Piskovichi: Church and River Landscape

• The Church of St. Matthew was built in the 18th century on a picturesque slope above the Velikaya River.
• It has three altars: the main altar dedicated to the Apostle Matthew and two side altars.
• In the Piskovichi area, the steep riverbank reveals exposures of the Šventoji horizon containing fossil remains of ancient fauna.

The church’s construction and later history are two distinct milestones in its timeline. It was built in the 18th century. In the early 1990s, it was returned to the faithful, and its restoration began through the efforts of the priest Pavel Adelgeim. This sequence highlights the considerable time between the church’s construction and the start of this later work. If you organize the site’s history by period, you can clearly distinguish between the construction of the church and its restoration.

The main altar is dedicated to Saint Matthew the Apostle. The two side altars honor Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archangel Michael. The dedications thus distinguish the main altar from the two side altars and name two other saints alongside the church’s patron.

The Chapel of Archangel Michael has a special role: the most important services are held there. The miraculous Georgian icon and the principal icon of the Apostle Matthew are also in this chapel. For a clear understanding of the layout, both the altar dedications and the chapel’s function are important: the services and both of these icons are located there.

In the Piskovichi area, the steep bank of the Velikaya River reveals exposures of the Šventoji horizon. Fossil remains of ancient fauna are also found there. A geological exposure is a place where layers of rock are visible; the term makes the connection to the landscape clear even to travelers without a background in geology. Piskovichi thus brings together different subjects: the religious history of a church building and the geology of the river area.

The wider Pskov Oblast offers another architectural point of reference: the churches of the Pskov School of Architecture comprise ten religious monuments in the historic city of Pskov and along the banks of the Velikaya River. They represent architectural styles and decorative elements dating from the 12th to the early 17th century. This period can be compared with the construction date of the Church of St. Matthew, which was built in the 18th century. The regional perspective thus offers a chronological comparison, while the church in Piskovichi provides its own historical point of reference.

This comparison helps you choose a destination based on your interests. It sets two distinct points of interest side by side: a religious building and fossil traces in the area.

When was the church in Piskovichi built?

The Church of the Apostle and Evangelist Matthew was built in the 18th century.

How many altars does the Church of St. Matthew have?

It has three altars: the main altar in honor of the Apostle Matthew, and side altars in honor of Saint Nicholas the Wonderworker and Archangel Michael.

What is known about the landscape in the Piskovichi area?

The steep bank of the Velikaya River contains exposures of the Šventoji horizon with fossil remains of ancient fauna.

For the broader travel overview: Pskovskiy rayon.