On a ridge with wide views over the countryside, Izborsk was once the equal of Pskov, chosen as a base by one of the original Varangian princes who ruled over early Russia. Now it’s a sleepy village by the ruins of the oldest stone fortress in Russia. Inside the old walls is the 14th-century Church of St Nicholas, a small green-trimmed building that was undergoing restoration at the time of research. There’s also a stone tower (Bashnya Lukovka), older than the walls, which has a viewing platform(R15; 10am-6pm) at the top. A path around the back of the fortress walls leads down to a lake. The locals you’ll pass toting water bottles are coming from the 12 Springs of Happiness, Love, Health and nine other virtues.
Outside the fortress the 17th-century Church ofSt Sergius has a tiny exhibit on local archaeology; some pieces date from the 8th century. A second museum in town, the State Historic-Archaeological Museum ‘Izborsk’ (96696; ul Pechorskaya 39; admission R5; 10am-6pm Tue-Sun), houses archaeological finds from Izborsk and contains written explanations, in Russian, of the town’s extremely rich history.
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