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Pechory

 

A border town in Pskov oblast famous for its Pskov-Caves Monastery (or Pskov-Pechora Monastery), one of the most important Russian Orthodox spiritual centers. Its current hegumen (head) is considered president Putin's personal confessor.

 

Entrance gate with a church above.

 

The inscription says it is forbidden to swing the bells.

 

The enforcement of the ban.

 

Mighty fortifications of the 16th century. Like most of the old Russian monasteries, the Pskov-Pechora Monastery played an important defensive role on the western borders of the country.

 

In the interwar period Pechory was a part of Estonia. The main part of the center was rebuilt in those years. Oddly enough, there are not many associations with Finnish interwar architecture, it seems more like the continuation of the Russian tradition, because the majority of the population of Pechory, even under Estonia, were Russians.

 

Lutheran church (1926).

 

Gymnasium (1927).

 

Bank of Estonia (1930).

 

Merchant Rusakov's mansion (1934).

 

The water began to be built under the tsar, but was completed only in the 1920s.

 

Some abandoned buildings.

 

Before scolding the Russians for their mistreatment of the houses of the Enlightened European People of Estonia, it is worth taking a closer look at what many of these houses were built from.

 

I especially liked the hut on the Pskov highway, in which the elements of the frame that have appeared are similar to the image of a forest.

 

A billboard with the symbol of the Russian special military operation in Ukraine at the entrance to the town.

 

Throughout the Pskov region, completely ugly metal doors are installed from the same corrugated sheet. The tradition is also honored in Pechory.

 

Political syncretism and gender Taoism in the park.

 

The manhole cover was salvaged. At least they tried.

 

The public transit is very bad.

 

However Pechory has a crystal clean air and smells with pines.

 

The Sova hotel with a mini-house for the ginger cat.

 

Pechory delights with an abundance of cats. But beware of aggressive old crones who will scold you for taking pictures of cats or for trying to pet them.

 

Getting in (as of July 2022): Not really easy. About 4 hours by car from St. Petersburg or about 8 hours from Moscow. No convenient fast public transit options. Whilst Pechory is a border town since 2007 it is not a restricted border zone, so feel free to visit.

Where to stay: The Sova hotel. Located on the outskirts of the town, but the center can be reached on foot in 20 minutes.

Where to eat: The Kohvik cafe with a nice coffee. "Nesvyatye svyatye" (Unsaintly Saints) is said to be the best restaurant in Pskov oblast, but somehow we didn't go there.

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