The Museum-Reserve of Homeland Studies and Ethnography «Chirskaya Krynitsa»

According to legend, in the XIIIth century near the small Chiritsa river, the Icon of the Holy Mother appeared on an apple tree and from under its roots the Holy spring emerged. The icon of the Chirskay Holy Mother became famous and revered after it miraculously saved the city of Pskov from a pestilence on July 29, 1420.

Here, in 1898 the spouse of state councilor, Elizaveta Evgenievna Vaganova, established the first environmental organization in Russia – The May Union of Young Ecologists “Lastochka”…

Interest in our unique local history was revived by the curiosity of children. They began to bring facinating old objects from abandoned villages to our basement. In 2010, enthusiasts convinced the local government, school, and agricultural company to support our initiative to educate people of environmental and patriotic culture at the Chirsky churchyard and the Holy spring. The Museum-reserve arranges spiritual meetings, conducts digs, monitors the environment, gives tours, engages in natural farming, performs charity work and teaches children spiritual development and folk crafts.