland - it developed a strong fortifications. Pskov became one of the strongest fortresses in medieval Europe. it was besieged 42 times and only 2 times stormed succesfully.

The city now is a popular tourists destination with attractions, such as Krom, the medieval fortress, well preserved, situated in the center of the city and with several towers in different parts of the city. One of them, the Pokrovskaya Tower, is 40 meters high and extremely broad. It was once the biggest single fortified building in Northern Europe. There is also a cathedral in the Krom with great iconostasis (row of icons) inside it. These structures are almost 40 meters high and 20 meters wide and made of wood. There are more than 40 ancient churches in the city, most of them built earlier then XVI century.

Outside the city there's an ancient fortress of Izborsk, also worth a visit and the Pskov-Pechorian Lavra (monastery), one of the biggest and most beautiful monasteries in Russia.

Pskov could be reached by the road from St-Petersburg (320 km), from the Latvian border (50 km), or by railroad from any of the larger cities nearby in Russia and the Baltic states.