Some historical data show that the first settlers at the confluence of the two rivers Pskov and Great were the tribes of Western Finns. Also, the first settlements here were organized by the Slavic tribes of Krivichi. By the tenth century, Pskov had already become a city with a large population consisting of different nationalities. Residents mainly engaged in trade and craft.
The city center, its foundation - the Kremlin (Krom) is located on the edge of the cape, the edge. Now on the territory of the Kremlin are two historical parts of the city dating back to different times. Detinets with a bell tower, Veche Square and Trinity Cathedral and the city of Dovmont.
The concept of the one God in the person of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is symbolized by the Trinity Cathedral. Pskov with the cathedral and the Kremlin is one of the oldest architectural monuments of Russia. Its grandeur and scale are amazing, even today such grandiose structures are rarely erected.
History of Trinity Cathedral
Trinity Cathedral in Pskov is the main shrine of the whole land of Pskov. The cathedral that we see now is the fourth one erected on this site. The first was built of wood, presumably in 857 AD during the time of Princess Olga. The cathedral stood until 1137.
In 1138, Prince Vsevolod-Gabriel erected a stone in his place, in which, after the death of the prince, his relics were stored. But, unfortunately, the cathedral did not stand for so long, its arch collapsed in 1363.
The third cathedral was founded in 1365 at the posadniks of Paul and Ananias, consecrated in 1367. There is no information regarding the architecture of the first temple, and the second and third can be judged by some icons. The icon of St. Vsevolod-Gabriel, holding the temple in his left hand, is in the Trinity Cathedral next to the relics of the prince. Exactly the same icon is in the Kozmodemyanskaya church: the church is depicted as one-headed, two rows of zakomars are visible, an octahedron is located above the second, it depicts stands with windows and decorations in the form of arches on the ledge, there is a chapter and an eight-pointed cross on the podium. On the Sretensky icon the temple is already five-domed, two rows of zakomar, due to the fact that the temple is on the basement, it has an elongated shape.
Fire
During a severe fire in the Pskov Kremlin in 1609, a powder warehouse exploded, which caused all buildings on both embankments to collapse. Everything burned out in the cathedral itself, with the exception of the relics of the holy princes Vsevolod and Dovmont. After the repair, the church stood until 1682, that year the Pskov Metropolitan Markell began the construction of a new church. But before they could finish it, the upper part of the temple collapsed.
The construction of the cathedral continued by Metropolitan Hilarion in 1691, in 1699 the church was consecrated. This cathedral is the one we see. The temple burned several times, but was restored inside and out. Later, in 1770 buttresses were added to him.
Trinity Cathedral, Pskov
The cathedral was built in a peculiar Russian-Byzantine style. It consists of two tiers, has a cubic slightly elongated shape, a four-pitched roof, five domes. The eastern part has three semicircle-shaped aspids, with extensions on the north and south sides. The porch is located on the west side, equipped with a covered staircase. The tomb of the Pskov princes used to be located on the lower floor of the church, later the church of St. Olga was equipped here. And in 1903, the church of Seraphim of Sarov was erected there.
In 1917, after the revolution, the cathedral was given to schismatics. In the 30s, Trinity Cathedral was closed and transferred to the museum of atheism. Numerous shrines of the Trinity Cathedral were transferred to the Pskov Museum-Reserve, many of them are still there.
Rebirth of the cathedral
The Pskov Orthodox Mission in August 1941 helped revive the cathedral. At first, the main temple of the city was put in order, everywhere there were traces of the sacrilege of the employees of the anti-religious museum. All the remains were thrown out of the tomb, everything had to be searched for, brought into proper shape and returned to the place. The city museum handed over to the cathedral church utensils, sacred objects, icons, among them the icon of Prince Vsevolod. The bells returned to the bell tower. The Cathedral of the Pskov Diocese gained its former glory. They brought to the cathedral and the miraculous icon of the Mother of God of Tikhvin.
Resurrection
So, in 1941 the Trinity Cathedral began to operate again. Pskov with its Kremlin is a unique monument of Russia. Its architecture has not yet succumbed to the influence of Western trends.
Three miraculous icons are kept in the Trinity Cathedral. Of these, it is worth mentioning the icon of the Holy Princess Olga, painted by archimandrite of the Pskov-Pechora monastery Alipiy. Other icons of the Trinity Cathedral are also unique.
Pskov with its inhabitants and ministers of the church for the millennium of the baptism of Russia updated the chapel of St. Seraphim of Sarov. It was equipped with an iconostasis, an altar and a throne. Re-made floors and restored church utensils.
Iconostasis
To the right at the Tsar’s gate is the icon “The Savior Not Made by Hands”, on the left is the icon “The Word of the flesh be quick”. The composition of the deesis included icons of the Pskov princes Dovmont-Timofei and Vsevolod-Gabriel. The iconostasis ends with the icon of the Mother of God “The Sign”. On the gates themselves, on the right side there is an icon of Seraphim of Sarov, on the left side - Nikandr Pskovsky. Both saints spent many years in prayer and silence, for which they were awarded the grace of God and the Holy Spirit, and praised the Lord with miraculous deeds.
Icons are written by archimandrite Zinon. They are like a prayer, ringing like the thinnest string, ascending to God. According to his project, the iconostasis of the Trinity Cathedral was composed. Pskov included the Trinity Cathedral in the category of monuments of republican significance, which are under state protection.
During the Great Patriotic War, the Germans equipped a firing point on the territory of the Kremlin. Trinity Cathedral was also damaged during the fighting.
For many centuries Pskov guarded the borders of Russia, and did not allow the Lithuanian and Livonian troops to invade our land. The Trinity Cathedral became a symbol of faith that helps in the fight against the invaders of the Russian land.