/8582987047_e074e70d07_z.jpg)
Gdov is located in the northern part of the Pskov region. Small, heavily damaged in the war and almost devoid of attractions, the city is the largest settlement in the vicinity of Lake Peipsi, so when traveling through the local marshes it is possible to avoid. In Gdov itself there are ruins of an ancient fortress and a church restored from scratch, made in the best traditions of Pskov architecture. Also, the tank of the Second World War, located at the park "Victory". Several merchant mansions of the XIX century, shopping arcades. Alley "Sighs" and the old bridges. Formally, Gdov enters the border zone, and a pass is required to visit the city. In fact, however, there are no border posts; documents are not checked.
1 Gdovskaya fortress. The stone and earthen fortress built in the
14th century from the very beginning of its existence played an
important role in protecting the borders of the Pskov Republic, and
later the Russian state. In this regard, it was repeatedly
destroyed, but then again restored and modernized. This continued
until the beginning of the 19th century, when a park was laid out on
the ruins of the walls sprinkled with earth. In 1944, during the
retreat of the Wehrmacht, the fortress was blown up in several
places and has survived to this day in the form of ramparts
overgrown with bushes with limestone masonry showing through in some
places and brick entrance pylons. The park on the territory of the
fortress is full of venerable trees, maintained by the forces of the
janitor who lives here, but still looks somewhat unkempt.
2 Cathedral of the Reigning Icon of the Mother of God (in the
center of the fortress). The cathedral, built in 1990 on the
foundations of the temple of 1540, modeled on the church in
Domozhirka. Although the new temple does not at all resemble its
predecessor, which was destroyed by the Wehrmacht during the retreat
in 1944, it is a solid imitation of the classics of the Pskov
architectural school. In front of the cathedral there are stone
crosses brought here from the ancient city cemetery of the 10th-15th
centuries, the territory of which is now occupied by private houses
and vegetable gardens.
3 Bust of Alexander II (opposite the
cathedral). The bust was recreated in 2018 instead of the one
demolished by the Bolsheviks in 1919. Such busts were erected in
1881-1882 throughout the country in honor of the 20th anniversary of
the abolition of serfdom and in the wake of the assassination of the
emperor, accidentally timed to coincide with this event. The
striking difference between the Gdov bust and other recreated ones
is that it was restored not from photographs, but from a preserved
plaster model made by the sculptor Chizhov, which made it possible
to repeat the appearance of the original; only the inscription on
the pedestal differs. At the same time, the original bust did not
stand in the fortress, but below its walls, near the Potseluev
Bridge, where in 1919 Count Alexei Konovnitsyn, the leader of the
Black Hundreds, was shot and buried. From the bust that was
demolished at that time, a pedestal remained, which in the Soviet
years was occupied by the socialist realist sculpture “Mother and
Son”, which has not survived to this day.
4 Mill Bridge, emb.
Gdovka rivers (in the alignment of Lenina street). There are many
bridges in Gdov, and each one offers beautiful views. Melnichny is
the oldest of them, built on the remains of a 19th-century water
mill dam. A tiny square was laid out on the foundation of the mill
itself, and a floating fountain was installed in a partially
preserved dam. A perfect place for a contemplative rest.
5 Monument to Peter Konovnitsyn, emb. River Gdovka (near the Mill
bridge). The monument to the general of the Patriotic War of 1812, a
member of the council in Fili, was erected in 2015. Despite a good
artistic idea and the presence of a historical background (the count
grew up on an estate in the Gdov district and often visited the
city), the sculpture is executed extremely clumsily, out of
proportion, and looks like a low-quality mannequin.
6 Stone
cross, st. Dzerzhinsky (on the banks of the Gdovka near the
Pyatnitsky bridge). The ancient grave cross is almost the same age
as the city. There are several versions about its origin: someone
considers this place the grave of a drowned priest, someone thinks
that this is the last memory of the disappeared ancient cemetery,
and more wild versions are put forward. In any case, the rickety
stone cross looks quite entourage.
7 Memorial Complex, October 25
Square (on the bank of the Gdovka near the Pyatnitsky Bridge). The
complex began to take shape during the Civil War, continued with
burials of the 1930s and 1940s, and then gradually became a place
for the erection of commemorative signs on the occasion of military
anniversaries. Now the accumulation of heterogeneous monuments on a
hill above the river surprisingly resembles a pagan temple - this
feeling is especially enhanced when looking at the boulder pyramid
on the mass grave of 1919 (an involuntary reminiscence of
Vereshchagin's "Apotheosis of War"?) And at a rough monument to Jan
Fabricius who fought in these parts with painted by hand with
orders: both of them are more like traces of some ancient cultures
than modern artifacts. In general, the place is unusual and rather
strange.
Historical urban development is not numerous and is
mainly concentrated on Karl Marx Street. Being the central street of
a small town, it turned out to be almost the only one where the
houses were not built of wood and therefore partly survived during
the Great Patriotic War. Several one-story brick pre-revolutionary
buildings have been preserved on other streets, but in terms of
architecture they are not very impressive and may be of interest
only to enthusiastic local historians.
8 Trofimov City
Estate, st. Karl Marx, 15. Merchants Trofimovs in the XlX - early XX
century owned several houses in Gdov, and in the shopping arcade
they owned the Gastronom store. The two-story manor house was
originally built without any frills, after the war it was heavily
rebuilt and now it would not attract the eye if it were not for the
luxurious gate, built with a clear eye on brick neo-Gothic.
9
"People's House", st. Karl Marx, 4. Another building that belonged
to the Trofimovs. Built at the beginning of the 20th century in a
brick style, the house stands out from its peers with the use of
bricks of different colors, which gives the impression of a stucco
building. Until 1919, the Poltava Hotel was located here, after
which the building was nationalized, and a public space was made in
it with amateur circles and a library. It was called "People's
House", later this name migrated to documents on state protection.
The most elegant of the historical buildings of Gdov.
10 Yudin's
estate, st. Nikitina, 8 and 10 (corner of Karl Marx street). Another
merchant family that built a rich city estate in brick style at the
end of the 19th century. Nearby, as befits any self-respecting
merchant, the Yudins built a shop connected to the main house by an
openwork brick arch, once equipped with massive oak gates. Alas,
during the Great Patriotic War, the corner part of the mansion was
destroyed, and later a neat but simple two-story wooden house
appeared in its place, repeating the lost building in plan.
11
Fomin's estate, Shkolny per., 1 (opposite the entrance to the
fortress). The same solid and beautiful red-brick mansion, like
Boyarinov's house, served as a school in Soviet times, and now,
alas, it is derelict and is being destroyed, so hurry to see.
There is nothing special to do in Gdov: it will take a maximum of
half a day to explore the city, another hour can be spent getting
acquainted with the museum's collection. It is somewhat easier for
lovers of outdoor recreation: the coast of Lake Peipus in the vicinity
of Gdov is very picturesque and suitable for a variety of activities.
1 Museum of the history of the region, st. Karl Marx, 31. ☎ +7
(81131) 2-17-69; +7 (911) 212-81-72. Tue–Sun 10:00–18:00. 30 ₽. A small
museum of local lore is located in the beautiful former house of the
merchant Boyarinov, built in a brick style in the middle of the 19th
century and surprisingly well preserved. The exposition was mainly
collected after the war and is typical for this kind of museums. They
offer, among other things, sightseeing walking tours of the city in the
presence of a group of 10 people at a price of 50 ₽ per person (2021).
Near the museum building you can find an outdoor exhibit - a pre-war
tractor SKHTZ 15/30, carefully preserved by a local machine operator.
There are quite a few such monumental tractors in Russia, but the Gdov
one, unlike the others, is in perfect working condition. Locals love it
and even depict it on souvenirs.
2 Park Pobedy, st. Molokhov (on the
banks of the Gdovka to the east of the fortress). It was broken up near
the place where during the war the gallows stood and executions were
carried out - the locals will show you this place if you ask, but for
some reason it is marked only with a remake stand with photographs of
the gallows and houses standing here, burned by the Nazis (their
foundations have survived to this day and shamelessly traverse park
paths and sidewalks). In the center of the park there is a lapidary
concrete stele in honor of the liberators of Gdov; a very well-groomed
T-34 tank lurks on a pedestal on the shore under the trees; in general,
nothing unusual. However, a beacon suddenly appears not far from the
tank. The lighthouse is not real - it is conceived as an observation
deck. True, due to its small size, it can hardly open up any
unprecedented horizons, but as an object for a selfie it will fit
perfectly, especially since one of the best viewpoints of Gdov is
located here.
3rd Beach, 2nd Slobodskaya st. (1 km northwest to the
coast). One and a half kilometer sandy beach on Lake Peipsi. Here you
can sunbathe, admire the scenery, have a picnic (fortunately, there are
several campfire sites) or watch birds, as the coastal strip is a
favorite feeding place for storks, several species of snipes and gulls.
But swimming is not very convenient, because the bottom is shallow and
rocky, and with the slightest wave, the water mixes with sand. The road
to the beach, though country, but passable for any personal transport,
can also be reached on foot.
Also, several beaches are marked on the
maps along the banks of Gdovka within the city, but this information
should not be taken seriously, since swimming in a shallow and not very
clean river with a silty bottom is a dubious pleasure. At best, you can
sit on the beach, admiring the scenery.
There is a separate article about the origin of the name Gdov in the
etymological dictionary of the Russian language, compiled by the German
linguist of Russian origin Max Fasmer (1886-1962). So, the dictionary
indicates that in addition to the currently generally accepted name of
this city - Gdov, in history there were also such Russian variants as
Vdov, Ovdov, the Estonian version: Oudova, Swedish: Ågdowe, Middle Low
German: Effdowe. There are different versions of the origin of this
name.
The first belongs to the Finnish linguist I. Yu. Mikkola.
He believed that the name of the city of Gdov, as well as the local name
in the Lviv region Gdow, came from the proper name Gъdъ, which, in turn,
corresponds to the Lithuanian gùdas (which means Belarusian), which goes
back to the name of the German people - the Goths. At the same time, the
Swedish Slavist R. Ekblum noted the low probability of the latter
statement, since the name Gdov clearly contains d, and not t, as in the
word goth.
The second version was expressed by the Polish
linguist A. Bruckner. In his opinion, the Slavic name Gdov corresponds
to the old Prussian gude, which means bush, forest. However, Max Vasmer
considered this interpretation unacceptable, since "no signs of the
existence of such a Slavic word are known."
When studying the
question of the origin of the name of the city, the question arises of
the primacy of the name - whether the city (Gdov), or the river on which
it is located (Gdovka, Gda).
Located on the Gdovka River, 2 km from its confluence with Lake Peipsi in the village of Ustye, 125 km north of Pskov and 230 km southwest of St. Petersburg. The Staritsa stream also flows through the eastern part of the city. The main street of Gdov is Karl Marx Street.
According to legend, in the 10th century the area on which the
city of Gdov is now located was part of the inheritance of the
Dowager Princess Olga. This was also mentioned by the historian V.
N. Tatishchev in his unfinished work “The Lexicon of the Russian,
Historical, Geographical, Political and Civil”, first published in
1793.
“Gdov, now Vdov, the city is very ancient, they think, like
Izborsk, before the construction of Pleskov was, they think that it
was supposedly given as a widow to the Grand Duchess Olga, which is
why he is Vdov, or Widow, named ... ".
During archaeological
excavations in 1989, Lev Bolshakov discovered the remains of a
temple structure dating back to the 12th century on the site of the
old Cathedral of Demetrius of Thessalonica. Confirmation of the
antiquity of the city can also serve as a charter of 1623 of Tsar
Mikhail Fedorovich, which reports that the Pskov prince Timothy
Dovmont, who reigned in 1266-1299, allocated land in Gdov to the
Pskov maiden monastery of Ivan the Baptist.
Gdov was first
mentioned in the First Pskov Chronicle (Tikhonovsky list) in the
autumn of 6831, calculated from the creation of the world, which
corresponds to 1322 from the birth of Christ, when once again the
Livonian Order attacked the Russian lands near Lake Peipus, the
rivers Narva and Cherma. This territory was liberated from the
Germans not earlier than February of the following year, 1323.
“In the summer of 6831, the Great Prince George arrived from Nizu to
Pskov, and welcomed his Pskovites with honor from the bottom of his
heart. The same autumn, the Germans beat Pskov in the world, and the
guests in the lake, and the fishermen on the Norov River; and the
whole coast and the town of Gdov, Cheremest took; and sending the
Pskovites to Prince David in Lithuania, and Prince David arrived at
the cheese week on Thursday, and Prince George was still in Pskov;
and drive the prince from Pskov for Nerova and captivate the German
land to Kolyvan; and the great prince Georgy left Pskov for
Novgorod.
- Pskov First Chronicle (Tikhonovsky list),
However, in other Pskov chronicles, when describing this raid in
6831, there is no mention of Gdov.
In the spring of 1431, under
Prince Dmitry Alexandrovich of Rostov and the Pskov posadniks Yakim
Pavlovich Knyazhichev, Theodosius Feofilovich and Stefan, a new
fortress was laid on the Gdovka River. The start of construction,
judging by the Second Pskov Chronicle (Synodal List), fell on “5
weeks of great days” (obviously, the fifth week after Easter - from
April 30 (May 9) to May 6 (15). By November 1 (10) (according to the
Third Pskov Chronicle (Stroevsky list)) the fortress was ready. On
the frontal (most vulnerable) side it was stone, on the other sides
it was wooden. The local Berezka authorities paid the craftsmen 300
rubles for the work.
“In the summer of 6939. […] That summer, in
the spring, the Pskovites hired 300 craftsmen and laid a new city,
on the river, on the Gdov, half of the wall was stone, and the other
half was made of wood, under the princes Dimitri Alexandrovichi and
under the mayor Yakim Knyazhichev; and a single summer ouchinish a
stone and wooden wall, and the zemstvo bezkiya dasha master 300
rubles.
- Pskov First Chronicle (Tikhonovsky list)
In
subsequent years, the Gdovskaya fortress was strengthened (for
example, the chronicles speak of such work in 1434), the wooden
walls were replaced with stone ones. It was composed mainly of
boulders, but in some places limestone masonry was also present. The
fortress in the form of an almost rectangular quadrangle (the
northern corner is rounded) 150x250 meters stood on a hilltop; the
river Gdovka flowed along its northern walls; southwestern -
Staritsa stream; and a ditch was dug against the southeast wall. The
walls reached a height of 5.5-8 meters, and were 3.5-5 meters wide.
In the west of the fortress near the Pskov (Round) tower were its
main gates - Pskov. In the center of the northwestern wall was the
Middle (Tainitskaya) tower with a secret passage to the Gdovka
River, in the north were the Malensky (Small) gates. In the east,
there was the third gate - Kushelsky, and in the center of the
southeastern wall - the most powerful Petelinskaya tower. At the
southern end of the fortress stood the corner Kosterskaya tower.
In the future, Gdov is mentioned in 1463, then the Germans
raided the upper Narovye on augers and boats; in 1480, on January
20, they attacked Gdov itself at night, besieged it and burned the
settlement.
“In the summer of 6988. […] That same winter, on
January 20, the Germans came with many forces to the city of Gdov;
and start a bowl of fiery arrows on the hail to let go, and byache
velmi forcefully to the hail; and plant and parish all burned; and
departed away, and the city of God was observed, the holy great
martyr Demetrius.
- Pskov Second Chronicle (Synodal List)
On September 1, 1496, a detachment of Pskovians passed through Gdov
to repel the attack of the Germans (Swedes) on Ivangorod. However,
not only military actions caused damage to Gdov. The Pskov Third
Chronicle (Stroevsky list) mentions a fire in 1560, when the city
burned out, this was facilitated by a little snowy winter and a dry
spring.
In 1581, the Gdovskaya fortress was besieged by the
Lithuanian-Polish-Swedish troops of Stefan Batory (not taken); by
the Swedes in 1613-1614, when Gustav II Adolf took the fortress in
August 1614. In 1657, one of the most important battles of the
Russian-Swedish war of 1656-1658 took place near Gdov, in which the
Swedish army of Count Delagardie was defeated by the army of Prince
Ivan Khovansky. After the Northern War of 1700-1721, Gdov ceased to
be a border fortress, having lost its strategic importance.
Since 1708, it has been a district center within the St. Petersburg
(Ingermanland) province, since 1727 - as part of the Pskov province
of the Novgorod province, since 1777 - as part of the Pskov
governorship, since 1781 - again as part of the St. Petersburg
province. In 1780, Catherine II passed through Gdov; according to
the information collected for her, there were 14 merchants, 112
burghers and 30 raznochintsy in the city, there were two stone and
three wooden churches, as well as 14 shops, there was no industry.
In 1918, the Gdov detachment of the Red Army was formed in Gdov
under the command of Jan Fabricius, who distinguished himself in
battles against the German troops (near Pskov) and the white
detachments of Bulak-Balakhovich, since 1927 - in the Leningrad
region (including in 1935-1940 in Pskov district of the Leningrad
region), since 1944 - as part of the Pskov region.
During the
Great Patriotic War, the Gdov airfield became an important target
for the Nazi troops, access to which would greatly facilitate the
operations of the Luftwaffe. Since July 14, the defense of Gdov has
been led by the 118th Infantry Division, which was retreating from
Pskov, the city was attacked by the 36th Motorized Division from the
southeast and the 58th Infantry Division of the Army Group North
along the Pskov-Gdov highway. On July 16, the city with its
defenders was surrounded. From July 3 to July 18, 1941, the
Chudskaya military flotilla was based in Gdov, which evacuated about
a thousand Red Army soldiers to the north of Lake Peipsi. July 19,
1941 Gdov was captured by German troops. According to German
estimates, about 1200 people from the Soviet side died in the
defense of the city, and 1700-2000 were taken prisoner. Residents of
the occupied Gdov and neighboring villages were driven to work in
Germany, and the territory of the Gdovshchina itself, according to
German projects for the post-war organization of the occupied lands
of the USSR, was to be included in the Ingermanland Reichsmark
cleared of the Slavic population. During the war, especially during
the retreat of the occupying troops, the city suffered
significantly. The Lenryba factory, a brick, bread and flax factory,
an industrial plant, a match factory, power plants, buildings of
educational institutions, hospitals and cultural institutions were
destroyed. In the Gdov Kremlin, the buildings of the cathedral,
churches and bell towers, valuable monuments of Russian
architecture, were blown up. Of the 640 buildings it had before the
war, 606 were blown up and burned down. A large-scale partisan
movement unfolded in the occupied territories, violating, among
other things, German communications along the Pskov-Gdov-Slantsy
railway line. Released by partisans and troops of the Leningrad
Front during the Leningrad-Novgorod operation on February 4, 1944.
By train
Once upon a time, a railway from Narva to Pskov passed
through Gdov, but during the Great Patriotic War it was destroyed by the
retreating German troops. After the war, only the section from Gdov to
Slantsy was restored, where by that time a new route had already been
laid from Weimarn: a railway connection was required by the Smuravyovo
military airfield located near the city. Alas, in the post-Soviet era,
the already inactive line fell into decay, and after 2009, when the
airfield was closed, the commuter train from St. Petersburg remained the
only user of the railway. It lasted only 3 years, after which it was
shortened to Slantsy, and the tracks to Gdov were abandoned and
dismantled for metal in 2019-2020. However, the railway is still
displayed on some maps, which can be misleading for travelers. Fans of
railway exoticism can still look at the station building.
By bus
To replace the railway route from St. Petersburg, a minibus came to Gdov
through Kingisepp and Slantsy once in winter, and twice a day in summer.
Also in winter three, and in summer five times a day there is a minibus
between Gdov and Pskov, all but one transit Gdov and go to Slantsy. All
of them are of small capacity (most often "Mercedes Sprinter"), tickets
can be purchased both in advance and along the way. A ticket from St.
Petersburg costs 638 rubles, from Pskov - 330 rubles (2021).
Bus
station, st. Nikitina, 7. ☎ +7 (81131) 2-14-97. 5:45–20:00. A small bus
station with a ticket office and a waiting room. There is a paid toilet
in a separate building, which is allowed on a ticket, Wi-Fi is provided,
which is turned off in the evening. The ticket office opens in fact only
before the departure of the next flight, so it can be difficult to
purchase tickets in advance.
By car
The P60 highway from Pskov
to Slantsy passes through Gdov, the distance to Pskov is 120 km, to St.
Petersburg - 234 km. The quality of the surface on the P60 leaves much
to be desired, although it is quite possible to travel at speeds up to
100 km/h in a car with good suspension, and the section of the track
near Gdov, renovated in 2021, allows you to drive even faster. However,
it should be borne in mind that in some settlements speed cameras are
installed at 60 and 40 km/h.
Gas station No. 42
"Pskovnefteprodukt", Khokhlovo Barskoe. ☎ +7 (81131) 2-21-45. around the
clock. Filling complex, part of OAO Surgutneftegaz. In addition to
refueling, there is a shop-cafe, there is a toilet for visitors. The
only gas station in the vicinity of Gdov.
In Gdov, as in any district center, there are several department
stores of nationwide chains where you can buy everything you need for
everyday life, and quite a few smaller shops of a very different
profile. Bank cards are accepted for payment, but keep in mind that the
Internet in Gdov is rather unstable, and terminals often fail or do not
work at all, especially in the late afternoon, so you should have cash
with you.
1 City department store, st. Karl Marx, 19. Department
store and, in combination, a good example of late Soviet modernism.
Inside the building there is also a furniture store, a FixPrice store
and a cafe. There is a department where you can get hold of simple local
souvenirs - for example, magnets with the image of a church or a
tractor. Since August 2021, the department store has launched its own
bakery production.
2 Shopping malls, st. Karl Marx, 8a. Shopping
malls built at the end of the 19th century and then rebuilt several
times. Despite the status of a cultural heritage, they are not of
interest from an architectural point of view due to their general
utility and many alterations. Inside the 150-meter covered arcade, there
are many specialty shops, including souvenir shops. On weekends,
however, they all close quite early.
3 Gdovsky market, st.
Pechatnikova, 11. A one-story market with a variety of shops - from a
grocery store to a bike parts store.
There is no special local cuisine in Gdov. In addition, in such a
small city, mostly populated by not very young people, the demand for
catering is low. However, despite the lack of alternatives, both
establishments in Gdov maintain a certain acceptable level of food
quality. At the same time, you can not count on friendly service -
visitors to all local establishments note its angularity, in some places
even bordering on rudeness, and visitors here are treated more wary than
hospitable. Until recently, a bar even worked here, but it did not
survive the pandemic, and it is not known whether something similar will
open in the city again.
1 Buffet №1 , st. Karl Marx, 19 (in the
building of a department store, under the sign "Culinary"). 10:00–22:00.
The former cafe "Central", which eventually degenerated into a buffet
with three tables and disposable utensils. They sell mainly take-out,
with a pronounced desire of the visitor to eat on the spot, meat dishes
are heated in the microwave. The food is different - meat dishes are
simple, but of a very decent quality, side dishes and salads are winded,
there are a lot of pastries, and they are generally fresh. Coffee is
only instant, there is a refrigerator with drinks and a bar with an
uncharacteristically large selection for the outback. The hall is
equipped with air conditioning, at your request it can be temporarily
turned off. There is no toilet, nowhere to wash your hands, but they
provide a spray for hand disinfection. The prices are democratic: a full
lunch of meat with a side dish, salad, pie and a drink will cost a
maximum of 350 rubles (2021). The place is popular with Gdovichi, so
there are queues.
2 Shaverma, st. Nikitin (between houses 7 and 9,
in the back of the yard). Shawarma at the bus station. Mixed reviews.
There is no special need to stop in Gdov - the main attractions can
be bypassed in a couple of hours, and in a day you can have time to
visit all interesting places in general. For this reason, there are not
only hotels in the city, but also apartments for rent, and you can spend
the night only in a few country clubs.
1 Ustje Beach Resort ,
pos. Mouth, left bank of Gdovka (along 2nd Slobodskaya street to the
beach, then 2 km to the north along the coast; you can also get to Mouth
along the road continuing Lenina street). ☎ +7 (911) 120-81-81 — sales
manager; +7 (911) 998-09-54 - front desk. 3000 ₽ for a double room,
15000 ₽ for a cottage with 4 bedrooms. The closest place to Gdov
overnight, located on the cape at the confluence of Gdovka in Lake
Peipus. They offer both separate rooms and entire cottages, divided into
3 price categories. The cottages have saunas, each with barbecue grills.
The site of the hostel also advertises hunting, fishing and a yacht
club, but the links lead to non-existent pages. On the territory there
is a beach and a gazebo set in the middle of the water.
2 Guest house
"Ustye", pos. Mouth, shore of Lake Peipus. ☎ +7 (911) 890-85-62. from
1000 ₽ per room. A nearby and more budget option for spending the night
in Ustye. Rooms range from very simple, with shared facilities and a
shared kitchen, to superior rooms. It has its own beach, free parking,
Wi-Fi and a cafe. Reviews are mixed: guests praise the staff and food,
but complain about crowding and poor soundproofing.
3 Recreation
center "Chudskoe Podvorie", Spitsino village, shore of Lake Peipus
(about 25 km south of Gdov). ✉ ☎ +7 (921) 189-98-93, +7 (921) 217-75-15,
+7 (81131) 33-143. from 1900 ₽ per cottage. Complex of wooden cottages
of different capacity and equipment. Upon check-in, a deposit is
required (returned at the time of check-out), for the use of the
bathhouse and equipment rental, you must pay separately. There is a
restaurant (also for a fee) and a farm, which also serves as an
attraction for children. The guests praise the beach and the food, but
note that the cottages are in need of repair, and the use of mobile
communications and the Internet is difficult due to the proximity of
Estonia.
All major cellular operators operate in Gdov, but the traveler needs
to be careful - due to the proximity of the border, the phone, even in
the city, can from time to time pick up the signal of Estonian
operators, which can result in unforeseen roaming costs. Internet access
via Wi-Fi is available only at the bus station, but even that does not
always work - it is turned off at night. In Gdovsky district, in some
places, not only the Internet, but also mobile communications may be
absent.
1 Post Office 181600, st. Lenina, 2/6 (on the Gdovka
embankment). Mon–Sat 8:00–20:00; Sun 9:00–18:00; break 13:00–14:00. All
postal services are provided, including money orders.
There are few jobs in Gdov, but there is a high percentage of
marginalized people who do not have a permanent source of income. And
since organized tourism in the city is completely undeveloped, private
attempts to make money on visitors are not uncommon - from quite
harmless and even useful, like short city tours for a small fee, to
illegal ones, such as fraud, theft and robbery. It is worth remaining
vigilant when communicating with locals (especially if the contact
occurred on their initiative) and soberly assess your financial,
communicative and physical capabilities.
It is also necessary to
keep in mind that Gdov, together with the Peipus Lakeland, formally
enters the border zone, where everyone needs a pass, except for citizens
of the Russian Federation. In the city itself, control has recently been
limited to the framework of automated registration of incoming vehicles,
however, to visit Kobylye Gorodishche or Samolva, everyone will need a
pass, including holders of a Russian passport.
The bus service in the Gdov region leaves much to be desired, and there is no railway at all, so you can explore the surroundings of Gdov only if you have your own transport. You can continue the journey only in two directions - to the south or to the north, since Lake Peipus adjoins the city from the west, and although several roads go to the east, they are in very poor condition, and there are few sights there. Of particular interest may be the village of Novy Opel, where the club of drivers of the same brand of cars even organizes car races. Alas, the village cannot boast of anything remarkable except for the name, and the quality of the road is such that not a single Opel will get there new.
Departing from Gdov to the north, you can visit Slantsy - a town of
miners, interesting for the early Soviet development of a typical
single-industry town and the waste heaps located in its vicinity.
Further north is Kingisepp, just like Gdov, which was once an important
border outpost of Russian lands.
Kyarovo Estate Wikidata item,
Verkholyane-1 (north-eastern part of the village). The Konovnitsyn
estate, from which little remains: in addition to the church where some
representatives of the family are buried, here you can see a cemetery
with graves of the 19th century and a school built by Count Konovnitsyn
to educate peasant children. On the territory of the estate in 2015, an
expressive bust of General P.P. Konovnitsyn was installed, which looks
much more interesting than his sculptural image in Gdov. On the opposite
bank of the Cherma River from the estate, there is a spring, a
footbridge is thrown to it.
Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker,
Damp Forest (western outskirts of the village, near the cemetery). A
red-brick five-domed church in the pseudo-Russian style with an attached
bell tower, built at the end of the 19th century. In the 1930s, the
temple was closed, but not looted and miraculously not blown up
(according to legend, the explosion of the temple that did not take
place was scheduled for June 22, 1941), so not only the external
decoration was preserved, but also the original painting of the internal
walls.
Church of Elijah the Prophet, Cherma (village centre). The
picturesque ruin of a stone church built in 1910 on the river bank,
surprisingly preserved the bell tower. The church was built at the
expense of one of the Gdov merchants in the usual Russian style, but at
the same time with a hint of Art Nouveau, and now it looks more like the
ruins of some kind of church in the vicinity of Kaliningrad, and not in
the Pskov wilderness.
Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Domozhirka
(western part of the village). The church is in the Pskov style, but at
the same time it has three altars, which is a rarity for Pskov
architecture. It was built in 1558 by order of Ivan the Terrible in
honor of the victories in the Livonian War. This is almost the only
stone rural churchyard church of the 16th century that has been
preserved in the Pskov region, built of limestone flagstone, which was
brought here on ships along Lake Peipus a hundred miles from Pskov. At
the same time, it was not completely preserved, since the Swedish
intervention of the 17th century, and all the upheavals of the 20th
century, not to mention the fires, walked through it. In 1965, the
church was professionally restored at public expense and acquired its
original appearance, but by 2000 it fell into disrepair again and is now
being put in order anew by the local religious community. A giant
200-year-old oak grows nearby.
Aircraft-monument MiG-21R,
Smuravyovo-2 (near the House of Officers). The MiG-21, unlike its older
counterparts under the indices 17 and 19, is still in service (including
some European countries). This example has not been serviced since 2009
and is in poor condition, so, despite the still formidable appearance,
it probably won’t be standing for long - especially since local children
regularly play on the wings of a fighter. Even more deplorable is the
monumental building of the garrison House of Officers, in front of which
the aircraft is installed. It can be freely viewed from the outside
(fortunately, the entrance and entrance to the territory of the former
military camp is not closed now), but it is not recommended to go
inside, since all these remnants of former luxury can collapse at any
moment.
Aircraft-monument MiG-17, Lyadtsy, Gdov - Slantsy highway (at
the turn to Smuravyovo-2). It was established in honor of the airfield
located in this place in 1944, on which the assault air division was
based. It looks unexpectedly not state-of-the-art and even elegant in
its own way.
Church of Peter and Paul, Vetvenik village (shore of Lake Peipsi). ☎
+7 (931) 900-70-77, +7 (911) 711-32-74. 9:00–21:00. A snow-white,
well-restored five-domed church with a bell tower, spectacularly
standing right on the shore of the lake. It was built at the beginning
of the 20th century in the pseudo-Russian style according to the project
of the famous St. Petersburg architect Nikolai Nikonov. The original
interiors have not been preserved, but you will be allowed to explore
the inside of the church (and even climb the bell tower to admire the
view). The area around the church is also maintained in order, but the
dirt road from the Pskov highway to the village (5 km) is not very good.
Trutnevskaya cave, Trutnevo (southern part of the village, on the river
bank). A grotto, loudly called a cave, where in the 18th century, during
the construction of a mill, workers had a collective vision, in the
place of which a trace stone was discovered. For 2021, the grotto is
tightly lined with icons, a wooden church was built nearby in 2015. In
addition to the grotto and stone, the outcrops of Devonian sedimentary
rocks along the banks of the river are of interest. The local sandy
cliffs are less large-scale and picturesque than, for example, on the
Gauya or even Oredezh, but they may still be of interest at least as a
backdrop for a photograph as a keepsake.
The legendary battle of Alexander Nevsky with the Teutonic Knights
took place somewhere in the south of Lake Peipus, although it is
impossible to determine this place exactly, and the lake is constantly
changing its shores. Memorable places are now located on the bridge
between Lake Peipus and Pskov, in rather remote areas, which are also a
border zone - everyone needs a pass here, including citizens of the
Russian Federation.
Church of Michael the Archangel in Kobylye
Settlement. It stands on the shores of Lake Peipsi, on the site of the
ancient city of Kobylinsk (aka Kobyla), and was built in 1462
simultaneously with the city fortress. The fortress was soon destroyed
by the Germans, but the city existed until the 19th century, when the
church was also rebuilt. If we do not take into account the later
additions and the bell tower, this is a four-pillar one-domed church of
the 15th century, typical for the Pskov land, which has retained the
original shape of the eight-slope roof. Well preserved, works well. Near
the church there is a small old cemetery, nearby is a military memorial.
True, the view of the church is spoiled by a private house that a local
priest built for himself, who is going to turn the church and the
surrounding area into a monastery in the future. The surrounding area
resists, it comes to lawsuits and scandals, since Kobyle Gorodishe is
not only an archaeologically valuable location, but also historically
very attractive due to its proximity to the Battle of the Ice. From time
to time, reenactment festivals are held here, and in 1992, a bust of
Alexander Nevsky was erected between the church and the shore of Lake
Peipus. A decade later, a bronze worship cross was erected nearby
(instead of the old wooden one that had been knocked down by a
hurricane). And in 2015, to the south of the church, in the shallow
coastal waters, a wooden chapel of St. Tryphon was erected on a stone.
Initially, sound equipment was placed in the chapel, broadcasting bells
over the lake, but after a year and a half someone stole the equipment.
All this heap of facts and artifacts, on the one hand, makes Kobyle
Gorodishe almost a must-see place, and on the other hand, it makes a
somewhat tragicomic impression.
Museum of the Battle on the
Ice , Samolva. ✉ ☎ +7 (911) 359-35-06 (booking excursions). Mon–Sun
11:00–17:00, from September to April on request. 200 ₽ (entry ticket),
500 ₽ (with a tour), 100 ₽ (preferential). The museum is dedicated not
to the battle itself, but to the scientific and archaeological
expedition of the late 1950s, which was looking for traces of it. What
she found, what she didn’t find, how exactly she was looking for, what
conclusions she drew and what happened next, they will tell and show
you. The ticket price includes watching the documentary film "On Lake
Peipsi", filmed in the wake of the expedition, as well as tea, coffee
and confectionery. The museum has a library, thematic events, “Chudskie
readings”, conferences and so on are regularly held. In recent years,
there has been a bias in local history. In general, the museum is quite
nice and non-standard. Entrance is free for preschoolers, disabled
people, as well as citizens with the surname Nevsky.
Fisherman's Land
Museum , Samolva. ☎ +7 (911) 777-66-94. Mon–Sun 10:00–18:00. A private
local history museum dedicated to the life and life of the inhabitants
of the Peipsi coast. It is located in the former storehouse of the
merchants Zakharovs and contains objects from the pre-revolutionary and
Soviet times, there is also an outdoor exhibition (agricultural
implements, fishing boats, a cart, a well, etc.). The exhibits were
collected in Samolva and the surrounding area by the owner of the
museum, the artist Vera Nilova, who also conducts tours. Visitors are
treated to freshly prepared fish soup and pies. Very nice.
Monument
to Alexander Nevsky, Samolva (shore of Lake Peipsi). A 15-meter
sculptural group on an artificial hill, which is an equestrian prince
with a foot squad, trampling underfoot the armor and weapons of the
defeated dog knights. The composition also includes a mosaic panel. The
monument was unveiled with great fanfare in the fall of 2021 as part of
the celebrations for the 800th anniversary of the birth of Alexander
Nevsky. In the future, they promise to build a diorama and other tourist
joys; while a parking lot has been arranged near the monument, as well
as a cafeteria and a toilet have been built.