Lake Peipsi (est. Peipsi)

Among the many wonders of Russia, one cannot but mention Lake Peipsi. Its name comes from the word "chud" ", which in Ancient Rus denoted a collective image of different Finno-Ugric peoples. This is a large freshwater reservoir, into which more than thirty rivers flow, and the Narva River flows out of the lake and flows into the Gulf of Finland. The total area of \u200b\u200bthe lake is more than 3.5 thousand square kilometers... Throughout Europe, Lake Peipsi is the fourth largest. The length of the lake is 150 kilometers, its width reaches 50 kilometers, and the maximum depth reaches 15.3 meters. The lake has 29 islands and is a border lake: 2,100 square kilometers of the entire reservoir are included in the territorial zone of the Pskov region, and the rest belong to the state of Estonia. The largest is the Estonian island of Zhelachek. This is the only one inhabited island in these places. On the rest, only birds can be found.

As you know, on April 5, 1242, the famous Battle of the Ice took place on the ice of Lake Peipsi - the battle of the Russian troops of Prince Alexander Nevsky against the troops of the Livonian Order. On the ice of Lake Peipsi on April 5, 1242, the famous Battle of the Ice took place - the battle of the Russian army of Prince Alexander Nevsky against the troops of the Livonian Order. Due to the variability of the hydrography of Lake Peipsi, historians for a long time could not accurately determine the place where the battle took place. Only thanks to long-term research carried out by the expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the USSR Academy of Sciences, the site of the battle was established. It is located about 400 meters from Cape Sigovets.

From the coast, Lake Peipsi looks a little pinkish, from the water - blue, and from the plane it looks black. It is from the height that you can clearly see the spreading rectangle of the water surface, although not the entire water area of \u200b\u200bthe lake is visible. The curving coastline echoes the light brown flat border - this is the place of coastal shallow water, and immediately behind it is a dark abyss, representing the cathedral, a large cliff of land flooded with water. The nature in the vicinity of the reservoir is unique; the landscape is decorated with deciduous forests and sand dunes overgrown with pine trees. In this place, there is a kind of combination of flora and fauna - more than fifty different types birds and the same number of species of mammals. Vegetable world strikes with its riot, despite the northern latitudes and very low temperatures even in summer.

Lake Peipsi has incredibly clear water and a sandy bottom, which attracts tourists and many lovers of natural recreation to this region. People come to the shores of Lake Peipsi who want a quiet rest, because it is in this place that you can truly enjoy the wonderful fresh air, as well as the extraordinary beauty of the nearby places. The lake is a great place to relax with your family and children. Along the reservoir there are houses and recreation centers, children's health centers, boarding houses, sanatoriums and cottage settlements, offering rest of different directions and comfort. The magnificent nature and ecology of these places annually attract tourists who prefer contemplative rest.

Lake Peipsi also attracts fishing enthusiasts. Pike, pike perch, roach, perch and other types of fish are found in the reservoir. In total, about 22 species of lake fish live in the waters of Lake Peipsi. It is possible to rent the necessary fishing equipment, as well as bicycles and boats. The main fishing center is the Talab Islands. In winter, fishermen migrate to the lake itself, transporting light huts built of birch bark onto its immovable ice surface, which, gradually grouping together, make up something like villages.

Local hotels and pensions provide a fairly high level of service. One of the most attractive shelters on the shores of Lake Peipsi is the Chudskoye Podvorie, a recreation center, which includes 47 cottages of four different categories, the Medved restaurant, a conference hall, and a free guarded parking lot. Each cottage, regardless of category, has a terrace with a wonderful view of the lake. The cottage village is located directly on the shore of the lake, at the entrance to the village of Spitsino, 90 km from Pskov.

Most big City on the shore of Lake Peipsi - Gdov. Among its main attractions are the Cathedral of the Sovereign Mother of God and the Gdovsk Kremlin, as well as the Mare Settlement, which houses the famous "crow's stone". From him, Alexander Nevsky led the Russian troops during the Battle of the Ice.

There is a museum in the village of Samolva, the exhibits of which tell in detail about the Battle of the Ice. In the village of Domozhyrka, not far from the lake, you can see the Church of the Holy Trinity, built here in the 15th century, the Church of Peter and Paul in the village of Vetvenik, the Church of the Intercession in the village of Ozera and the Church of St. Nicholas in Remda are of interest.

Every year, in April, the anniversary of the Battle of the Ice is celebrated here. For this holiday, reenactors from Belarus, Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic republics come to the shore of Lake Peipsi. Demonstration tournaments are held with the most accurate depiction of historical details and make a strong impression on the audience.

How to get there:

By car: The fastest way to get to this wonderful place is by car from St. Petersburg. Following to Lake Peipsi, you need to choose the city of Gdov as a landmark, as the closest to it locality... You can get there by federal highways E20, E360, the distance to Lake Peipsi is 250 kilometers. The road will take 5 hours.

By train: The train on the route "St. Petersburg - Gdov" departs daily from the Baltiysky railway station. Then you need to change to a bus, the final stop is Lake Peipsi. You can get to Pskov by night train from Moscow, which departs daily from the Leningradsky railway station of the capital. Travel time - 5 hours. Then from Pskov to Lake Peipsi can be reached by city bus or minibus. The journey will take one hour.

Location: Pskov region, Gdovskiy district, village Zalakhtovye

In its name, Lake Peipsi retained the memory of the ancient tribe "Chud", which took part in the Battle of the Ice, was famous for its heroes and left many conspired treasures. Unique and picturesque places still retain their former glory and a certain mystery.

The lake is the basis of the famous Chudsko-Pskov lake complex, which consists of the Chudskoe and Pskov lakes and the Warm lake located between them. The length of Lake Peipsi is 96 km, the width is about 50 km, and the average depth is more than 7 km. The border between the Russian Federation and Estonia runs approximately in the middle of the reservoir. The Russian coast is distinguished by insignificant swampy areas, which are replaced by hills and dunes. Estonian - very swampy and often flooded.

AT freshwater lake about 30 rivers (Gdovka, Zhelcha, Torokhovka, Kuna) and small streams flow into it. Moreover, only Narva carries its waters from the lake, connecting it with the Gulf of Finland. Of the 22 islands in the lake, the largest is Estonian Zelacek. This only inhabited island is heavily swampy and often suffers from flooding. The rest of the islands are low-lying and uninhabited. In summer, waterfowl nest on them: mallard, herons, coot, gogol.

Lake Peipsi is rich in plankton, which is the main food for many fish species. There are about 48 species of them here: burbot, pike perch, vendace, salmon, roach, bream, rudd, ruff. The picturesque nature and guaranteed catch attract fishermen here from different parts of the country. At the same time, winter fishing on Lake Peipsi is no less exciting and productive than in summer. In clear, sunny winter weather, perch bite well. The best roach bite begins in early spring. During the summer fishing period, pike, perch, pike perch or bream are most often caught on the hook. In addition, the Chud whitefish can become the main trophy.

There are many tourist centers and boarding houses on the shore of Lake Peipsi, where all the conditions for a good rest are created: tasty food, healing air pine forests, hiking on historical sites make it useful and informative.

Lake Peipsi on the map.

Video: Lake Peipsi

Pskov-Peipsi lake belongs to the largest freshwater and transboundary water bodies in Europe, occupying the fourth place in area after Ladoga, Onega and Lake Venern (Sweden) and fifth in volume. It differs from these lakes in shallow water (average depth of 7.1 m), a high level of eutrophication and uniquely high commercial fish productivity for lakes in the temperate zone (30-40 kg / ha).
The lake is elongated in the medial direction and consists of three parts, differing in a number of hydrological and hydrochemical indicators, as well as in the level of trophy and composition of hydrobionts (including ichthyofauna): Lake Peipsi (area 2613 km 2), Pskov Lake (709 km 2) and the Warm Lake connecting them (236 km 2). The total area of \u200b\u200bthe Pskov-Chudskoe reservoir is 3558 km 2, of which 44% belongs to Estonia, 56% - to Russia. The lake accumulates almost 25.2 km 3 of water, and the catchment area is 47800 km 2.
About 240 rivers, streams and streams flow into Pskov-Peipsi Lake, and one river flows out - Narva, which connects Lake Peipsi with the Gulf of Finland. The largest rivers in the basin are: in Russia - the rivers Velikaya and Zelcha, in Estonia - the rivers Emajõgi and Võhandu. The rivers Velikaya and Emajõgi account for about 80% of the total inflow of surface water into the lake. The annual flow through the Narva River is about 12 km 3.
There are more than 30 islands in the Pskov-Peipsi Lake. The largest of them are Kolpino Island and Kamenka Island in Lake Pskov and Piirisaar Island in Lake Peipsi. Have east coast The Pskov Lake is a group of 3 Talab Islands, which are a local landmark.

Morphometric characteristics of the Pskov-Peipsi reservoir

Water	Area, km 2	% of the area of \u200b\u200bthe entire reservoir	% insularity	Maximum length, km	Width, km		Length coastline, km
					maxi- minor	average
Lake Peipsi	2613	73	0,3	81	47	32	260
Warm lake	236	7	0,2	30	8,1	7,9	83
Pskov lake	709	20	2,3	41	20	17	177
The whole body of water	3558	100	0,8	152	47	23	520

The northern part of the reservoir - Lake Peipsi (73% of the water area) is the deepest (average depth 8.3 m, maximum - 12.4 m) eutrophic part of the reservoir with some features of mesotrophy, in which representatives of cold-loving oxyphilic fish species (Chud whitefish, vendace, burbot, etc.) etc.)
southern part - Pskov lake (20% of the entire water area) is a shallow eutrophic (hypertrophic) lake. The ichthyofauna of Lake Pskov is dominated by representatives of thermophilic species - bream, pike, roach, etc.
Warm lake (7% of the total water area) - the shallowest part of the reservoir, its average depth is 2.5 m, the maximum is 14.6 m.
The coast of Lake Pskov is an area of \u200b\u200blowland, lacustrine and lacustrine-glacial, flat and slightly wavy plains located at absolute elevations from 30 to 50 m. This territory is characterized by weak drainage and a high, often up to 1.5 m, level of groundwater occurrence. The leading process is waterlogging, which is highly developed. The area is characterized by an almost continuous distribution of waterlogged soils. Swamps occupy up to 20–35% of the area, and wetlands 20–60%. Coastal soils, mainly podzolic and peaty, formed under coniferous and coniferous-deciduous forests.
The river network of the region belonging to the basin of Lake Pskov is characterized by mixed feeding, with melted snow water accounting for about 50% of the annual runoff, rainwater and underground water - about 25% each. Most of the river valleys were formed in the post-glacial period and look relatively young. Their average age is about 8-9 thousand years. The rivers have not yet had time to develop deep and wide valleys.
The currents in the reservoir are weak, mainly of wind origin, and therefore are determined by the direction and speed of the wind. Their speed is usually low: on average, within 5-9 cm / sec. When a lull sets in, they stop. A constant surface current from south to north occurs only in spring during the flood period. At this time, the rivers Velikaya, Piusa, Vyhandu and others bring a lot of melt water to Lake Pskov. It, rushing to the north, to Lake Peipsi, to the source of the Narva River, forms a comparatively fast current at a speed of 35-50 cm / sec in a narrow place of the Teply Lake.
The excitement is more clearly expressed on the lake. They are also closely related to wind speed and duration. Significant waves can arise with strong south-western and western winds blowing at a speed of over 5 m / s (mainly in autumn - in October and November). Shallow lakes are characterized by relatively frequent and steep waves, which can be more dangerous for navigation than sea ones.
The bottom relief of Lake Pskov is even: for the most part it is flat or slightly wavy, the relative heights of the bottom do not exceed 0.5-0.7 m.Depths of 3.5-5 m prevail, the largest is located near Kolpino Island - 5.7 m. There are many underwater banks in the coastal zone of Lake Pskov, relative altitude of which 2-3 m.
Bottom sediments are represented by sand and silt. In Lake Pskov, sand was found to a depth of 4 m, deeper - light gray silt; in Lake Peipsi, silts begin at shallower depths (mainly dark gray silt with a low Al 2 O 3 content). The lake waters are fresh, moderately transparent, have a slightly alkaline reaction (pH \u003d 8.3).
The primary production of phytoplankton is 0.76-2.9 mg / l O 2 per day. Summer biomass of zooplankton 2.6-3.5 g / m 3, benthos - 50 g / m 3.

This area is located in the northwestern part of the Russian Plate, at the base of which lies a rigid Precambrian crystalline basement. The crystalline basement is overlain by a cover of ancient sedimentary rocks. Outcrops of Devonian rocks are observed almost everywhere on the surface. According to the lithological composition, the Devonian formations are subdivided into three strata, successively replacing each other: the lower one is sandstone, the middle one is carbonate, and the upper one is variegated sandy-clayey with interlayers of carbonate rocks.
Quaternary deposits are represented by loams, clays, sandy loams, sand, with inclusions of gravel, pebbles and boulders of various sizes and peat-bog deposits.
The described area is part of one of the largest elements of the pre-Quaternary surface of the Russian Plate - the Devonian Lowland. Its northern step is located at an altitude of 30 to 50 m. South edge lowlands occupy the highest position with absolute marks from 50-80 m to 150 m. The lowest position in the relief is occupied by lacustrine-glacial plains formed as a result of the successive retreat of the water-glacial basin. Their flat wavy surface is located at heights of up to 80-50 m. In the lower tier of these plains (below 50 m) is the Pskov-Peipsi lowland.
The belonging of the territory under consideration to the zone of excessive moisture caused a significant water cut of the Quaternary sediments overlying the surface. By chemical composition, the waters are fresh, hydrocarbonate, mixed cationic composition. In some areas, mainly in river valleys, there is an increase in mineralization and a change in the composition of waters associated with the inflow of saline waters from deeper aquifers and complexes along the zones of tectonic disturbances.

The climate in this area is characterized as temperate continental with the influence of the sea. Proximity Baltic Sea and Pskov-Peipsi Lake significantly reduce the temperature contrasts between day and night, summer and winter. The winter is usually moderately cold with frequent thaws, the spring is prolonged with repeated cold returns. The summer is characterized by unstable, cool and rainy weather. Autumn, like spring, is lingering with drizzling rains, with repeated falling and melting of snow.
The average annual air temperature is 4.8-4.9 ° C. The coldest months of the year are January and February with an average monthly temperature of -6.8 to -7.6 ° C. The minimum temperature reaches -41 ° C. In the warmest month - August, the average monthly temperature is 17.4-17.8 ° С, the maximum is 36 ° С. The first frosts usually come in early October and the last ones end in late May. The average date of the onset of persistent frosts is November 13, the end is March 31.
The reservoir itself, which has some marine microclimatic properties, has a great regulating effect on the temperature regime of the air. This is manifested in changes in both daily and annual fluctuations in air temperature. The water surface in summer, in the daytime, with anticyclonic weather, somewhat lowers the air temperature of the coast, and at night increases it by 1.5–2.0 degrees. In autumn, on the contrary, in the territory adjacent to the reservoir, the average daily air temperature is 0.5 degrees higher than far from it.
The relative humidity throughout the year varies from 58% to 89%. The air has the lowest humidity in the spring-summer period, which causes a large consumption of atmospheric precipitation and melt water for evaporation. The maximum humidity is observed in the autumn.
The average long-term rainfall is 560-664 mm. The minimum amount of precipitation falls in January and February (25-35 mm), maximum in July-August (up to 92 mm). The average date of snow cover appearance is November 2, snow cover melting is April 13, the total number of days with snow cover is 120.
Throughout the year, the region is dominated by southwestern and southern winds. The average wind speed is 3.2-4.1 m / s, the maximum gusts reach 29 m / s.
Evaporation rate is 350-450 mm. According to the ratio of the amount of precipitation and evaporation, the region belongs to the area of \u200b\u200bexcessive moisture, which determines favorable conditions for groundwater supply and waterlogging.

The river network belongs to the Baltic Sea basin. More than ten rivers and streams flow into Lake Pskov. The largest river in the basin of the Pskov Lake is r. Velikaya with a catchment area of \u200b\u200b25,200 km 2 and an average annual water flow of 195 m 3 / sec. Its length is 430 km. Next largest large river - Piusa. It is a transboundary watercourse that originates in Estonia and flows into Lake Pskov in Russia; its length is 93 km (80 km in Estonia and 13 km in the Pechora district of the Pskov region), the catchment area is 796 km 2.
Along the eastern coast of Lake Pskov there is a wetland of international importance "", which includes the federal one and is the most valuable ecosystem of the basin with a high biological diversity.
Great river at the mouth it branches into numerous branches and channels, forming a large delta with numerous low, flooded islands. The delta is a natural barrier at the mouth where silt sediments accumulate. Deterioration of delta water flowing affects the flooding of adjacent territories. The level of the river at the mouth of the river changes by overshoot phenomena.

Eutrophication of the Pskov-Peipsi Lake is an important environmental problem. AT natural conditions Eutrophication is a natural aging process of water bodies. However, recently, due to the increased anthropogenic impact, the rate of its development has sharply increased. This accelerated, or "anthropogenic" eutrophication is caused mainly by an increase in the removal of nutrients from land into water bodies due to the intensification of economic activity in the catchments.
The impact of anthropogenic eutrophication is primarily manifested in lakes, because the relative immobility of the environment in them contributes to the accumulation of biogenic elements present in the water column. The waters of the lake receiving these effluents represent a fertile environment for the development of aquatic organisms. A direct consequence of the increase in the supply of nutrients to the lake is the intensification of the growth of algae, phyto- and zooplankton. The main result of this increasing fertility of the reservoir is an increase in biomass in it, which is beneficial at the initial stage, since the lake becomes more productive. In the future, productivity becomes so great that it causes deterioration in water quality, which manifests itself in several forms. The abundance of biomass eventually leads to a large volume of dead plants and animals (detritus) settling on the bottom. There this substance is oxidized by aerobic bacteria, which causes a strong decrease in the concentration of dissolved oxygen, because during the bacterial decomposition of organic matter, oxygen is intensively consumed. At a very high biomass density, oxygen deficiency can be so great that it causes fish death. Under conditions of low oxygen concentrations, the decomposition of dead residues begins to be carried out by anaerobic bacteria. Although these bacteria are still capable of oxidizing detritus, they, as a result of metabolism, release significant amounts of gases such as methane and hydrogen sulfide, reducing the quality of the water.
All these phenomena are characteristic of the Pskov-Peipsi Lake. In recent years, there has been an acceleration of eutrophication processes in the Pskov-Peipsi reservoir, as evidenced by the "blooming" of the lake, which begins almost from the beginning of summer.
The main reason for the acceleration of the eutrophication process is an increase in the phosphorus content in the lake waters, a change in the ratio of phosphorus and nitrogen, which entails the development of negative phenomena such as "blooming", overgrowth with higher aquatic vegetation, oxygen starvation and fish kill.
In 2005-2006, the staff of GosNIORKh and the Pskov Pedagogical University carried out joint research of the water area of \u200b\u200bthe Pskov-Peipsi reservoir for its overgrowth with reeds.

The total overgrowth of the lake with higher aquatic vegetation is increasing rapidly. If at the end of the 1930s, the overgrowth of Lake Pskov with higher aquatic vegetation was insignificant, and vegetation was found mainly in bays and river mouths no deeper than 1-1.5 m, then in the 1960s the total degree of overgrowth of the lake increased to 5%. The main species were stalk-enveloping pondweed, common reed and lake reeds. Coastal vegetation occupies a strip from several tens to several hundred meters. By the 1980s, the overgrowth of Lake Pskov increased to 7.9%, and the thickness of the thickets reached 400 m. The main dominant species of aquatic vegetation of the Pskov-Peipsi Lake - reed, reed and pondweed - retained their dominant position. The area of \u200b\u200bthickets of plants with floating leaves has also increased, among which the yellow capsule and the pure white water lily prevail. In the 2000s, thanks to additional studies, it was found that the overgrowth of Lake Pskov reaches 12.0% of the water area (about 85 km 2), while the average width of reed thickets is 480 m, and the maximum reaches 1500 m.

Lake Peipsi

Lake Peipsi is a lake on the border of Estonia and the Pskov region. It consists of three parts: Lake Peipsi (in Estonian - "Peipsiyarv"), Pskov Lake and the connecting strait - Teploe Lake.

The modern name of the lake is Chudsko-Pskovskoe. It consists of a new name (for the city of Pskov and the adjacent region) and an old Russian name, based on the ethnonym "Chud". This is how the Estonians and Finno-Ugrians were called in Ancient Russia (the word most likely meant "wonderful people", unlike the rest of the population). It is determined that the Finno-Ugric peoples inhabited the territory adjacent to the lake, therefore the emergence of the name is quite justified and clear.

There were and are other names for this lake: Peipus, Peipsi-järv (the Estonian form of the same name, where “jarv” means “lake”).

Lake Peipsi became famous for the fact that it was on it on April 5, 1242 that the Battle of the Ice took place, in which Alexander Nevsky took part, defending Russia. The chronicler at one time very accurately determined the place of the Battle on the Ice. He wrote that the battle took place "on Lake Peipsi, on Uzmen, at the Voronei stone." It should be borne in mind that the recording was made from the words of the participants in the battle who returned after the victory won, that is, to fresh memory. The record consists of three parts.

The first - "on Lake Peipsi" - provides a general orientation. At that time, Lake Pskov, which did not have an independent name, also belonged to Lake Peipsi. Then they began to call it Small Peipsi, or Talabskoe, and even later - Pskov Lake.

The second - "on Uzmen" - indicates the narrowness of the modern strait - Teploi Lake. In those days it belonged to Peipsi.

Finally, the third part of the chronicle contains an exact indication of the place on Uzmen, where the battle took place: "at the Voronei stones."

The length of the lake is about 96 km, width - up to 50 km, average depth - 7.5 meters, maximum - 16.6 meters. More than 30 rivers and streams flow into the lake, with snow, rain and key feeding. Only one border river Narva flows out, flowing into the Narva Bay Gulf of Finland Baltic Sea. The salinity of the water is 0 ppm. The lake is rich in plankton, and therefore in fish.

On the ice of Lake Peipsi on April 5, 1242, the famous Battle of the Ice took place - the battle of the Russian army of Prince Alexander Nevsky against the troops of the Livonian Order. Due to the variability of the hydrography of Lake Peipsi, historians for a long time could not accurately determine the place where the battle took place. Only thanks to long-term research carried out by the expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the USSR Academy of Sciences, the site of the battle was established. It is located about 400 meters from Cape Sigovets.

Lakeside

The northern shore of Lake Peipsi consists for the most part from an unbroken row of dunes that extend far into the surrounding area; the height of the dunes in some places is up to 8.5 meters, and near the village of Sirenets, located on the left bank of the Narova River, 1.2 kilometers below its source from the lake, the dunes reach a height of 10.5 meters. As we move from the northern coast to the western coast, the dunes gradually decrease and the low-lying flat coast is covered in places with alluvial boulders, some of which reach 2.4 meters in length.

On the westernmost deepening of the coast near the village of Chernaya, insignificant dunes appear again, and to the south, closer to the village of Koddafer, the coast consists almost entirely of Finnish granite boulders.

The eastern coast from Sirenets to Gdov is a low dune, behind which the terrain gradually rises.

South of Gdova, the coast consists of deluvial clays with alluvial boulders, in places it rises up to 9 - 12 meters in height, interrupted by dune formations in gorges, along which rivers and streams flow.

In the southwestern corner of the lake is the Raskapel bay, 20 km long, bounded from the north by spits and the Borok island.

The coasts of the bay in places are sheer walls of deluvial clays up to 5.4 meters in height, and in places the coast is low with hills of wind-blown sand.

At Podborovye, the shore of Lake Peipsi ends with a steep cape up to 9 meters in height.

In the southern part of Lake Peipsi there is a significant island called "Zhelachek" or "Mezha". Eastern This island rises up to 4.2 meters and houses the villages of Pirisaar and Zelachek. The rest of the island is low-lying, marshy, and the village of Porka, located on the northwest coast, is occasionally flooded.

The western coast becomes more monotonous, low and meadow, in places flooded in high water, and low destroyed dunes stretch along its very outskirts.

Climate

Due to the presence of lakes, the climate of the region is somewhat similar to the sea and is generally considered moderately cold and humid. The average annual temperature ranges from 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, in winter frosts up to 30 degrees are not uncommon here, but they are quickly replaced by thaws. Large cloudiness is also characteristic of this area, during the year there are from 170 to 220 days with precipitation, most of them fall in spring and autumn. Lake Peipsi freezes in late November - early December, at the same time the snow cover is established. The ice drift period occurs at the end of April - beginning of May.

Summer here is considered the period after the last spring frosts and before the first autumn ones. Summer temperatures are quite comfortable; in the daytime the thermometer rarely reaches the 30-degree mark.

Beaches

The beaches on the lake are sandy, very comfortable. But it should be noted that the most beautiful one is located on the Estonian coast, this is Kauksi beach, famous not only for its picturesqueness, but also for its "singing" sands.

Tourist bases

There are many boarding houses, tourist centers and children's camps on the shore of the lake. All of them are in steady demand in the summer months: the beautiful countryside and healthy ecology are the main reasons for this. Many are closed in winter.

One of the most attractive shelters on the shores of Lake Peipsi is the Chudskoye Podvorie, a recreation center, which includes 47 cottages of four different categories, the Medved restaurant, a sanitary block, a conference hall, and a free guarded parking lot. Each cottage, regardless of category, has a terrace with a wonderful view of the lake. Located cottage village directly on the shore of the lake, at the entrance to the village of Spitsino, 90 km from Pskov.

Entertainment, excursions and sights of Lake Peipsi

The largest city on the Russian coast is Gdov (of the sights here are the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Sovereign and the Gdov Kremlin, first mentioned in the chronicle in 1323 and once had an important defensive significance). In 71 km from it there is a Mare settlement, and there is a famous "crow's stone" from it, from which Alexander Nevsky led the Russian troops during the Battle of the Ice. There are, however, other versions of the location of this stone.

There is a museum in the village of Samolva, the exhibits of which tell how the expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences was looking for the site of the Battle on the Ice. Schemes, maps, scientific reports supporting the search directions, unique photographs are of undoubted interest for anyone interested in the history of Russia.

In the village of Domozhirka, which is near the lake, you can see the Church of the Holy Trinity, built here in the 15th century, the Church of Peter and Paul in the village of Vetvenik, the Church of the Intercession in the village of Ozera and the Church of St. Nicholas in Remda are of interest.

Historical reconstructions

For fans of historical reenactments, it will be interesting that every year, on the first or second Sunday of April, the anniversary of the Battle of the Ice is celebrated here. For this holiday, reenactors from Belarus, Ukraine, Poland and the Baltic republics come to the shore of Lake Peipsi. Demonstration tournaments are held with the most accurate depiction of historical details and make a strong impression on the audience. But even more impressive are the non-staged battles of the reenactors, in which they zealously defend the honor of their clubs.

Fishing on Lake Peipsi

The entire lake basin is known for its fisheries, which are the main occupation of coastal residents. There are about 22 species of fish living in the lakes in the waters of Lake Peipsi. The Pskov smelt is especially famous, its yellowish color, which is the most important object of lake fishing and local export. In addition to smelt, pike perch, salmon, burbot, bream, roach, ruff and pike are even more known. Inhabitants of flat, sandy and marshy shores with sandy hillocks are engaged in fishing, on which fishing huts nestle. The main fishing center is the Talab Islands. In winter, fishermen migrate to the lake itself, transporting light huts built of birch bark onto its immovable ice surface, which, gradually grouping together, make up something like villages.