Description of the attraction
Izborsk fortress, in fact, is the very ancient city of Izborsk, the mention of which was first recorded in the chronicles of 862. As in most Russian fortresses, there was a temple inside the Izborsk fortress. The Nikolsky Cathedral of Izborsk, which was first mentioned in the chronicles in 1341, was located at the entrance to the fortress. That is why, during the siege, the temple had to serve as moral support for the defenders who stood at the gates - the most significant place of defense.
Izborsk erected a cathedral in honor of their heavenly patron shortly after Izborsk was moved to Zhuravya Gora. Behind the cathedral, in the eastern fortress wall, there is a cache - a special gallery leading to an underground well that supplied the townspeople with water during the sieges.
Nikolsky Cathedral is not only the main building of the ancient city of Izborsk, but also the oldest monument of church architecture in Pskov. But the cathedral has not survived to this day in its original form. The four-pillar, one-headed, one-apse temple, built of stone in the second quarter of the 14th century, does not stand out for its grandeur. The squat silhouette has a cubic volume with lowered roof corners and a lowered semicircular apse. The helm-shaped dome and the large drum are based on supporting arches. The temple evokes a sense of peace and strength at the same time. The architecture of the cathedral is austere and austere, and the forms are simple and restrained.
The decorative processing of the facades of the temple is quite simple and is made with the traditional Pskov architecture with the blades. The semicircular apse has no decorative elements, but the heavy drum of the head is decorated with a double row of flat niches and elliptical arches, which run across them underneath. Attention is drawn to the one-apse chapel adjoining the cathedral from the south. The pillarless side-chapel covers a cylindrical vault with a blind cupola, which is decorated with tiles from the 18th century. In 1349 the Spaso-Preobrazhensky side-chapel of the temple was consecrated by the Pskov prince Yuri with the clergy.
The two-tiered bell tower was added in 1849 in the forms typical of that time, which, however, does not violate the ancient originality. It was installed on the site of a not very large, then dismantled narthex and replaced the belfry, which stood on the nearby Bell Tower of the fortress. On this belfry there was a spoloshny bell from Izborsk, thus, the belfry itself was called Spoloshnaya. The bell rang the alarm, alerted the population of nearby villages and villages about the approach of an enemy, about the beginning of hostilities, called on the people to go into hiding, and the men took up arms and rushed to Izborsk. Pskov also announced the approaching danger with a spolosh bell.
The interior of the temple is simple, it can be captured at a glance. Square pillars, almost pressed against the walls and widely spaced apart, increase the area for worshipers. The revered temple shrines are the icon of St. Nicholas and the icon of the Korsun Mother of God.
The Nikolsky Cathedral played a significant role in the restless life of the city on the border. In it, festive ceremonies were performed and city relics were kept. Significant public gatherings were held on the square in front of the temple, solemn speeches sounded and townspeople gathered to discuss worldly affairs. At the time of enemy attacks, its solid stone walls served as a reliable shelter for the elderly, women and children.
The special significance of the main temple of Izborsk is due to the fact that in ancient times the city was called "the City of St. Nicholas", the Izborsk Nicholas Church was called "the house of St. Nicholas".
